Head of State Admits: Bakir Knows Political Assassinations Occurred in FBiH, Is He Hiding Information?

Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bakir Izetbegović gave an interview to Sarajevo's Oslobođenje. Among other things, he answered the question about shedding light on war-related affairs. 

It is indicative that, unlike the previous qualification of these acts when it comes to the cases of Ugljen, Leutar, or the still unexplained deaths of the Sefer Halilović family members, it was precisely Izetbegović who used a new qualification – political assassination. 

It is not the same when all unexplained murders of high-ranking BiH officials are called political murders by citizens, non-governmental organizations, or even journalists themselves. It carries much greater weight when the head of state says it, and even calls them political assassinations. Does Izetbegović know something more than others? Does he perhaps possess carefully guarded information that, after so many years, would help investigative bodies shed light on these cases? 

OSLOBOĐENJE: An important part of the party agreement you signed relates to supporting the clarification of war-related affairs, i.e., political assassinations, which BPS particularly insists on, blaming the Bosniak leadership for years for the death of General Halilović's wife and her brother. In the interview published with General Halilović's son, deadlines for arrests were even given, I quote "30 to 60 days": what exactly does that mean?

IZETBEGOVIĆ: We agreed to jointly provide full institutional and party support for resolving political assassinations committed during and after the war, to call on competent institutions and bodies to shed light on these cases as soon as possible, and to request all kinds of assistance from governments at all levels in these activities.

The Halilović, Ugljen, and Leotar families rightly expect prosecutors and courts to provide them with the answers they have, and my family has been expecting an answer regarding the attack on Alija Izetbegović's grave for a decade. If they do not have complete knowledge, let them tell us and the public what they know, let the insinuations that burden us as people and as a society cease.

Let them present the facts, findings, and testimonies they possess. When it comes to the death of General Halilović's wife, diffuse and unclear claims should be avoided; the SDA leadership and I are not afraid of the truth, on the contrary, we demand that it be established and revealed, whatever it may be.