Three jailed in Bosnia for planning suicide attack
Source: Reuters
SARAJEVO, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Bosnia's state court jailed a Swede, a Turk and a Bosnian for up to 15 years four months on Wednesday for planning a suicide attack in Europe. Swede Mirsad Bektasevic, 19, Denmark-based Turk Abdulkadir Cesur, 21, and Bosnian Bajro Ikanovic, 29, wanted to pressure Bosnia and European governments to withdraw forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, judge Mehmed Sator said. "Bektasevic and Cesur are sentenced because ... they travelled to Sarajevo to carry out a terrorist attack on the territory of Bosnia or another European country," Sator said. Bektasevic was sentenced to 15 years four months and Cesur to 13 years four months. Ikanovic was sentenced to eight years for supplying Bektasevic with explosives to be used in a suicide belt, Sator said. All three are Muslims. Bektasevic, who was born in Serbia, and Cesur came to Bosnia in autumn 2005 to plan the attack, Sator said. They and Ikanovic were arrested in October 2005 in Sarajevo and police confiscated explosives, weapons and a video which showed how to make a bomb. Senad Hasanovic was jailed for two years six months for illegal possession of weapons and explosives. Asim Bajric had pleaded guilty to the same charges and received the same sentence in July. Mobile phone records showed Bektasevic, codenamed "Maximus", was communicating with a man later arrested in Denmark on suspicion of terrorism activities, Sator said. Four Muslims in Denmark were arrested shortly after the Sarajevo arrests in a case that was said to be connected. They went on trial last month and pleaded not guilty to charges of planning an attack in Europe.
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