Terrorism Suspect ‘Seen at Hospital in Syria’

Jasmin Keserovic. Foto: Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Witness Berin Tahic told the Bosnian state court that in May 2013 he went to the town of Azaz in Syria, where he had no acquaintances.

He said he could not manage on his own and find a job, but he then met a Syrian doctor married to a Bosnian woman, who found him a job at a hospital in Shamarin.

Tahic testified that before he went to Azaz, he watched “YouTube channels” showing the suffering of the Syrian people, so he decided to go there and help, because he had experience as a medic in the Bosnian war.

He said he entered Syria via Turkey and stayed there for 40 days.

“At the time it was easier to go to Syria than to travel from Bosnia to Germany,” Tahic said.

He told the court he saw Keserovic at the hospital in Syria and “on the Turkish-Syrian border” in Shamarin two or three times.

“He went there to learn Arabic, to recite the Quran word by word,” he said.

He said that Keserovic used to come to the hospital where he worked to recite the Quran, and that he once helped with interpretation while he was talking to a doctor. He added that Keserovic was not dressed in military uniform when he saw him last.

He said he had not known Keserovic before Syria. He confirmed that Keserovic was the person sitting in the courtroom.

Keserovic is charged with joining foreign fighting units and inciting acts of terrorism.

Responding to prosecutor Cazim Hasanspahic’s question, the witness said he had not heard of so-called Islamic State at the time of his departure to Syria.

At the hearing, the defence also introduced material evidence, which ended the presentation of evidence.

The next hearing will be held on February 18, when the prosecution and defence will present their closing arguments.