NOT TERRORISTS: Banja Luka Prosecutor's Office suspends investigation against 31 Bosniaks arrested in Operation Ruben

The District Prosecutor's Office in Banja Luka has suspended the investigation against 31 Bosniaks, arrested in Operation Ruben last year in the Republika Srpska, on suspicion of being connected to terrorist groups, NAP reports.

The Prosecutor's Office issued an order to suspend the investigation against Adis Kušmić, Latif Hukić, Samir Redžić, Omer Topovčić, Muharem Borovac, Mirsad Velić, Ram Kadrić, Ramiz Smajić, Abdulah Pašić, Elvir Polje, Esmir Mašić, Nail Dudaković, Mirsad Kebić, and Haris Kekić.

The investigation has also been suspended against Jasmin Jašarević, Mehmed Husaković, Mujo Žilić, Alija Plehadžić, Ibrahim Turkušić, Senad Beširević, Kemal Sušić, Hajrudin Softić, Zekerijah Softić, Remzija Mešinović, Edin Šupuković, Rasim Ogorinac, Samir Okić, Elvis Merdžić, Mehmed Sejdinović, Alija Redžo, and Nedžad Mujić.

The Prosecutor's Office explains that no weapons, which are prohibited for possession in private homes, were found on them. Even for several arrested individuals who were found to possess illegal weapons, they will receive misdemeanor charges, but in no case can they be linked to any terrorist organization, nor was the weapon found on them intended for terrorist use.

The group of Bosniaks was arrested in spectacular operations by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska in May last year. Searches and arrests were carried out in Banja Luka, Bosanska Gradiška, Šipovo, Teslić, Prijedor, Zvornik, Srebrenica, Kalesija, Doboj, and several other locations. The arrested were presented as dangerous terrorists who posed a threat to the safety of citizens in RS. A year later, the Banja Luka Prosecutor's Office announced that the arrested individuals, after all, had no connection to terrorist groups.

One of the arrested individuals, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told NAP that he is in contact with the other arrested individuals and that they are preparing lawsuits against the Republika Srpska. He claims that their livelihoods have been threatened after they were presented as dangerous terrorists. Their families and they have suffered trauma. In the communities where they live, people now look at them with caution. Some of them have lost business partners and friends.