Lo scandalo dei rapporti tra la leadership secessionista ed
islamista di Izetbegovic ed i gruppi di mujaheddin stranieri
(tra i quali quelli di Bin Laden) ha spinto Izetbegovic a
lasciare la politica. Nel frattempo, dopo anni di appoggio
sfacciato allo stesso Izetbegovic e di copertura delle sue
"relazioni pericolose" con il terrorismo wahabita,
alcune ambasciate occidentali tra cui quella statunitense
inscenano la "chiusura causa terrorismo islamico".
=====================================================
1. BOSNIA: IZETBEGOVIC LASCIA PRESIDENZA PARTITO SDA
(ANSA, 12/10/01)
2. SARAJEVO HIT BY BIN LADEN PANIC
(IWPR, 19/10/01)
3. Bosnian embassies closed after threats
(BBC News, 17/10/01)
4a. Bosnia: Dr. Frankenstein Tries To Deny His Creation
(R. Rozoff, 15/10/01)
4b. Analysis: Bosnian stability at stake
(BBC News , 15/10/01)
=====================================================
> http://www.ansa.it/balcani/bosnia/
20011012164232013245.html
BOSNIA: IZETBEGOVIC LASCIA PRESIDENZA PARTITO SDA
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 12 OTT - Il leader del Partito
di azione democratica (Sda) ed ex presidente bosniaco
Alija Izetbegovic lascia l'incarico.
Lo ha annunciato oggi a Sarajevo lo stesso
Izetbegovic, alla vigilia del congresso dell'Sda
che domani eleggera' la nuova dirigenza, dicendo che
non si candidera'alla guida del partito. Izetbegovic,
76 anni, fondatore del maggiore partito nazionalista
musulmano che ha guidato per dieci anni, ha spiegato
che il motivo principale del suo ritiro sono le
cattive condizioni di salute e la sua eta'. ''Sarebbe
irresponsabile - ha detto - assumere
questo difficile incarico in tempi difficili e in
presenza di sempre piu' frequenti tentativi di
disintegrazione della Bosnia''. Izetbegovic ha
annunciato, senza fare nomi, che anche altri suoi
collaboratori lasceranno incarichi di primo piano nel
partito per lasciare lo spazio ai piu' giovani.
Malato di cuore, nell'ottobre dell'anno scorso
Izetbegovic ha lasciato, con due anni d'anticipo
rispetto alla scadenza del mandato, il seggio
musulmano nella presidenza tripartita (serba,
croata e musulmana) della Bosnia. Secondo fonti
dell'Sda, ora all'opposizione, il leader carismatico
e presidente della Bosnia durante la guerra (1992-
95), sara' domani eletto alla presidenza onoraria
del partito e a capo del comitato politico.
(ANSA). COR*VD
12/10/2001 16:42
==============================================
SARAJEVO HIT BY BIN LADEN PANIC
The closure of the US and UK embassies in
Bosnia is rumoured to be linked to Bin Laden
terror threat. Janez Kovac reports from Sarajevo
---
>From info@... Fri Oct 19 14:05:52 2001
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2001 10:42:10 +0100
From: Institute for War & Peace Reporting
To: Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Subject: IWPR'S BALKAN CRISIS REPORT, NO. 289
WELCOME TO IWPR'S BALKAN CRISIS REPORT, NO. 289,
October 19, 2001
(...)
SARAJEVO HIT BY BIN LADEN PANIC
The closure of the US and UK embassies in Bosnia
is rumoured to be linked to Bin Laden terror threat
By Janez Kovac in Sarajevo
Embassies and other agencies of the
United States and Britain were suddenly
closed in Sarajevo until further notice
on Wednesday because of an unspecified
"credible threat" to their security.
The US also shut down its
consulates in Mostar and Banja Luka.
A Western diplomat serving in Bosnia
said, "The embassy closures were a
result of information intercepted by
intelligence services. I am not in a
position to say if this is linked to
al-Qaeda or any other terrorist
organisation but I think it is related
to individuals in Bosnia. It is a
serious threat."
