Bosnian Prosecution and Defence Urge Conviction in Syria Case

Keserovic. Photo: Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The prosecution argued that both counts of terrorism, accusing Keserovic of joining foreign paramilitary units and publicly inciting terrorist acts, had been proved.

The defense proposed that Keserovic be sentenced to between two-and-a-half and three-and-a-half in prison for the first count, but insisted that the charge claiming that the defendant publicly called for killings had not been proved.

Prosecutor Cazim Hasanspahic pointed out that this case differed from other cases in which suspects have been accused of going abroad to fight.

He said that Keserovic did not find just join the Islamic State terrorist organisation, but was one of two Bosnian citizens who also issued public threats.

Hasanspahic said that the evidence included a video, which was posted on social media, depicting Keserovic calling for killing of Christians are people who serve them, and saying that there was no need to differentiate between civilians and soldiers.

Recalling the grave crimes committed in Bosnia during the war, Hasanspahic asked whether people should suffer such evil again. He said the case was about a misuse of religious beliefs and a distorted interpretation of Islam.

The prosecutor said it sent a disastrous message which deserved a harsh punishment.

He recalled witnesses’ testimonies and evidence that Keserovic departed for Syria on January 23, 2013 and joined Islamic State, that he was seen in several Syrian cities, had a rifle and uniform and went on sentry duty.

“You can conclude beyond reasonable doubt that he fought for the Islamic State terrorist organisation,” the prosecutor said, adding that the defendant spent seven years in Syria.

He also spoke about brutal mass executions by Islamic State members, as well as how the organisation inspired and incited terrorist acts throughout the world. The consequences of Islamic State’s actions can still be felt, he argued.

He said that the Bosnian authorities have registered 150 cases of people travelling to foreign conflict zones.

“Some Bosnian citizens, who were deceived by Islamic State’s ideas, are still in [refugee] camps [in Syria]… Many children from Bosnia are still wandering around the al-Hol and al-Bab camps,” Hasanspahic said.

Defence lawyer Senad Dupovac said that, although it was uncommon for the defence to do this, he was asking for the defendant to be convicted and jailed.

He thinks that Keserovic should be sentenced to a prison term within the range of the previous sentences handed down to four of seven Bosnian citizens who had joined Islamic State and were sent back from Syria in December 2019.

Dupovac said that Keserovic went to Syria at the time of the “Arab Spring” when Islamic State had still not been declared a terrorist organisation.

He said that protests against the undemocratic regime in Syria were met with a brutal reaction from the authorities, which led to the people going there to fight.

The defence lawyer said that the defendant was 18-and-a-half years old when he left; an adolescent who made a hasty decision.

He reflected on the testimonies of witnesses that they used to see him carrying food to women at a camp or translating from Arabic, and sometimes standing guard.

He argued that video evidence of Keserovic allegedly inciting terrorist acts was disputable because it is not known who made it, or where or when it was filmed.

He added that no voice analysis had been conducted to determine whether it was Keserovic on the video or not.

“Even if the video was not disputable, there is another thingthat is disputable – is the creepy message being delivered by Keserovic or not?” he asked.

The defence lawyer said that Keserovic has no prior convictions, that he was married and is father of two children, who are both in Syria, and that he has expressed remorse.

“Many people have prejudices against these people, thinking they are radical extremists. This is an ordinary young man who made the wrong decision at some point,” Dupovac said, adding that Keserovic had tried to return from Syria.

Dupovac said he had represented terrorism defendants since 2005, and that Keserovic was the least radical of all those he has known.

In his final words to the court, the defendant repeated that he was remorseful about having gone to Syria, and said he had nothing to do with the video.

“If anyone has the right to shed a tear, it is me, the parent of a child who was killed… I am not a terrorist. I am just a young Muslim,” Keserovic said.

The verdict will be handed down on February 25.