Police out in force for Muslim leader's visit

Serbian police (MUP) have banned a gathering of the Islamic Community in Serbia, planned in Tutin, southwestern Serbia, on Monday. The Muslim worshipers from this organization were to welcome the arrival of Grand Mufti of Bosnia Mustafa Ceric in the open, but they are instead gathered at the local mosque. Police out in force for Muslim leader's visit The atmosphere in this small Sandzak town today is described as tense, with some 200 police officers, including MUP's elite Gendarmerie, out in the streets. The Gendarmes are searching all incoming vehicles, while a cordon of policemen separates two groups of Muslims – supporters of the two rival Islamic organizations in Serbia. The Islamic Community of Serbia is led by Adem Zilkic, while Muamer Zukorlic is at the helm of the Islamic Community in Serbia. Earlier today, it was reported that MUP and local Police Directorate (PU) in Novi Pazar came to the decision to ban the open air gathering for security reasons, while similar rallies in other Sandzak municipalities will go ahead as planned. Tutin's municipal authorities and local assembly previously asked the police to ban the gathering in order to protect citizens. Students in local schools will not attend classes today as the event was classified "high risk". All this comes in the wake of last week's shooting in the region, plagued by rivalry between two religious Muslim factions: the Islamic Community in Serbia, and the Islamic Community of Serbia. Tutin is the only town in this region where Sulejman Ugljanin's Bosnian List for a European Sandzak won in the last local elections. Ceric arrived in Novi Pazar last night, and this morning held a meeting with Zukorlic. Adem Zilkic on Saturday asked for a ban on public gatherings of worshipers who wished to hear Ceric speak. Zilkic also sent a message to Ceric "not to come to Sandzak until there is a minimum of peace for that". Some observers attribute the tension to Ceric's statement ahead of his trip to Sandzak, when he said that "there is only one Islamic Community in Serbia". "Mufti Muamer Zukorlic is one of the esteemed alims [Muslim scholars] in the Balkans, a man who has done a lot for Sandzak, Novi Pazar and Serbia. Muslims in Serbia are a united Islamic Community, they have decided for it to have its seat in Novi Pazar," the grand mufti of Bosnia was quoted as saying. "We recognize and support that, while the manner in which Belgrade's status will be determined – whether it will be a separate district, so that the Jusufspahic family can continue with their private Islamic Community – because it is after all a private Islamic Community, of a family nature," Ceric said of the Islamic Community of Serbia, the seat of which is in Belgrade.

Police out in force for Muslim leader's visit

The atmosphere in this small Sandžak town today is described as tense, with some 200 police officers, including MUP's elite Gendarmerie, out in the streets.

The Gendarmes are searching all incoming vehicles, while a cordon of policemen separates two groups of Muslims – supporters of the two rival Islamic organizations in Serbia.

The Islamic Community of Serbia is led by Adem Zilkić, while Muamer Zukorlić is at the helm of the Islamic Community in Serbia.

Earlier today, it was reported that MUP and local Police Directorate (PU) in Novi Pazar came to the decision to ban the open air gathering for security reasons, while similar rallies in other Sandžak municipalities will go ahead as planned.

Tutin's municipal authorities and local assembly previously asked the police to ban the gathering in order to protect citizens. Students in local schools will not attend classes today as the event was classified "high risk".

All this comes in the wake of last week's shooting in the region, plagued by rivalry between two religious Muslim factions: the Islamic Community in Serbia, and the Islamic Community of Serbia.

Tutin is the only town in this region where Sulejman Ugljanin's Bosnian List for a European Sandžak won in the last local elections.

Cerić arrived in Novi Pazar last night, and this morning held a meeting with Zukorlić.

Adem Zilkić on Saturday asked for a ban on public gatherings of worshipers who wished to hear Cerić speak.

Zilkić also sent a message to Cerić "not to come to Sandžak until there is a minimum of peace for that".

Some observers attribute the tension to Cerić's statement ahead of his trip to Sandžak, when he said that "there is only one Islamic Community in Serbia".

"Mufti Muamer Zukorlić is one of the esteemed alims [Muslim scholars] in the Balkans, a man who has done a lot for Sandžak, Novi Pazar and Serbia. Muslims in Serbia are a united Islamic Community, they have decided for it to have its seat in Novi Pazar," the grand mufti of Bosnia was quoted as saying.

"We recognize and support that, while the manner in which Belgrade's status will be determined – whether it will be a separate district, so that the Jusufspahić family can continue with their private Islamic Community – because it is after all a private Islamic Community, of a family nature," Cerić said of the Islamic Community of Serbia, the seat of which is in Belgrade.