Bosnian prime minister Zlatko Lagumdzija
said authorities are providing
additional protection for unspecified
facilities used by international
organisations. He said Bosnian officials
are in "constant communication"
with their US counterparts but would
not define the nature of the threat.
An official from the British Foreign
Office told IWPR that the UK
embassy was closed because of
"increased international tension". The
official, who asked not to be named,
added that "appropriate security
action" was undertaken to protect
British nationals abroad.
Until the closures on October 17,
authorities had shown little concern at
the prospect of Osama bin Laden's
al-Qaeda movement spreading its activities
to Bosnia. On Friday October 12 US
Lt. Gen. John Sylvester, commander of
SFOR, told a press conference, "I
have no concerns about any mujahedin
threat in Bosnia at all."
But tension among ordinary people had
been running high ever since the
September 11 terrorist attack in New
York. It is believed that some 3,000
Islamic fighters, the so-called mujahedins,
passed through Bosnia during the
war to fight alongside Bosniak (Bosnian
Muslim) soldiers against Bosnian
Serb and Croat forces.
Around 300 of these fighters remained
in the country and settled down. Some
were found to be involved in criminal
activities in Bosnia and abroad.
The vast majority of people who live
in Bosnia view mujahedins with suspicion
and hostility because of their radical
religious and ideological practices.
An additional concern is the presence
in Bosnia of tens of thousands of
Western soldiers, policemen, diplomats
and other officials working for
numerous international organisations.
All possible targets for terrorists.
News of the embassy closures sparked
furious speculation and stirred
passions One ominous sign in recent
days has been the appearance in Sarajevo
and other towns in the Federation of
graffiti supporting Osama bin Laden.
Wild rumours spread rapidly. "I've
heard that Osama bin Laden was arrested
yesterday in central Bosnia," one Sarajevo
woman told friends over the telephone.
Another claim that Sarajevo airport had
been closed turned out to be false.
A terse advisory from the US consulate
urged all Americans in Bosnia to
"maintain the highest level of vigilance
for the foreseeable future,
particularly over the next several days".
Neither of the embassies nor any other
American or British official would provide
further explanation for the alarm. As a
matter of fact, most American, British
and other Western officials in
Bosnia-Herzegovina appeared just as puzzled,
confused and scared as anyone else.
"We just received a phone call last
night and were told that we did not have
to come to the office today," said a staff
member of the US embassy in Sarajevo on
Wednesday. "No explanation was given."
"We are being kept in the dark," complained
another official working for an
international organisation who was trying
to find out whether he too should
evacuate his office or leave the country entirely.
The mysterious security threat
appeared limited to Bosnia and was not
evident elsewhere in the region.
Janez Kovac is a regular IWPR contributor
*********** VISIT IWPR ON-LINE: http://www.iwpr.net
IWPR's network of leading correspondents
in the region provides inside
analysis of the events and issues
driving crises in the Balkans. The reports
are available on the Web in English,
Serbian and Albanian. They are also
available via e-mail. For syndication
information, contact Anthony Borden
<tony@...>.
Balkan Crisis Report is supported by
the Department for International
Development, European Commission,
Swedish International Development and
Cooperation Agency, The Netherlands
Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and other
sources. IWPR also acknowledges general
support from the Ford Foundation.
For further details on this project
and other information services and media
programmes, visit IWPR's Website:
<http://www.iwpr.net>.
All IWPR's reporting services including
Balkan Crisis Reports, Reporting
Central Asia and Tribunal Update are
available free of charge via e-mail
subscription or direct from the Web.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit Web page:
http://www.mystery.com/ml/iwpr.html
Editor-in-chief: Anthony Borden.
Managing Editor: Yigal Chazan. Associate
Editor: Gordana Igric. Assistant
Editors: Alan Davis and Heather Milner.
Editorial Assistant: Mirna Jancic.
Kosovo Project Manager: Nehat Islami.
Translation: Alban Mitrushi, Dragana
Nikolic, Denisa Kostovic and others.
