SIPA special forces apprehended all 11 suspects

Eleven people have been apprehended at the premises of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) since this morning as part of the "Damask" operation.

The operation to arrest all suspects has been completed. Incidentally, police officers of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) began activities this morning as part of the continuation of the operation codenamed "Damask", which is being carried out in the wider area of Bosnia and Herzegovina, reports the BH News Agency Patria.

- Criminal processing of the apprehended individuals is underway. It is important to mention that this operation was carried out in cooperation with the Ministries of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton, Zenica-Doboj Canton, and Tuzla Canton. Also, a certain amount of weapons and explosive devices were seized as part of the operation - said Kristina Jozić, a police officer of SIPA.

It was also stated that several arrested individuals participated in the war in Syria, and that the "Damask" operation was launched precisely to deprive of liberty individuals who have been participating in activities or financially supporting various terrorist groups for years.

It has also been announced that more details will be released during the day regarding who the arrested individuals are and what they are suspected of.

Apprehensions and searches of facilities at several locations in the areas of Sarajevo, Zenica, Kakanj, Maglaj, and Živinice are underway with the aim of finding and temporarily seizing items that could serve as evidence in further proceedings.

The operation is the result of a multi-year complex criminal investigation that involved a larger number of individuals linked to terrorist activities. After establishing the necessary facts and confirming grounds for suspicion, at the proposal of the State Investigation and Protection Agency, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued orders for searches and apprehensions that are being realized today.

More than 100 police officers are participating in the operation, which is being carried out in cooperation with members of the Intelligence-Security Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Zenica-Doboj Canton, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tuzla Canton, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton.

More details about the operation will be known during the day, it was announced from SIPA.