Detention Requested for Suspects: Prosecutor Čampara Claims Attack Was Meant to Kill 100 People!?

Before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina today, a hearing concluded on determining detention for 8 suspects arrested in the operation 'Rez', whom the Prosecutor's Office of BiH claims had planned a terrorist attack for New Year's Eve in which 100 people were supposed to die, including two police officers, reports a reporter from the Patria news agency.

Prosecutor Dubravko Čampara, in explaining the request for detention and the existence of reasonable suspicion, stated at the outset that the defense had not received the evidence, citing the Criminal Procedure Code, because he believes that insight into the evidence could jeopardize the continuation of the investigation.

Furthermore, Čampara said that the Court received a series of reports from the DKPT and the MUP of the Sarajevo Canton, as well as a statement from a protected witness, and that based on this, the Court should order a one-month detention for all 8 suspects.

The lawyers of all 8 suspects asked the Court not to accept the proposal of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH and stated that they cannot comment on the evidence because they have not received it.

Regarding the special reasons for ordering detention, such as public disturbance, most defense attorneys said that only the Prosecutor's Office and the police disturbed the public by reporting on this through the media, and that the public even learned about this alleged bomb and explosives that were supposed to be activated for New Year's Eve before the suspects themselves.

Prosecutor Čampara admitted that the explosives were not found, but that precisely for this reason he requested detention, stating that it is possible that the suspects, once released, could find those explosives.

The defense of the first suspect, Elvir Muratović, i.e., attorney Rusmir Karkin, called this process absurd and said that it might even be good that they have not received the evidence at this moment because the Prosecutor's Office would already be exposed at this hearing and the true intentions of this process would be seen.

Also, what shocked some of the suspects, as well as those present in the courtroom, were the reports from the DKPT, which, for example, state that two suspects were seen near the embassies of France, Austria, and the USA in Sarajevo.

Thus, the attorney of Semir Salkanović said that it is absurd that the basis of suspicion is a DKPT report from October 15, 2015, which states that Semir stopped at the widening near the US Embassy because he ran out of fuel, after which he soon left when a friend brought him a liter of gasoline.

- I must remind you, honorable judge, that at this widening there is no sign indicating that stopping is prohibited. If this is a criminal offense, I really don't know what we are talking about. As for the plaque the prosecutor talks about and that members of this so-called group swore by it in the mosque, I will tell you that I am a Muslim and that in Islam it is known that one swears only by Allah, and I ask you, judge, it is 10 to 12, please let me leave the courtroom because I am going to Friday prayer, but not to Brijesce - emphasized attorney Senad Dupovac.

Regarding the second suspect, Darko Peco, for whom a note was made that he stopped in front of the embassies of France and Austria, his attorney Slavko Ašćerić said that Darko parked next to these two embassies countless times because parking there is free.

He also added that he does not understand how a respected prosecutor like Čampara can present this as a proposal for reasonable suspicion for committing such a serious criminal offense as terrorism.

Darko himself also addressed the Court, stating that he does not know any of the suspects in the courtroom and that the judge is more familiar to him from TV than those present.

He emphasized that he respects all people and their practice of religion, whatever it may be, as long as it does not become a threat to other people. Incidentally, all suspects except Adis Kešan are married and have several minor children. Among others, some of the suspects are ill, such as Kemal Murić who has diabetes, Edin Tabaković who is 80 percent a war veteran, and Elvir Mašić, and their attorneys asked that this be taken into account in the decision. Most defense attorneys would agree with restrictive measures, even house arrest.

Eight Suspects

The proposal includes the suspects: Elvir Muratović, born April 11, 1979, in Rudo, citizen of BiH; Kemal Murić, born October 30, 1978, in Rožaje, citizen of BiH; Semir Salković, born July 12, 1967, in Gornje Grančarevo, Trebinje municipality, citizen of BiH and Australia; Zulfo Alajbegović, born December 1, 1979, in Rogatica; Edin Tabaković, born July 6, 1964, in Višegrad, citizen of BiH; Darko Peco, born January 19, 1985, in Mostar, citizen of BiH; Elvir Mašić, born May 5, 1981, in Hadžići, citizen of BiH; and Adis Kešan, born June 21, 1995, in Skopje, Macedonia, citizen of BiH and Macedonia.