The Institute for War & Peace Reporting
(IWPR) is a London-based independent
non-profit organisation supporting
regional media and democratic change.
Lancaster House, 33 Islington High
Street, London N1 9LH, UK Tel: (44 171)
713 7130; Fax: (44 171) 713 7140
E-mail: info@...; Web: www.iwpr.net
The opinions expressed in "Balkan Crisis
Report" are those of the authors
and do not necessarily represent those
of the publication or of IWPR.
Copyright (C) 2001 The Institute for
War & Peace Reporting
*** VISIT IWPR ON-LINE: http://www.iwpr.net
============================================
BBC News
Wednesday, 17 October, 2001, 15:11 GMT 16:11 UK
Bosnian embassies closed after threats
The United States and Britain have closed their
embassies in Bosnia after what American officials
described as credible security threats.
They gave no further details, but an official at the
British embassy in Sarajevo said the threats appeared
to be linked to the military operation in Afghanistan.
The United States has also closed offices in the towns
of Banja Luka and Mostar, and the premises of its aid
agency.
NATO-led peacekeepers in the country say they have
been made aware of the situation. Several people have
been arrested in Bosnia since last month's attacks in
the United States, but officials say they have no
evidence of links to the people who carried it out.
>From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
==================================================
Subject: Bosnia: Dr. Frankenstein Tries To Deny His Creation
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2001 09:17:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: Rick Rozoff
"...Bosnia, with a majority Muslim population...,"
repeats Wolfgang Pietritsch.
Curious, when the most inflated recent statistics
state that only 44% of residents of the recently
reinstated Hitlerite statelet of Bosnia and
Herzegovina are "people of Muslim cultual background."
But notwithstanding, that's always been good enough
for the United States and NATO to support the
abrogation of the Helsinki Final Agreement and to
recognize the Islamist theocracy of former president
Izetbegovic.
Good enough, in fact, to slaughter hundreds of ethnic
Serb soldiers and civilians in U.S. bombing raids, and
to lend CIA and other operatives to advise and spot
for their pristinely innocent clients in Sarajevo.
Now they have to cover their tracks. As they have with
Afghanistan and a dozen other places. Hard to be a
god, as Virgil says; or an evil scientist.]
BBC News
Monday, 15 October, 2001, 11:12 GMT 12:12 UK
Analysis: Bosnian stability at stake
By the BBC's Alix Kroeger in Belgrade
The commander of Nato's peacekeeping forces in
Bosnia-Hercegovina, Lieutenant-General John Sylvester,
says there is no threat to the country from Muslim
radicals.
There are mujahideen in Bosnia - no one knows exactly
how many But not everyone is convinced.
Since the attacks on the US on 11 September, attention
is now focusing anew on Bosnia's possible links with
Osama Bin Laden.
'Active cells'
Bosnia is one of 19 countries listed by the US State
Department as having active cells of Bin Laden's
al-Qaeda network.
Was Bin Laden given a Bosnian passport during the
1992-95 war? No, says Bosnia's foreign minister.
In any case, he adds, Bosnia has changed its passport
system twice since then. A passport from 1993, say,
would no longer be valid.
The government has reviewed its records on the 11,000
people naturalised as Bosnian citizens during and
after the war - about 420 originally came from Islamic
countries.
But some of those records may be less than complete.
Suspect arrested
On 8 October, Bosnian police arrested a man suspected
of links to Bin Laden.
Bensayah Belkacem was arrested after a tip-off from US
intelligence that he had made a phone call to one of
Bin Laden's top aides.
Belkacem holds a Bosnian passport, but his other
documents give different ages and places of birth.
Some say Yemen, others Algeria.
He was arrested in the central Bosnian town of Zenica,
a base for mujahideen during the war.
Several people - from Bosnia, Jordan, Egypt and
Pakistan - have been detained over the past few weeks.
All have been released and the foreigners deported.
There are mujahideen in Bosnia - no one knows exactly
how many. Estimates range from several dozen to 400 or
more.
They came from countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan
and Saudi Arabia. Most of them married Bosnian women
and settled in the country after the war.
They were granted citizenship by the Muslim-dominated
wartime government.
Secular society
Most Bosnian Muslims are determinedly secular.
But during the Bosnian war, when the West imposed an
arms embargo, it was the Islamic countries, especially
Iran, who gave the government army the guns they asked
for. Many Bosnians felt abandoned by the international
community and a minority turned to radical Islam.
An investigation by the Los Angeles Times newspaper
claimed that dangerous Islamic extremists travel in
and out of Bosnia at will.
The article quoted a former senior US State Department
official who described Bosnia as "a staging area and
safe haven" for terrorists.
It documented several incidents in which foreign
nationals with Bosnian passports tried to launch
actions against Western targets, including US military
installations in Germany and Los Angeles Airport.
And last week the chief United Nations war crimes
prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, said she had turned over
information to the United States on "people who were
staying in Bosnia in connection with terrorist
groups."
Threat of rumours
But there is another threat to Bosnia - the possible
use of allegations about terrorism both to discredit
the Muslim population, and to stir up fear among
Bosnian Serbs and Croats.
Before and during the Bosnian war, Bosnian Serb
nationalists in particular mobilised their own people
to fight with scare stories about Islamic fundamentalists.
If they did not arm themselves against the Muslims,
they were told, the mujahideen would slit their
throats and rape Serb women.
Such rumours still hold currency today in nationalist
circles.
International officials have sought to play down these
fears.
"The danger of having Bosnia, with a majority Muslim
population, involved in the conflict within the
community of Islamic countries is overestimated," said
Bosnia's chief international mediator, Wolfgang
Petritsch in a recent newspaper interview.
Possible benefit
But there may be one benefit for Bosnia in all this.
Two weeks after the attacks on America,
representatives from Bosnia's state government and its
two ethnically based entities met in Sarajevo to
discuss increasing security measures both in-country
and at the borders.
It was the first such meeting since the end of the war
without the presence of international officials.
It ended with unanimous agreement - another first.
It has taken the perception of an external threat to
bring Bosnia's old enemies together.
=====================================================
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islamista di Izetbegovic ed i gruppi di mujaheddin stranieri
(tra i quali quelli di Bin Laden) ha spinto Izetbegovic a
lasciare la politica. Nel frattempo, dopo anni di appoggio
sfacciato allo stesso Izetbegovic e di copertura delle sue
"relazioni pericolose" con il terrorismo wahabita,
alcune ambasciate occidentali tra cui quella statunitense
inscenano la "chiusura causa terrorismo islamico".
=====================================================
1. BOSNIA: IZETBEGOVIC LASCIA PRESIDENZA PARTITO SDA
(ANSA, 12/10/01)
2. SARAJEVO HIT BY BIN LADEN PANIC
(IWPR, 19/10/01)
3. Bosnian embassies closed after threats
(BBC News, 17/10/01)
4a. Bosnia: Dr. Frankenstein Tries To Deny His Creation
(R. Rozoff, 15/10/01)
4b. Analysis: Bosnian stability at stake
(BBC News , 15/10/01)
=====================================================
> http://www.ansa.it/balcani/bosnia/
20011012164232013245.html
BOSNIA: IZETBEGOVIC LASCIA PRESIDENZA PARTITO SDA
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 12 OTT - Il leader del Partito
di azione democratica (Sda) ed ex presidente bosniaco
Alija Izetbegovic lascia l'incarico.
Lo ha annunciato oggi a Sarajevo lo stesso
Izetbegovic, alla vigilia del congresso dell'Sda
che domani eleggera' la nuova dirigenza, dicendo che
non si candidera'alla guida del partito. Izetbegovic,
76 anni, fondatore del maggiore partito nazionalista
musulmano che ha guidato per dieci anni, ha spiegato
che il motivo principale del suo ritiro sono le
cattive condizioni di salute e la sua eta'. ''Sarebbe
irresponsabile - ha detto - assumere
questo difficile incarico in tempi difficili e in
presenza di sempre piu' frequenti tentativi di
disintegrazione della Bosnia''. Izetbegovic ha
annunciato, senza fare nomi, che anche altri suoi
collaboratori lasceranno incarichi di primo piano nel
partito per lasciare lo spazio ai piu' giovani.
