STA, 14 March 2019 - Slovenia will deport three Bosnian citizens after they were found to be a threat to national security and public safety due to alleged links to Islamic radicals in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Interior Ministry confirmed for the STA. Commercial broadcaster POP TV reported that the three men were linked to radical jihad recruiter Bilal Bosnić.
POP TV acquired confidential records put together by the police and intelligence agency SOVA according to which the men actively supported religious extremism and terrorism and were willing to use violence to achieve political, religious and ideological goals.
The records also say the three men, who all work as lorry drivers, were in contact with foreigners who have been found guilty of crimes related to terrorism and foreigners who left for Syria and Iraq to join terrorist groups, POP TV reported.
The broadcaster says that two of the men visited Bosnić, who is serving a seven-year prison sentenced for recruiting IS fighters in Bosnia and Slovenia. Bosnić is believed to have been the head of Islamic radicals in Bosnia.
The ministry said that the Ljubljana Administrative Unit revoked the residence permit of the three men at the proposal of the police. POP TV has identified the men as the brothers Selvir (37) and Nelvir (40) Duraković, and Selim Ljubljankić (39).
POP TV says this measure was taken in December and that the men appealed it, saying that visiting "a neighbour" in prison was not a criminal act and neither was helping the person's children.
Their appeal was rejected by the Interior Ministry in late February, said POP TV, adding no recourse is possible.
The men were not given a deadline to leave the country, which means that they will be deported by the authorities. They also face a five-year ban on entering Slovenia.
POP TV tried to contact the men, only to find out that the Duraković brothers were en route abroad. The news crew talked to their boss Jernej Jerman, who knew nothing about the brothers facing deportation and was adamant that "no such thing is happening at our company".
