U.S. troops hand over terrorist suspect to Bosnian authorities

AP ^ | Thu Jan 30, 7:00 AM ET | ALMIR ARNAUT

[Destro]

U.S. troops hand over terrorist suspect to Bosnian authorities

Thu Jan 30, 7:00 AM ET

By ALMIR ARNAUT, Associated Press Writer

TUZLA, Bosnia-Herzegovina - NATO (news - web sites)-led troops on Thursday transferred a Bosnian Muslim, who had been held at their base since October as a terrorist suspect, to the local authorities in Bosnia.

Sabahudin Fijuljanin, 41, was detained by U.S. troops based in Tuzla first for allegedly spying on their base and possession of weapons, which is illegal in Bosnia. After more than a month, they said they also had information Fijuljanin had links to the al-Qaida terrorist network.

Fijuljanin never admitted he had those links, and the troops serving in the NATO-led peacekeeping force never presented any evidence and never laid charges against him.

His extended detention prompted human rights groups, including Amnesty International, to accuse the force of violating Fijuljanin's rights by keeping him in custody without charge.

Earlier this month, the Human Rights Chamber — Bosnia's top court in charge of human rights — ordered the Bosnian presidency to request Fijuljanin's handover to local authorities.

Early Thursday, Fijuljanin was seen on the back seat of a local police car driving out of Eagle Base in Tuzla. Followed by a number of other police vehicles, he was driven to a police station in nearby Srebrenik, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of Tuzla.

Maj. Shawn Mell, a spokesman for peacekeepers, said they had reached a point in their investigation "that can accommodate a transfer of Fijuljanin to the (Bosnian Muslim-Croat) federation Ministry of the Interior."

Fijuljanin's lawyer, Osman Mulahalilovic told The Associated Press the handover was "a triumph of the rule of law" and protection of human rights in Bosnia.

"I expect a hearing in the police station and an eventual charge for illegal possession of weapons or his immediate release," the lawyer said. Fijuljanin voluntarily handed over his anti-tank weapon a few days prior to his arrest.

Fijuljanin has been a member of a closed community near Srebrenik, which lives fairly isolated and practices a strict Islamic life style, unusual for the liberal Bosnian Muslim society.

Fijuljanin who hails from the Yugoslav region of Sandzak, has lived for years in Bosnia where he is married and has four children. His Bosnian citizenship is being investigated, since other passports, including his Yugoslav one, were found in his home during the investigation.

At present, about 12,000 international troops are serving in the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. NATO deployed its troops here to keep the peace that ended the 1992-1995 Bosnian war.

[wonders]

Oh, I see. Well, as I said, I'm a foreigner and I just don't get it. Carpetbaggers stole land from both blacks and whites in the American South, but we don't want to blow up the Lincoln Memorial. And doing so wouldn't get our land back, anyway. Blacks suffered under slavery, but they don't go around blowing up the few plantation houses Sherman left standing. They're all part of our history, for better or worse, and tourists like to see them, too. What with blowing up all your historic churches, mosques and bridges, you folks in the former Y are going to hurt tourism for centuries to come!

[Hoplite]

"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

Well, as I said, I'm a foreigner and I just don't get it.

You do yourself proud, Wonders.

[joan]

I don't recall the Macedonians demolishing any Mosques yet the Albanians destroyed churches and monasteries in Macedonia, and also used them as places from which to launch attacks:
Terrorists Demolished More Than 30 Churches And Monasteries ...in Tetovo region only

[wonders]

Well, a huge swath of the South was raped and pillaged out of sheer spite and greed by Lincoln's darling general, Sherman, and his minions -- so to some Southerners, no he doesn't represent all US people. The carpetbaggers who duped and stole from Southern Blacks were traitors to the Abolitionist cause, yet American Blacks don't hate Yankees. The plantation houses are certainly symbols of the horrors of slavery to American Blacks, but they don't blow them up. Instead, many go as tourists to see how their ancestors lived. Some use the records and archives to put together their family histories.

Again, I just don't get it. I see no reason to destroy irreplaceable monuments, beautiful and historical architecture, no matter who built it or to what religion they adhered. I certainly can't see any reason to damage or destroy a House of God. Even if you don't follow that religion, at least the people who worshipped there were trying to approach God, and that's hardly an evil thing. What is gained by destroying it, other than a spiteful attempt at erasing history?

