Bosnia Terror Suspects Face Fresh Indictment
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Boris Grubesic, spokesperson of the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, told BIRN on Wednesday that the investigation against Elvir Muratovic, Kemal Muric, Semir Salkovic, Zulfo Alajbegovic, Edin Tabakovic, Darko Peco, Elvir Masic and Adis Kesan will end soon.
The eight men were arrested late last year on suspicion of planning terrorist acts.
On Tuesday, the eight were released after a month spent in detention on the state prosecution’s proposal. “Home detention and prohibitive measures are sufficient,” Grubesic said.
The prosecution says these suspects plotted to kill about 100 people and two policemen by detonating an explosive device in Sarajevo on New Year’s Eve.
Following their arrest, prosecutor Dubravko Campara said the suspects had visited a building they called the Masjid in the Brijesce neighbourhood in Sarajevo and an Islamic State flag was found on the premises. No explosive was found during the search of the building however.
The defence for the suspects says it doubts they will ever be convicted in this case.
“Everything remains in the sphere of speculation and theory. There is no organization, this is all just platitudes,” Rusmir Karkin, defence attorney for Muratovic, said.
Midhat Koco, lawyer for the suspect Zulfo Alajbegovic, said his client was just a religious person.
“Zulfo told me: ‘I am going and I shall continue to go [to the Masjid]. I pray to God. I have no evil intentions towards anyone,’” Koco said.
The prosecution originally ordered an arrest of Admir Ahmetovic, Bilal Dervisic and Nermin Cuprija as well, but they were released immediately after having been examined.
