This is an old revision of this page, as edited by AnulBanul (talk | contribs) at 19:28, 28 April 2015 (←Created page with ''''Mostar terrorist attack''' occured on 18 September 1997 in a Herzegovinian city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the attack, 29...'). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 19:28, 28 April 2015 by AnulBanul (talk | contribs) (←Created page with ''''Mostar terrorist attack''' occured on 18 September 1997 in a Herzegovinian city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the attack, 29...')(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Mostar terrorist attack occured on 18 September 1997 in a Herzegovinian city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the attack, 29 persons were seriously or easily wounded, 120 apartments were destroyed, as well as 120 vehicles. The attack was carried out by Islamic extremists as a revenge to the Croatian Defence Council (HVO). The terrorist attack in Mostar was the most serious one in the country.
History
The terrorist attack was carried out with a car bomb in western Mostar (with Croat majority) in front of the police station and the building of the former Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia on 18 September 1997. In the attack, 29 people were seriously or easily wounded, among them were three policemen. The explosion created a crater 240 cm wide and 85 cm deep. In total, 120 apartments were destroyed, of which 56 completely, as well as 120 vehicles, of which 46 completely.
First to arrive at the scene was the SFOR. The investigation started a day later, and was carried out by criminal police of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton with help from experts from Zagreb and Split.
Immediately after the attack, domestic and foreign security agencies engaged in search for the preparators. Bosniak politicians and media accused Croats for the attack. As the terrorist attack occured not long after the Croat and Bosniak city police was united and after the Croatian Democratic Union secured victory at the general election, members of the peacekeeping forces saw three motives for the attack. A political motive was explained as an attack at the "newly established police forces stationed at the Police station in Mostar"; the criminal motive was explained as a possibility that "mafia" wanted to show their strength after latest arrests; and the terrorist motive was explained as a goal to create casualties as much as possible and largest material damage as possible. The latter motive was least considered as a possibility, as peacekeeping forces expected taking responsibility by the terrorists soon after the attack. The doubts of the peacekeeping forces were proven wrong later.
The preparator was Ahmad Zuhair Handala, who originated from Sudan. His name was made public by the leader of the Wahhabi community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alu Husin Imad, known as Abu Hamza. Abu Hamza told that the Wahhabist community "doesn't justify, but understands the crime". Handala carried out the terrorist attacks with his associates as a revenge to the Croatian Defence Council (HVO).
The trial against Handala and his five associates started in May 1998.. Handala was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but has a fugitive status. His associates, Ali Ahmed Ali Hamad (from Bahrain) and Nebil Ali Hil, nicknamed Abu Yemen, got eight and five years in prison. Handala and his associates were all linked to the Al-Qaeda. The terrorist attack in Mostar remains the most serious terrorist attack in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
See also
References
Notes
- ^ Hercegovina.info & 18 September 2014.
- ^ Bljesak.info & 29 September 2012. sfn error: no target: CITEREFBljesak.info29_September_2012 (help)
- Krešić & 20 September 2011.
- Free Republic & 30 September 2001. sfn error: no target: CITEREFFree_Republic30_September_2001 (help)
- dDH.
- ISN & 26 June 2009.
- Gradišić & 6 December 2012. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGradišić6_December_2012 (help)
- RTS & 28 April 2015.
News reports
- "15 godina od razorne eksplozije u Splitskoj ulici" (in Croatian). Bljesak.info. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- Gradišić, Mirela (6 December 2012). "Dosad je izrečeno 11 presuda za krivično djelo terorizam" (in Bosnian). Federalna televizija. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- "Jihad, bought and sold". ISN. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- Krešić, Zoran (20 September 2011). "U istrazi najmanje sumnjali da su teroristi stavili autobombu" (in Croatian). Večernji list. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- "Mostar: 17 godina od terorističkog napada auto bombom u Splitskoj ulici" (in Croatian). Hercegovina.info. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- "Subjects about politics in Bih in May 1998". dDH. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- "Vast investigation in Bosnia Herzegovina". Free Republic. 30 September 2001. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- Maroević, Rade (28 April 2015). "онологија терористичких напада у БиХ" (in Serbian). Radio televizija Srbije. Retrieved 28 April 2015.