As for all Muslims being apes, well, I'm sorry I don't agree. I've known many very fine Muslims and I hardly consider them subhuman.

[wonders]

Hoplite, I have ignored all your posts since I called it quits with you, and have avoided threads where you were overactive. You said you would ignore me. So please do so.

As for "All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing" ... HA! What have YOU ever done? I have risked my life on numerous occasions and damaged my health DOING SOMETHING in Cambodia and Croatia (never mind my work with the poor in the US and Mexico -- it doesn't/didn't risk my life or health, just took some time and money). I've had guns stuck in the top of my head in Cambodia and in my throat in Croatia. I got a nasty chunk taken out of my shoulder while escorting a Muslim family back to their home in Croatia. And I'm just a "little bitty white woman".

Where are YOUR scars to show what YOU have DONE standing up to evil, Mr. Big Man? What the h*ll have you ever actually DONE to stand up to evil? All you seem to do is hurl insults at people on an anonymous internet board. That's real helpful, that combats evil, sure. In my book, arrogant insults are a symptom of ... well, you finish the sentence if you dare.

[wonders]

Correction to typo in tag

[Hoplite]

You have made it a policy to turn the other cheek when Serb nationalists on this board expose the ugly side of their nature, as I pointed out in your exchange with Zoran on this board and your complicity in the Racak lies promulgated on this forum which brought about our initial break.

Your laurels are commendable, but they are nothing to rest upon - the job which needs to be done will never end so long as bigots have the temerity to expose their ugliness and idiocy in public, and Zoran is talking explicitly about the kind of behavior which you spent your time dealing with the aftermath of in Croatia.

Imagine if you never had to go to those places because people rejected that kind of thinking from the outset, Wonders.

That's what I'm doing, and that's what I'm challenging you to do.

[wonders]

In case you haven't noticed, I "turn my cheek" no matter my correspondent or his/her background. My Lord taught me to do so. If it was good enough for Him, it's good enough for me. Besides, He enjoined me to do so, so how can I refuse or slough it off? (If you are not religious, it's simply called "diplomacy".)

I used to do so with you before it became obvious you were just another pig-headed person (read: swine) before which it was silly to cast any pearls.

Just look at my back-and-forth with Trop. Trop and I got along just fine, even though we disagree on some points vehemently. At least Trop was honest as to his take on things and has been there. Some FReepers even accused me of having a "love fest" with Trop, for goodness sake. That was hardly the case, yet I loved "talking" here with Trop and hope he comes back. Although we might have had different viewpoints, we were both THERE and we have an understanding and I liked hearing and aguing each others'views.

You haven't BEEN THERE, Hoppie. So what makes you the final arbiter? What makes you so all-knowing, other than your own grandiose ideas of yourself?

I don't have a clue who this "Zoran" is, so why don't you just make it plain by naming this individual by his FReeper screen name?

What Racak lies? I never, ever, said I had come to any conclusion about Racak, only said I had questions about it. Of course you, who have never met William Walker, you, who have never been there, know better. Well, aren't you the smart guy?

BTW, "our intitial break" had to do more with your hurling unsubstatianted slander at people and your refusal to cease and desist from such, not with any disagreement on substance between us. Substance I would have respected and welcomed and repected. You let me and everyone else down on that score.

Laurels?!? Hah! I ain't got no laurels and I "don't need no stinkin'" laurels.

Once again, you have failed to answer a direct question: What the h*ll have YOU ever DONE?

Proud of yourself, Hoppie? What for? Some words? Where are your actions, your scars earned in the cause of justice? When have you ever suffered for the cause of zadek (mercy/justice)?

[wonders]

Cat fight, cat fight!

[smokegenerator]

The exposation of behavior is reality, Hoplite. May we discuss the 10,000 plus Iraqies buried alive in Kuwait? Now, that is a war crime in itself. I can tell you about the decapitated Serbian schoolchildrens head placed on their school desks, courtesy of your Muslim allies. Of course, your UNPROFOR didnt do anything as they were aware of what was occuring. Yet, the Serbs get blamed for the destruction of everything associatied with Islam in that village of Eastern Bosnia. Never again did Muslims set foot in that village after what they did.