Malato di cuore, nell'ottobre dell'anno scorso
Izetbegovic ha lasciato, con due anni d'anticipo
rispetto alla scadenza del mandato, il seggio
musulmano nella presidenza tripartita (serba,
croata e musulmana) della Bosnia. Secondo fonti
dell'Sda, ora all'opposizione, il leader carismatico
e presidente della Bosnia durante la guerra (1992-
95), sara' domani eletto alla presidenza onoraria
del partito e a capo del comitato politico.
(ANSA). COR*VD
12/10/2001 16:42
==============================================
SARAJEVO HIT BY BIN LADEN PANIC
The closure of the US and UK embassies in
Bosnia is rumoured to be linked to Bin Laden
terror threat. Janez Kovac reports from Sarajevo
---
>From info@... Fri Oct 19 14:05:52 2001
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2001 10:42:10 +0100
From: Institute for War & Peace Reporting
To: Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Subject: IWPR'S BALKAN CRISIS REPORT, NO. 289
WELCOME TO IWPR'S BALKAN CRISIS REPORT, NO. 289,
October 19, 2001
(...)
SARAJEVO HIT BY BIN LADEN PANIC
The closure of the US and UK embassies in Bosnia
is rumoured to be linked to Bin Laden terror threat
By Janez Kovac in Sarajevo
Embassies and other agencies of the
United States and Britain were suddenly
closed in Sarajevo until further notice
on Wednesday because of an unspecified
"credible threat" to their security.
The US also shut down its
consulates in Mostar and Banja Luka.
A Western diplomat serving in Bosnia
said, "The embassy closures were a
result of information intercepted by
intelligence services. I am not in a
position to say if this is linked to
al-Qaeda or any other terrorist
organisation but I think it is related
to individuals in Bosnia. It is a
serious threat."
Bosnian prime minister Zlatko Lagumdzija
said authorities are providing
additional protection for unspecified
facilities used by international
organisations. He said Bosnian officials
are in "constant communication"
with their US counterparts but would
not define the nature of the threat.
An official from the British Foreign
Office told IWPR that the UK
embassy was closed because of
"increased international tension". The
official, who asked not to be named,
added that "appropriate security
action" was undertaken to protect
British nationals abroad.
Until the closures on October 17,
authorities had shown little concern at
the prospect of Osama bin Laden's
al-Qaeda movement spreading its activities
to Bosnia. On Friday October 12 US
Lt. Gen. John Sylvester, commander of
SFOR, told a press conference, "I
have no concerns about any mujahedin
threat in Bosnia at all."
But tension among ordinary people had
been running high ever since the
September 11 terrorist attack in New
York. It is believed that some 3,000
Islamic fighters, the so-called mujahedins,
passed through Bosnia during the
war to fight alongside Bosniak (Bosnian
Muslim) soldiers against Bosnian
Serb and Croat forces.
Around 300 of these fighters remained
in the country and settled down. Some
were found to be involved in criminal
activities in Bosnia and abroad.
The vast majority of people who live
in Bosnia view mujahedins with suspicion
and hostility because of their radical
religious and ideological practices.
An additional concern is the presence
in Bosnia of tens of thousands of
Western soldiers, policemen, diplomats
and other officials working for
numerous international organisations.
All possible targets for terrorists.
News of the embassy closures sparked
furious speculation and stirred
passions One ominous sign in recent
days has been the appearance in Sarajevo
and other towns in the Federation of
graffiti supporting Osama bin Laden.
Wild rumours spread rapidly. "I've
heard that Osama bin Laden was arrested
yesterday in central Bosnia," one Sarajevo
woman told friends over the telephone.
Another claim that Sarajevo airport had
been closed turned out to be false.
A terse advisory from the US consulate
urged all Americans in Bosnia to
"maintain the highest level of vigilance
for the foreseeable future,
particularly over the next several days".
