Helez requested information from OSA BiH about terrorist cells: If the claims from RS are untrue, I expect an investigation by the BiH Prosecutor's Office!

(Patria) - Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zukan Helez announced that he requested information from the Intelligence-Security Agency of BiH (OSA) "whether the Intelligence-Security Agency of BiH has data that there are 120 para-mosques on the territory of the entity Republika Srpska".

Helez also clarified that he requested information from OSA "whether OSA has data that there are Al-Qaeda and ISIL cells on the territory of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina".

"I remind you, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, Siniša Karan, stated in his statement that the police of RS are controlling and intensively monitoring these para-mosques due to, as he said, 'potential extremism, terrorism, and extreme Wahhabi radicalism'. The President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, stated on 29.11.2023: 'We are clear that para-mosques exist and they are covered by the Islamic Community headed by the Reis-ul-ulema.'
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH Nebojša Radmanović, Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples Nikola Špirić, Speaker of the SNSD Caucus Sanja Vulić, Speaker of the Caucus – Serb Caucus Čedomir Јovanović, and Speaker of the Serb People's Caucus Sredoje Nović sent a letter to the US Senate and Congress, as well as to representatives in the European Parliament, in which they state: 'In the Federation of BiH, there are villages where residents implement Sharia law, and parts of BiH populated by Bosniaks are still home to numerous sleeper cells of Al-Qaeda and ISIL that could potentially be activated if and when the order arrives,'" Helez states.

Helez believes "that such statements by RS officials are untrue and are made for political purposes, primarily to divert public attention from the anti-Dayton and secessionist activities of the RS authorities".

"I expect the institutions of BiH, primarily OSA and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, to act in accordance with the powers granted by law. If it is determined that the claims are false, I expect the Prosecutor's Office of BiH to open an investigation into who is disturbing the public in BiH and why," Helez concluded.

Facsimile of Helez's request