Reality of war bites, Hoplite. As wonders points out, YOU WERE NOT THERE to witness the carnage, the fricking smell and look into the refugees eyes, were you? Doubt it, your cowardice speaks volumes of you. I've got a scar on my chin during my time, that is in my defense of Serbian land. Oh before you go into traitor, what about those Albanians who were shown at the NYC Airport leaving for Kosovo? Many of them were American citizens, do you call them traitors? How about the MPRI boys who were rescued in Macedonia while they were fighting alongside the KLA? Oh wait! They were, according to members of the House and Congress, fighting for the same principles as "our Forefathers". Heck, I didnt realize our forefathers were into drug-arm-humantrafficking and terrorism. Makes me ashamed of our forefathers if they were. I suppose that is your version histories revisionism. Hoplite, you are not respected on here whatsoever. Tropoljac, though people called him this and that, at least he was respected for being balanced. I've met him and he's a pretty good guy. Though on differant sides, we at least share something you lack, honest perspective of that war.

[smokegenerator]

darn Hoplite, you and I are on first-name basis. I am blushing and speechless, what can I say?

BTW- I really do not care if you put my name on here as I have nothing to hide or be ashamed of. I doing something later this year that you would never do- helping others when they are down and lack the necessities of life. What have you done, besides giving clothes to goodwill, even if that?

[Hoplite]

What I'm riding you about, and what got your goat the last time, was your accepting pernicious lies without any comment - as you were doing on this thread again when Mr "Hey look - I've just been banned for the 13th time" started spouting off about blowing up Mosques.

Feel free to review.

I make no judgements on you as a person, wonders, but your methods are unsound and your resultant opinions flawed, and I will not hesitate to point that out to you.

Consistency of purpose is a beautiful thing, Wonders - it allows for avoidance of incidences such as this one when a conflict with your self image is brought to your attention and galls you to the point of breaking a self imposed taboo.

Now, as to who I am, if it is the case with you that "Laurels?!? Hah! I ain't got no laurels and I "don't need no stinkin'" laurels. then so to is it with me, and we will have to continue evaluating the issues on facts presented by sources which have proven reliable in the past - or are debates to only be settled by the statements of first hand witnesses (or people who were 'in the neighborhood') regardless of their consistency with previously established facts?

You know which one is best, so I suggest you hew to it.

Logic, wonders - it can be a friend or an enemy, but if you choose to have an adversarial relationship with it, then you are not destined for smooth sailing here.

[vooch]

You have alienated both Wonders and Wraith as well as virtually the entire memebership of FR........ isn't it time for you to call it quits ?

[smokegenerator]

Vooch, he will never get rid of me. )

Hi Hoplies.

[smokegenerator]

Sorry, but when the Muslims do some dirty deeds and seem hell-bent on destroying what has been yours for centuries. I believe you would be a bit pissed off and react in such vigor, Hoplite. How would you react if someone comes into your house and says they are kicking you out and they are moving in. You have one minute to leave? It goes both ways over there Hoplite. Serbs did some nasties, but the Muslims did even worse nasties. React to an Act. That is how it works over there. Differance between you and I is that I am a humanitarian. I believe in treating all subjects as the same, regardless of color/religion, etc...

Hard for you to believe that a good friend of mine in High School was a Muslim, was it? Or better yet, a co-worker of mine that I went with, was Muslim. Heck, I even took her to Orthodox Easter services. hmmm, go figure, ehh?

[Gael]

Hardly a cat fight, wonders – more like thought’s encounter with a brain fart. Just open a window and the unpleasantness will dissipate.

Like you, I don’t take seriously the faux moral outrage of someone who can’t even muster the decency to condemn the “peacetime” destruction of medieval churches.

[Voronin]

RE: Destruction of churches. Y'know, I can't believe no-one brought up who was behind the sacking of Constantinople in 1204. Was it:

a) Osama bin Laden?

b) The Bosnian Serbs?

c) The Crusaders?

Previous 'form' as shown by the civilized West!

VRN