While Europe faces a significant terrorist threat and Republika Srpska has been warning about the rise of radical Islamism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) for years, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) has been ignoring this problem. BiH also has additional specific circumstances that amplify the risks of terrorism. This was stated by Republika Srpska’s Minister of Interior, Siniša Karan, during an appearance on our political program Pečat.
“Terrorism has become a global threat. The conflict in Gaza also began with a terrorist act. It’s essential to recognize that terrorism as a global threat has always had religious elements. In the act itself, the perpetrator may be the weakest link,” Karan emphasized.
Karan clearly stated that there is a terrorism problem in BiH.
“Since 2007, we have seen terrorist actions in BiH, from Mostar, Bugojno, Sarajevo, Zvornik, and most recently in Bosanska Krupa. The fact is that in BiH, we have Salafi and Wahhabi organizations and movements. It’s also a fact that there have been military formations here that are terrorist organizations, all connected to radical religious ideas,” Karan said.
Karan expressed that there is no will in FBiH to confront the issues related to terrorism.
“I fear that this case will also be treated as simply the act of a minor delinquent, ignoring the true underlying causes. This is a problem for all of BiH. Terrorism knows no borders. Even this recent case did not bring awareness to FBiH officials, and even when they acknowledge it, it’s just the beginning of addressing the issue,” Karan noted.
Karan pointed out that terrorism has its political underpinnings, which are particularly evident in political Sarajevo.
“This is not about silence; it’s a form of approval. They have publicly and loudly defended what we believe to be the root cause—religious indoctrination, whatever that may imply. It’s not easy to tackle these issues, but silence and concealment will accomplish nothing. This is also in our interest—the interest of Republika Srpska—to bring everything to light. It’s clear that FBiH has no political will to combat terrorism. They have only strengthened radical elements. Who can guarantee that we won’t face another terrorist act tomorrow?” Karan emphasized.
Karan also highlighted the importance of cooperation between Republika Srpska’s Ministry of Interior and European security agencies.
“In 2015, we established a department that addresses all these issues. There’s no successful cooperation without collaboration among all security agencies. We have made significant contributions to many international operations, and we are recognized as an entity that fights organized crime effectively,” added Karan.
Karan also discussed the influence of Western embassies in BiH, which fuel the narrative that anything coming from Serbia or Russia into BiH is undesirable.
“In BiH, there has been a long-standing narrative about the so-called ‘Serb-Russian malign influence’ on Republika Srpska. This unbelievable lie continues to live on because all recent falsehoods are built upon it. That’s why they don’t condemn terrorist acts like these, but they oppose any writer or professor who crosses from Serbia or Russia into Republika Srpska. This is extremely dangerous and does not lead to relaxed relations, but quite the opposite,” Karan concluded.
Source: RTRS
