Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

US expert believes Bin Laden network active in Bosnia
Yahoo! News ^ | Mon, Oct 25, 2004 | AFP

Posted on 10/25/2004 6:41:33 AM PDT by Jane_N

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Hercegovina (AFP) - Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) is actively directing terrorist cells in the former Yugoslav republic of Bosnia, a top US terrorism analyst told a local daily.

Yossef Bodansky, director of the Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare of the US Congress, told the Glas Srpske daily that terrorists responsible for the bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad last year were trained near the central Bosnian town of Zenica.

"There is a terrorist network in Bosnia, composed of several well-trained and connected groups, which are directly or indirectly responsible to ... Osama Bin Laden," he was quoted as saying in the Serbian-language paper.

He said the cells were using Bosnia as a training ground and a gateway to send terrorists to western Europe or to hide them on their way to the east if they were on the run.

"The network in Bosnia ... is training and controlling terrorists who later travel to Western European countries," Bodansky said in comments translated from Serbian.

"On the other hand, terrorists for whom arrest warrants have been issued in the west are coming back to Bosnia where 'liaison officers' welcome them and provide accommodation and hiding places, and they are later transferred to the east."

He said the Zenica region had provided a training ground for terrorists who conducted a series of suicide attacks in Baghdad in August last year, including the UN bombing which killed 22 people.

"Literally, they were trained in Zenica's milieu, and from there they were sent out through Italy to Iraq (news - web sites) to fight American forces," he said.

Bodansky, who met Bosnian officials last week, complained that the international community and local authorities were aware of terrorists' activities but had failed to do enough to stop them.

"Representatives of the international community in Bosnia and (local) authorities are aware of this but they do not work enough to fight international terrorism," he said.

NATO (news - web sites) peacekeepers are still deployed in Bosnia under peace accords which ended the country's 1992-95 war, during which hundreds of foreign so-called mujahedeen, or holy warriors, fought alongside Bosnian Muslim forces.

Foreign Muslim fighters were ordered to leave Bosnia under the 1995 peace accords, but some of them stayed and obtained citizenship either on the basis of their army service or by marrying local women.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaedabalkans; alqaedabosnia; balkanalqaeda; balkans; binladen; bosnia; clinton; clintonlegacy; elvisbinladen; pardew
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

1 posted on 10/25/2004 6:41:34 AM PDT by Jane_N
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Jane_N
Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) is actively directing terrorist cells in the former Yugoslav republic of Bosnia, a top US terrorism analyst told a local daily.

Thank you BILL CLINTON!

2 posted on 10/25/2004 6:45:02 AM PDT by 2banana (They want to die for Islam and we want to kill them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jane_N

"Foreign Muslim fighters were ordered to leave Bosnia under the 1995 peace accords..."

What? More terrorists did not honor a Madeleine Albright/Sandy Berger-brokered agreement? Clinton spent a night in Dayton Ohio for nothing? Please say it isn't so.


3 posted on 10/25/2004 6:46:57 AM PDT by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jane_N

anbother lasting Clinton legacy. Without Bosnia there would be no 9-11.


4 posted on 10/25/2004 6:50:25 AM PDT by DTA (Proud Pajamista)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jane_N

More "Clinton Legacy"...


5 posted on 10/25/2004 7:09:26 AM PDT by sheik yerbouty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sheik yerbouty
More Serb nationalist garbage.

Almost ten years for our boys in the Balkans now - and no attacks.

If you want to see what Al Qaeda mixing with US troops looks like, you'll have to set your sights on Afghanistan or more to the point, Iraq.

6 posted on 10/25/2004 10:57:45 AM PDT by Hoplite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Hoplite

They won't yet target Americans or Brits. The jihadists will simpy burn churches and gun down civilians.


7 posted on 10/25/2004 11:09:51 AM PDT by sheik yerbouty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Jane_N
Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) is actively directing terrorist cells in the former Yugoslav republic of Bosnia,


8 posted on 10/25/2004 11:12:23 AM PDT by ASA Vet (Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sheik yerbouty
Well, since the Serbs are still the reigning Church burnin' civilian gunnin' down champs, we're apparently acting appropriately, now aren't we?

Get used to it - America is never going to come over to the Serb nationalist viewpoint. It's anathema to our values and ideals.

So it doesn't really matter how many BS articles the likes of Mr. Bodansky or the clowns over at ISSA publish - they're just wasting so much effort for naught.

9 posted on 10/25/2004 11:15:58 AM PDT by Hoplite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Jane_N; Destro; Balkans
wasn't Destro trying to convince of the OBL - Bosnia connection ?

didn't he post lots of information about how Bosnia took Clinton's money (ie ours) to train Jihadists ?

10 posted on 10/25/2004 11:48:34 AM PDT by ehoxha
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jane_N; Destro; Balkans
wasn't Destro trying to convince of the OBL - Bosnia connection ?

didn't he post lots of information about how Bosnia took Clinton's money (ie ours) to train Jihadists ?

11 posted on 10/25/2004 11:48:38 AM PDT by ehoxha
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hoplite

Firstly, I'm not a Serb, secondly you can have your opinion, and I'll have mine. Lastly, we'll see what transpires.


12 posted on 10/25/2004 11:49:35 AM PDT by sheik yerbouty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: ehoxha; sheik yerbouty; Hoplite
From this summer: 300 U.S. spies in Bosnia watch mujahedeen @ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1179487/posts
13 posted on 10/25/2004 12:20:19 PM PDT by Destro (Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting johnathangaltfilms.com and jihadwatch.org)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: sheik yerbouty
All I ask and expect is that you base your opinion upon the facts, rather than imagination or outright disinformation as is so prevalent on our Balkans threads.

So when you say that the Balkan jihadists won't attack our troops because they're busy burning down churches or killing civilians, I hope you'll see how I might have an issue with your posts.

14 posted on 10/25/2004 5:31:44 PM PDT by Hoplite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Destro

thanks - isn't there more info on FR related to OBL & Bosnia ?


15 posted on 10/26/2004 7:09:12 AM PDT by ehoxha
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: ehoxha

Check my links page.


16 posted on 10/26/2004 8:27:50 AM PDT by Destro (Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting johnathangaltfilms.com and jihadwatch.org)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Destro

thanks !


17 posted on 10/26/2004 8:31:24 AM PDT by ehoxha
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

Comment #18 Removed by Moderator

To: Hoplite

Hopelite...you keep resurfacing with your islamofascist bullshit. Why aren't you in Fallajah having your brains blown out along with the rest of the islamofascist vermin.


19 posted on 11/27/2004 11:36:44 PM PST by kimosabe31
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: kimosabe31
Gee Kimo, you seem so... bitter.

Sucks to be you, huh?

20 posted on 11/28/2004 9:03:46 AM PST by Hoplite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson