SIPA

Police officials of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) started the activities under the operation codenamed “Damask” in a wide area of B&H this morning. Eleven individuals with the following initials were deprived of liberty in the operation: FH (1957), MT (1958), KO (1982), EL (1975), BT (1973), SI (1986), SK (1979), HG (1973), RI (1953), SH (1986) and AM (1978).

Searches were conducted at several locations in the area of Sarajevo, Zenica, Kakanj, Maglaj and Živinice aimed at detection and seizure of objects that may serve as evidence in further procedure.

The individuals deprived of their liberty are suspected of having committed the criminal offence of financing terrorist activities, encouraging terrorist activities in public, recruitment for terrorist activities, organising a terrorist group and all in conjunction with the criminal offence of terrorism and criminal offence of unlawful establishing and joining foreign paramilitary or para-police formations.

The suspects are brought into connection with funding, organising and recruiting BH citizens to depart for Syria and Iraq, and taking part in armed conflicts in Syria and Iraq, fighting on the side of radical terrorist groups and organizations. Since the outbreak of the armed conflict in Syria and Iraq, the State Investigation and Protection Agency has been continuously collecting information and knowledge pertaining to departures of BH citizens to Syrian and other foreign battlefields.

After establishing the relevant facts and confirming grounds for suspicion, at the proposal of the State Investigation ad Protection Agency, the Court B&H and Prosecutor’s Office B&H have issued orders for today’s searches and deprivations of liberty. The operation is the result of a complex years-long criminal investigation into a number of individuals brought into connection with terrorist activities.

The Operation HQ is formed at the headquarters of SIPA coordinating all activities in the field. The operation involving over 100 police officials is carried out in cooperation with members of the Intelligence Security Agency B&H, MoI of Zenica-Doboj Canton MoI of Tuzla Canton and MoI of Sarajevo Canton.

The apprehended individuals will be detained in the SIPA premises for criminal processing after which their further status will be decided upon the instructions of the acting prosecutor.

Today, for the first time, the SIPA members have used 5.11 tactical uniforms previously donated by the US Government through ICITAP and the US Embassy in B&H.