Prosecution unequivocally claims it is terrorism

Families of suspects Salem Hatibović and second-accused Nihada Trnke in the case of burning the BiH Presidency building during the February 7 demonstrations, attended today's hearing. They were visibly upset, and the wife of the primary suspect, Salem Hatibović, told NAP that she finds it hard to believe the whole story. Although she did not officially wish to give a statement, in an unofficial conversation, she revealed that they are very shaken.

- I can believe anything, but not this – Hatibović's wife said briefly.

Lawyer Senad Bilić told the Court of BiH that his client Salem Hatibović is mentally ill and that he arrived at the BiH Presidency building with his car at 5:15 PM.

- It is not disputed that he was present, but it is disputed when he arrived. In the trunk, he had a liter of rakija and gasoline for a chainsaw. They took those from him. He works as a tourist guide, and at the time they stopped him, a Turkish woman was with him. He is accused of setting fire to the police booth near the Presidency and the vehicles of the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies. And I saw a witness statement stating that some guys with black backpacks poured from white canisters onto the booth, and that was before 4 PM – said Bilić, adding that he cannot be suspected of terrorism.

He added that Hatibović had already given statements three times, and that someone had to be accused.

- Where were those who were responsible for securing the BiH Presidency building and whose job it is and whom we pay? Instead of them being here and us questioning them about how and why. How could it be that there were only two police officers in front of the Presidency building? None of us justify what happened, but where were they at that moment. Where were all those agencies, special units of the MUPs, cantons, Federation, SIPA? They were clearly not on duty – said Bilić.

Otherwise, Hatibović also has an indictment filed against him before the Municipal Court in Sarajevo for assaulting an official.

Božo Mihajlović, the acting prosecutor of the BiH Prosecutor's Office, stated in his presentation that citizens are disturbed by what they saw on February 7 and that there is an unequivocal suspicion that it is a criminal offense of terrorism. Mihajlović cited the possibility of influencing witnesses and accomplices as an argument for ordering custody.

- An extensive investigation is underway, and expert examinations are being conducted. Given that there are grounds for suspicion that the suspects could influence witnesses and accomplices, we are requesting custody – said Mihajlović.

Nihad Trnka, unlike Hatibović, admitted that he threw a bottle in the Presidency building, but that he did not know that the Archives of BiH were located there. Trnka had no prior conflicts with the law.

His lawyer Muhidin Kapo asked the Court of BiH not to order custody for his client.

- We will see what the Court says, but we believe that there are no general or special reasons for ordering custody. Nihad is a young man and has no prior offenses. It is true that he set fire to one or two papers – said Kapo.

The Court of BiH will make a decision by the end of the working day whether Hatibović and Trnka will be taken into custody.