Neither of the embassies nor any other
American or British official would provide
further explanation for the alarm. As a
matter of fact, most American, British
and other Western officials in
Bosnia-Herzegovina appeared just as puzzled,
confused and scared as anyone else.
"We just received a phone call last
night and were told that we did not have
to come to the office today," said a staff
member of the US embassy in Sarajevo on
Wednesday. "No explanation was given."
"We are being kept in the dark," complained
another official working for an
international organisation who was trying
to find out whether he too should
evacuate his office or leave the country entirely.
The mysterious security threat
appeared limited to Bosnia and was not
evident elsewhere in the region.
Janez Kovac is a regular IWPR contributor
*********** VISIT IWPR ON-LINE: http://www.iwpr.net
IWPR's network of leading correspondents
in the region provides inside
analysis of the events and issues
driving crises in the Balkans. The reports
are available on the Web in English,
Serbian and Albanian. They are also
available via e-mail. For syndication
information, contact Anthony Borden
<tony@...>.
Balkan Crisis Report is supported by
the Department for International
Development, European Commission,
Swedish International Development and
Cooperation Agency, The Netherlands
Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and other
sources. IWPR also acknowledges general
support from the Ford Foundation.
For further details on this project
and other information services and media
programmes, visit IWPR's Website:
<http://www.iwpr.net>.
All IWPR's reporting services including
Balkan Crisis Reports, Reporting
Central Asia and Tribunal Update are
available free of charge via e-mail
subscription or direct from the Web.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit Web page:
http://www.mystery.com/ml/iwpr.html
Editor-in-chief: Anthony Borden.
Managing Editor: Yigal Chazan. Associate
Editor: Gordana Igric. Assistant
Editors: Alan Davis and Heather Milner.
Editorial Assistant: Mirna Jancic.
Kosovo Project Manager: Nehat Islami.
Translation: Alban Mitrushi, Dragana
Nikolic, Denisa Kostovic and others.
The Institute for War & Peace Reporting
(IWPR) is a London-based independent
non-profit organisation supporting
regional media and democratic change.
Lancaster House, 33 Islington High
Street, London N1 9LH, UK Tel: (44 171)
713 7130; Fax: (44 171) 713 7140
E-mail: info@...; Web: www.iwpr.net
The opinions expressed in "Balkan Crisis
Report" are those of the authors
and do not necessarily represent those
of the publication or of IWPR.
Copyright (C) 2001 The Institute for
War & Peace Reporting
*** VISIT IWPR ON-LINE: http://www.iwpr.net
============================================
BBC News
Wednesday, 17 October, 2001, 15:11 GMT 16:11 UK
Bosnian embassies closed after threats
The United States and Britain have closed their
embassies in Bosnia after what American officials
described as credible security threats.
They gave no further details, but an official at the
British embassy in Sarajevo said the threats appeared
to be linked to the military operation in Afghanistan.
The United States has also closed offices in the towns
of Banja Luka and Mostar, and the premises of its aid
agency.
NATO-led peacekeepers in the country say they have
been made aware of the situation. Several people have
been arrested in Bosnia since last month's attacks in
the United States, but officials say they have no
evidence of links to the people who carried it out.
>From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
==================================================
Subject: Bosnia: Dr. Frankenstein Tries To Deny His Creation
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2001 09:17:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: Rick Rozoff
"...Bosnia, with a majority Muslim population...,"
repeats Wolfgang Pietritsch.
Curious, when the most inflated recent statistics
state that only 44% of residents of the recently
reinstated Hitlerite statelet of Bosnia and
Herzegovina are "people of Muslim cultual background."
But notwithstanding, that's always been good enough
for the United States and NATO to support the
abrogation of the Helsinki Final Agreement and to
recognize the Islamist theocracy of former president
Izetbegovic.
Good enough, in fact, to slaughter hundreds of ethnic
Serb soldiers and civilians in U.S. bombing raids, and
to lend CIA and other operatives to advise and spot
for their pristinely innocent clients in Sarajevo.
