Bosnian Man Goes on Trial on Syria Terror Charges

Emir Ališić. Source: The State Court BiH

The indictment, which was read by prosecutor Biljana Golijanin, alleges that Alisic flew from Sarajevo International Airport to Istanbul on December 13, 2013 and crossed the Syrian border on an undetermined date with the intention of joining paramilitary formations that operated as part of so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

“He joined a unit of unknown name which was commanded by Goran Pavlovic, a unit of unknown name commanded by Ramo Pazara and the Bejt Komandos Unit, which operated in Raqqa and the Haratin area, where he stayed from December 2013 to 2019, when he was captured by Kurdish forces,” prosecutor Golijanin said.

Presenting her introductory statement, Golijanin pointed out that during the trial the prosecution would prove that the defendant committed the crime with which he is charged at the time, location and in the manner described in the indictment.

“The prosecution intends to examine 16 witnesses, including some who will speak about the defendant’s departure to Syria, as well as officials and experts who will testify about the nature of Islamic State. The material evidence which we intend to introduce will confirm that the defendant departed from Bosnia and Herzegovina, stayed in Syria and joined paramilitary formations,” the prosecutor said.

Alisic’s defence lawyer Bakir Hecimovic said he would put forward his list of evidence once the prosecution had presented its evidence.

“The evidence to be presented by the prosecution will not prove beyond reasonable doubt that the crime was committed. The defendant had a 50 per cent disability from the last war in Bosnia and, as such, he could not have undertaken activities as a member of the organisations listed by the prosecution. The prosecution will not prove the constituent elements of the crime,” Hecimovic said.

When giving his personal details at the beginning of the hearing, the defendant denied that his nickname was Ebu Talha, and said that he was a policeman by profession.

In December 2019, Alisic was deported to Bosnia and Herzegovina together with six other Bosnian citizens, after which they were charged with fighting in Syria.

Of the others, Muharem Dunjic has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail after striking a plea bargain, while proceedings in the cases against Armen Dzelko, Jasmin Keserovic and Senad Kasupovic have begun, and the trials of Milarem Berbic and Hamza Labidi are due to begin soon.

The first prosecution witnesses at Alisic’s trial will take the stand on July 21.