Wahhabi trial: Defendants deny charges

The trial of a group of 15 Sandzak Wahhabis charged with terrorism continued in Belgrade today. The group was indicted in September 2007, by the Special Organized Crime Prosecution. The trial opened in January of this year. Wahhabi trial: Defendants deny charges Mehmedin Koljsi, one of the defendants, rejected the indictment against him, and said photographs of Belgrade and Novi Pazar buildings found on his computer's hard drive were there "by chance". "I downloaded all kinds of things from the internet," he told a panel of judges in the Special Court. The indictment charges Koljsi with keeping maps of Belgrade and photographs of the U.S. embassy, the National Theater, the Beogradjanka building stored on his computer, as the group plotted to blow these buildings up in terror attacks. The photographs of the Novi Pazar MUP headquarters, and maps showing Sandzak connected to the territory of neighboring Montenegro, were also found. "I had between 2,000 and 3,000 pictures on my computer, that I downloaded from the internet, because I liked them. I'm not aware all that was on my computer. I said during the investigation that I like beautiful buildings, so I probably downloaded those for that reason, and my computer has nothing to do with a felony. You have dishonored me in front of everyone," Koljsi told the court. Deputy Special Prosecutor Jovica Jovanovic challenged the defendant with another photograph recovered from his computer, that of a teenager wearing an explosives belt, used by suicide bombers. "I am unaware that I had those. How am I supposed to know that is explosive," Koljsi said, after which Jovanovic asked, "does it look like flowers?" "Perhaps its styrofoam tied with string," the Wahhabi said and smiled. The prosecutor then presented a map where the southwestern region of Sandzak is annexed to Montenegro, which he said the defendant also keeps on the wall of his prison cell. "I have no idea what that means, and four of us are looking at it. But the prosecutor's claims that I had a map of Serbia cut in half with a sword are not true," Koljsi continued. Another of those indicted, Husein Culjak, also denied he belonged to a criminal enterprise. "I have been accused of making contact with some people abroad. This is not true. I have a brother in Austria, and he is the only one I contact on the phone. I did not bury any arms or ammunition. I have never held a gun in my hand," Culjak said. He added that Ismail Prentic asked him to bury a barrel in December 2006, but that the barrel was empty, while he "did not ask Prentic why he should to that". Prentic was killed in a cottage near Novi Pazar where he was hiding, when he and several others opened fire at officers who came to arrest them. Culjak also said he had no knowledge of the weapons found on Mt. Nanija near Novi Pazar, and that he never visited that location. In two separate raids last spring, MUP's special police found a large amount of weapons, ammunition, medical supplies and explosives in underground storage on Mt. Nanija. The prosecution claims that the cache was stored there as the group prepared to carry out terrorist activities. "From the second half of 2006 until March 16, 2007, in the territories of Novi Pazar and Sjenica, the accused organized a criminal group with the intent to undermine Serbia's security," said as the trial opened in January. Beside planning an attack on the Novi Pazar police station, they also plotted the assassination of Mufti Muamer Zukorlic, one of the leaders of the Muslims in Serbia, the prosecution alleged.

Wahhabi trial: Defendants deny charges

Mehmedin Koljši, one of the defendants, rejected the indictment against him, and said photographs of Belgrade and Novi Pazar buildings found on his computer's hard drive were there "by chance".

"I downloaded all kinds of things from the internet," he told a panel of judges in the Special Court.

The indictment charges Koljši with keeping maps of Belgrade and photographs of the U.S. embassy, the National Theater, the Beograđanka building stored on his computer, as the group plotted to blow these buildings up in terror attacks.

The photographs of the Novi Pazar MUP headquarters, and maps showing Sandžak connected to the territory of neighboring Montenegro, were also found.

"I had between 2,000 and 3,000 pictures on my computer, that I downloaded from the internet, because I liked them. I'm not aware all that was on my computer. I said during the investigation that I like beautiful buildings, so I probably downloaded those for that reason, and my computer has nothing to do with a felony. You have dishonored me in front of everyone," Koljši told the court.

Deputy Special Prosecutor Jovica Jovanović challenged the defendant with another photograph recovered from his computer, that of a teenager wearing an explosives belt, used by suicide bombers.

"I am unaware that I had those. How am I supposed to know that is explosive," Koljši said, after which Jovanović asked, "does it look like flowers?"

"Perhaps its styrofoam tied with string," the Wahhabi said and smiled.

The prosecutor then presented a map where the southwestern region of Sandžak is annexed to Montenegro, which he said the defendant also keeps on the wall of his prison cell.

"I have no idea what that means, and four of us are looking at it. But the prosecutor's claims that I had a map of Serbia cut in half with a sword are not true," Koljši continued.

Another of those indicted, Husein Čuljak, also denied he belonged to a criminal enterprise.

"I have been accused of making contact with some people abroad. This is not true. I have a brother in Austria, and he is the only one I contact on the phone. I did not bury any arms or ammunition. I have never held a gun in my hand," Čuljak said.

He added that Ismail Prentić asked him to bury a barrel in December 2006, but that the barrel was empty, while he "did not ask Prentić why he should to that".

Prentić was killed in a cottage near Novi Pazar where he was hiding, when he and several others opened fire at officers who came to arrest them.

Čuljak also said he had no knowledge of the weapons found on Mt. Nanija near Novi Pazar, and that he never visited that location.

In two separate raids last spring, MUP's special police found a large amount of weapons, ammunition, medical supplies and explosives in underground storage on Mt. Nanija.

The prosecution claims that the cache was stored there as the group prepared to carry out terrorist activities.

"From the second half of 2006 until March 16, 2007, in the territories of Novi Pazar and Sjenica, the accused organized a criminal group with the intent to undermine Serbia's security," said as the trial opened in January.

Beside planning an attack on the Novi Pazar police station, they also plotted the assassination of Mufti Muamer Zukorlić, one of the leaders of the Muslims in Serbia, the prosecution alleged.