Bosnian Prosecutor Seeks Turkish Verdict on Islamic State Suspect

Spahic. Photo: Facebook

At a hearing to discuss a custody remand motion for Begzad Spahic, the prosecution said that court documents are expected to arrive from Turkey soon, and that they will determine whether he has already been tried for the same offence in another country.

State prosecutor Dubravko Campara, who requested a custody remand for Spahic due to the danger that he might flee and repeat the offence, said that he had filed a request with Interpol seeking documentation from Turkey about the suspect’s criminal record in that country.

Campara said Spahic has claimed that he was convicted in Turkey of the same crime of which the Bosnian prosecution has accused him.

But he said that Spahic’s claim was wrong.

“According to our intelligence data, he attempted to commit a terrorist act in Turkey and was sentenced to four years and two months in prison. Spahic claims to have been acquitted of charges for that crime and sentenced for his membership of a terrorist organisation,” Campara explained.

He added that if the verdict from Turkey proved Spahic’s allegations, he could not stand trial again for the same criminal offence. Otherwise, he will be prosecuted in Bosnia.

During the hearing, Spahic insisted that he was sentenced to four years and two months in prison in Turkey in 2017 for going to Syria and being a member of Islamic State.

“I want the documentation from Turkey about my stay in prison to be obtained as soon as possible,” Spahic said.

Explaining the custody order motion, Campara said that Spahic had travelled to Syria on two occasions.

“His stay in Syria lasted up until 2017,” Campara said.

Spahic’s defense lawyer Senad Dupovac proposed that his client be given house arrest. He added that both the defence and prosecution considered it indisputable that Spahic was in Syria from 2013 to 2017.

He also said it was indisputable that Spahic was jailed in Turkey.

“There is no doubt that he was in prison in Kilis in Turkey from 2017 to 2021. The dilemma remains as to what crime he was sentenced to four years and two months and served three years and eight months for,” Dupovac said.

He argued that house arrest would be adequate in Spahic’s case until it is determined whether he has already being tried for the same crime.

He insisted that there was no danger that Spahic might attempt to flee, as border controls have been stepped up due to the pandemic and the migrant crisis.

Dupovac said that Islamic State had been militarily defeated, so it was impossible for Spahic to go back to Syria and repeat the crime.

“According to what Spahic said, his documents from Turkey are in the possession of our Interpol. When I receive them, I shall translate them. Until I have done so, we have a grounded suspicion. We have intelligence information about his arrest in Turkey due to a terrorist attack,” Campara said.

Spahic was arrested on March 9 on suspicion that he organised a terrorist group and committed the criminal act of terrorism.

The prosecution suspects him of going from Bosnia to the Syrian battlefront twice in 2013 and joining military units that were part of Islamic State, which the United Nations Security Council has declared a terrorist organisation.

“During 2017, he was arrested in Turkey. On February 11, 2021 he was extradited to Bosnia and arrested as per a warrant issued by the Municipal Court in Zenica. The warrant was issued against him for other criminal offences,” the prosecution said at the time.

The court will make a decision about the custody motion at a later stage.