Bosnia Extends Custody for Syria Terrorism Indictees

The state court has extended its custody remand orders for alleged Islamic State fighters Senad Kasupovic and Jasmin Keserovic.

It said that Kasupovic can be held in custody until the pronouncement of a first-instance verdict or the issuing of a new court decision, but no longer than two years after the confirmation of the indictment, while the justification for the measure will be reviewed every two months.

Keserovic’s defence lawyer Senad Dupovac told BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina that the court’s decision meant his client can be held in custody for up to two years.

The indictments charging Keserovic and Kasupovic allege that the two men left Bosnia and Herzegovina on January 23 and July 12, 2013 and, upon arrival in Syria, they joined the ISIL terrorist organisation and remained members of it until December 2019.

According to the charges, Kasupovic and Keserovic, together with other people from Bosnia and Herzegovina who went to Syria with the same intention, participated in terrorist operations, provided assistance and fought for ISIL in Manbij, Kobani, Raqqa and al-Bab as members of the Bejt Komandos Unit, which was later renamed El-Aksa.

Besides fighting in Syria, Keserovic has also been charged with publicly inciting others to take part in terrorist activities. The indictment alleges that he recorded and distributed a video through media in which, wearing uniform and armed with an automatic rifle, he directly incited others to commit terrorist acts, including attacks on the population and killings.

The state court also recently ordered a two-year custody remand extension for indictee Armen Dzelko, who has also been accused of going to Syria to fight, while custody has been extended by two or three months in the cases of Hamza Labidi, Milarem Berbic, Muharem Dunic and Emir Alisic, who are still under investigation.

The three indictees and four other suspects were flown back to Bosnia and Herzegovina in December 2019.