Special services denies claim about al-Qaeda terrorists living in BiH

20/08/2007

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- Special Services, part of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), has no information on anyone with ties to the terrorist organisation al-Qaeda living in the country, says the head of the anti-terrorism department in SIPA, Aner Hadzimahumutovic. He issued a statement on Sunday (August 19th) in response to comments Deputy Principal High Representative Raffi Gregorian made to the newspaper Dnevni avaz, claiming that the presence of terrorists in BiH is obvious.

Gregorian also told the paper Saturday that al-Qaeda activists, mainly refugees from Muslim countries in the Middle East and Asia, felt safe in BiH because they had legal passports issued between 1992 and 1995 when they fought in Balkan conflicts.

In Monday's edition of the newspaper, Gregorian said he was surprised by the reaction to his remarks. He clarified his comment, saying he had not suggested that Bosniaks "sympathise" with al-Qaeda. "I have clearly stated that BiH is a very important partner in the global fight against terrorism," Gregorian said. (Dnevni avaz - 20/08/07; AFP - 19/08/07)