Bosnia: Scandinavian terrorists jailed

Mirsad Bektasevic and Abdulkadir Cesur were both sentenced to 15 years by a Bosnian court.

Bektasevic is also known as Maximus and is a Swedish citizen originally from Bosnia. Cesur is a Danish resident and Turkish citizen.

Both were arrested in October, 2005 in Bosnia for preparing a terror attack that was supposed to force a withdrawal of European forces in Iraq or Afghanistan. It is unknown if the attack was supposed to take place in Bosnia or in some other European country.

Their arrest was followed by further arrests in Denmark. Four young Muslims are currently standing trial in Denmark.

A 19-year-old Swede has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by a court in Sarajevo. Mirsad Bektasevic, from Kungälv near Gothenburg, had been tried for terror-related offences.

A man with dual Danish and Turkish citizenship who was tried alongside the Swede was sentenced to 15 years in jail, according to Ritzau.

Maximus had decided to appeal his sentence.

The 19-year-old Swede sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by a court in Sarajevo will appeal his conviction on terror-related charges.


Early on Thursday, Monica Jagerman from the Swedish embassy visited Mirsad Bektasevic, from Kungälv near Gothenburg, in the Sarajevo jail where he is being held.

"He doesn't care whether or not the verdict is appealed. His lawyer will have to decide that," she said.

Later in the day, however, Fagerman was able to reveal that the prisoner had changed his mind.

"He can't understand that he was given such a long sentence. He is critical of the whole process and has given his consent to appeal the verdict," she told Dagens Nyheter.

The Swede's lawyer can launch an official appeal after the court's verdict has been made available in writing in 14 days time.

Sources: The Local 1, 2 (English)

See also: Danish Jihad - a study, Terror trials

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