Now they have to cover their tracks. As they have with
Afghanistan and a dozen other places. Hard to be a
god, as Virgil says; or an evil scientist.]
BBC News
Monday, 15 October, 2001, 11:12 GMT 12:12 UK
Analysis: Bosnian stability at stake
By the BBC's Alix Kroeger in Belgrade
The commander of Nato's peacekeeping forces in
Bosnia-Hercegovina, Lieutenant-General John Sylvester,
says there is no threat to the country from Muslim
radicals.
There are mujahideen in Bosnia - no one knows exactly
how many But not everyone is convinced.
Since the attacks on the US on 11 September, attention
is now focusing anew on Bosnia's possible links with
Osama Bin Laden.
'Active cells'
Bosnia is one of 19 countries listed by the US State
Department as having active cells of Bin Laden's
al-Qaeda network.
Was Bin Laden given a Bosnian passport during the
1992-95 war? No, says Bosnia's foreign minister.
In any case, he adds, Bosnia has changed its passport
system twice since then. A passport from 1993, say,
would no longer be valid.
The government has reviewed its records on the 11,000
people naturalised as Bosnian citizens during and
after the war - about 420 originally came from Islamic
countries.
But some of those records may be less than complete.
Suspect arrested
On 8 October, Bosnian police arrested a man suspected
of links to Bin Laden.
Bensayah Belkacem was arrested after a tip-off from US
intelligence that he had made a phone call to one of
Bin Laden's top aides.
Belkacem holds a Bosnian passport, but his other
documents give different ages and places of birth.
Some say Yemen, others Algeria.
He was arrested in the central Bosnian town of Zenica,
a base for mujahideen during the war.
Several people - from Bosnia, Jordan, Egypt and
Pakistan - have been detained over the past few weeks.
All have been released and the foreigners deported.
There are mujahideen in Bosnia - no one knows exactly
how many. Estimates range from several dozen to 400 or
more.
They came from countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan
and Saudi Arabia. Most of them married Bosnian women
and settled in the country after the war.
They were granted citizenship by the Muslim-dominated
wartime government.
Secular society
Most Bosnian Muslims are determinedly secular.
But during the Bosnian war, when the West imposed an
arms embargo, it was the Islamic countries, especially
Iran, who gave the government army the guns they asked
for. Many Bosnians felt abandoned by the international
community and a minority turned to radical Islam.
An investigation by the Los Angeles Times newspaper
claimed that dangerous Islamic extremists travel in
and out of Bosnia at will.
The article quoted a former senior US State Department
official who described Bosnia as "a staging area and
safe haven" for terrorists.
It documented several incidents in which foreign
nationals with Bosnian passports tried to launch
actions against Western targets, including US military
installations in Germany and Los Angeles Airport.
And last week the chief United Nations war crimes
prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, said she had turned over
information to the United States on "people who were
staying in Bosnia in connection with terrorist
groups."
Threat of rumours
But there is another threat to Bosnia - the possible
use of allegations about terrorism both to discredit
the Muslim population, and to stir up fear among
Bosnian Serbs and Croats.
Before and during the Bosnian war, Bosnian Serb
nationalists in particular mobilised their own people
to fight with scare stories about Islamic fundamentalists.
If they did not arm themselves against the Muslims,
they were told, the mujahideen would slit their
throats and rape Serb women.
Such rumours still hold currency today in nationalist
circles.
International officials have sought to play down these
fears.
"The danger of having Bosnia, with a majority Muslim
population, involved in the conflict within the
community of Islamic countries is overestimated," said
Bosnia's chief international mediator, Wolfgang
Petritsch in a recent newspaper interview.
Possible benefit
But there may be one benefit for Bosnia in all this.
Two weeks after the attacks on America,
representatives from Bosnia's state government and its
two ethnically based entities met in Sarajevo to
discuss increasing security measures both in-country
and at the borders.
It was the first such meeting since the end of the war
without the presence of international officials.
It ended with unanimous agreement - another first.
It has taken the perception of an external threat to
bring Bosnia's old enemies together.
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