Syria Suspect’s Identity Established in Fingerprint Check at Airport

Emira Plavcic, a dactylography expert, said that by order of the state prosecution, she checked Labidi’s fingerprints at Sarajevo airport in December last year, and it was determined that they were identical to prints held in the authorities’ database.

Plavcic said that her findings in establishing Labidi’s identity, which she prepared jointly with her colleague Munib Dedovic, contained photographic documentation of Labidi as well as his fingerprints.

Bosnian state prosecutor Biljana Golijanin included the findings and opinion prepared by the court expert, alongside an order to carry out the analysis and the photo documentation, in the case file as material evidence. Labidi’s defence lawyer Bakir Hecimovic did not object to the evidence.

Hecimovic also said he had no objection to three more items that the prosecution introduced as material evidence at this hearing.

These included an extract from border crossing records kept by the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 8, 2016, information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Zenica dated February 20, 2017, and an extract from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s criminal records dated March 3, 2020.

Presiding judge Nenad Seleda said the extract indicated that Labidi had no previous convictions.

According to the charges, in June 2014 Labidi went to Syria with his family and joined units under the umbrella of the so-called Islamic State, which the United Nations has declared a terrorist organisation.

It is alleged that Labidi joined his stepfather Emir Alisic, who has also been charged. According to the charges, Labidi was member of units commanded by men called Goran Pavlovic and Ramo Pazara, as well as the Bejt Komandos unit.

Labidi remained in Syria until his capture. He was extradited to Bosnia and Herzegovina in December 2019.

At this hearing, judge Seleda said that the prosecution had filed a written custody extension motion for Labidi and Labidi’s defense had objected to it.

Seleda asked prosecutor Golijanin if she had taken into account the fact that the defendant was a minor and did not decide independently to go to Syria, but went there with his mother.

“The accusations against him refer to the period when he was of age,” Golijanin said.

Defence lawyer Hecimovic said that, if he was released, Labidi would live with his grandmother in Zavidovici.

The trial is due to continue on August 19.