Bosnian security forces raid humanitarian agencies in Sarajevo
BBC Monitoring Europe (Political) - December 13, 2006, Wednesday

Text of report by D.P. entitled "SIPA raids premises in Nedzarici" published by the Bosnian newspaper Oslobodjenje on 13 December

Members of the Support Unit and the Financial Fraud Investigation Department of SIPA [State Investigation and Protection Agency] on Tuesday [12 December] morning raided premises at several locations in Sarajevo, SIPA officials have confirmed to us. One of the raided premises is located at 15 Lukavicka Street in Sarajevo's suburb of Nedzarici. We have unofficially learned that it was a Kuwaiti humanitarian organization.

In the words of SIPA Deputy Director Dragan Lukac, SIPA members have carried out several raids by order of the State Prosecutor's Office.

"The raids have been conducted with the aim of checking financial documents and business operations of certain humanitarian organizations," Lukac said.

According to unofficial information, the raids were conducted at eight locations in Sarajevo. Inspectors of the Financial Intelligence Department of SIPA and the Financial Police are monitoring cash flows between banks, as well as money flows from Islamic countries to Bosnia-Hercegovina. The Financial Intelligence Department of SIPA has requested the assistance of the special police because the Kuwaiti humanitarian organization in Nedzarici is run by Wahhabis.

Following a UN decision, several humanitarian organizations in Bosnia-Hercegovina have been closed down for providing assistance to terrorist suspects. These are: Al-Haramain, Al-Haramain International in Sarajevo, Travnik-based Vezir, Ibili, Bosanska Idealna Futura, Al-Axa, and Isti Kamet in Zenica.

Source: Oslobodjenje, Sarajevo, in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian 13 Dec 06 p6

Copyright 2006 British Broadcasting Corporation
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