The Cradle of Terrorism
Bosnia and Herzegovina, a forcibly created community and a haven for terrorists, as described by American media, continues to demonstrate insurmountable differences even 30 years after the war.
The world witnessed an absurd display in 2016 when Bosniaks in Sarajevo supported Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the U.S. elections, while just a few kilometers away, in East Sarajevo, where Serbs live, support was given to Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Absurdity and deep divisions are also evident in the support given during the Israel-Palestine conflict. While the world was horrified by Hamas’s terrorist attack on October 7, Bosniak politicians and the public in Sarajevo remained silent, while the flag of Israel was projected onto the Palace of the Republika Srpska in Banja Luka.
After Jerusalem’s response to terrorism, support for Palestine emerged in Sarajevo. This support has since become more radicalized, expressed through protests in front of the Israeli Embassy in Sarajevo and even through fan group endorsements.
Israeli ambassadors have visited Serbian institutions, while Palestinian ambassadors have been received in Sarajevo. Before the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution designating July 11 as the International Day of Remembrance for the Genocide in Srebrenica, Bosniak officials regularly issued statements comparing crimes committed during the Bosnian civil war with what Israel is doing in Gaza.
These statements have come from the highest Bosniak leadership. On January 15, BiH Presidency member Željko Komšić issued a statement calling the West hypocritical regarding Gaza, comparing the situation to Srebrenica in July 1995.
“I know whose side I’m on. I cannot stand with those who have power and use it to erase civilians and an entire nation from the face of the earth,” Komšić said.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elmedin Konaković, echoed similar sentiments while trying to establish contact with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
“There were four UN resolutions on Palestine. We took a sovereign stance and supported all four resolutions—only we and Slovenia from the region, along with a small number of European countries that were brave enough to uphold the moral compass. At the same time, we preserved our diplomatic position, which is very important in international affairs,” Konaković stated.
While Bosniak-elected officials refrained from directly supporting Hamas, Bosniaks themselves did not. Support came from various sources, and at rallies, full endorsement was given to the terrorist organization Hamas.
Former wartime commander of the 7th Muslim Brigade of the so-called Army of BiH, Šerif Patković, publicly declared his willingness to join Hamas in its conflict with Israel in Gaza.
“The brigade of the Hamas movement, which emerged from the political wing of the Young Muslim Brotherhood, strongly reminds me of the Seventh (Muslim Brigade of the so-called Army of BiH). As a commander and as a man, I am ready—when the time comes—to join them,” Patković stated.
In the Bosniak entity, at sports matches, protests and other public events, we can often see anti-Semitic messages, the desecration of the Israeli flag, and the display of the Hamas flag.
On the other hand, Serbian leadership, led by Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, maintains consistent relations with Israel. The Serbian and Jewish peoples share a history of suffering—this is the message conveyed at numerous commemorative gatherings remembering the genocide perpetrated by the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) during World War II against Serbs, Jews, and Roma.
“With sadness, we once again recall Hamas’s horrific brutality, which began on October 7, 2023. After 503 days, Israel received four coffins containing the bodies of four hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists, who died in captivity. Two of them were children. It is difficult to comprehend the cruelty Hamas terrorists have shown toward Israeli hostages,” said Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik on February 21, 2025.
The President of Republika Srpska, the Serb-majority entity in BiH, maintains close ties with Israeli leadership. He recently attended the International Forum on Combating Anti-Semitism in Jerusalem, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was one of the speakers.
The Cradle of Terrorism
In the years following the horrific terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in the U.S., the CIA released reports claiming that members of Al-Qaeda were present in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war. Bosnia was identified as a transit zone and a recruitment site for Islamic militants.
During the Bosnian civil war, foreign Islamic mercenaries, known as Mujahideen, fought alongside Muslims against Serbian and Croatian troops. The El Mujahideen unit, comprised of fighters from the Middle East, committed horrific crimes against the Serbian population. Among them was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), the mastermind behind the devastating terrorist attack in the U.S.
Other terrorists also stayed in Bosnia at the time, taking advantage of its unregulated security structures.
Even today, on anniversaries commemorating wartime campaigns from the 1990s, various groups in the Krajina region, such as those in Bužim, parade in camouflage uniforms, displaying Islamist slogans and chanting “Allahu Akbar” while celebrating their wartime heroes.
The international community has condemned the participants in these events, but no concrete actions have been taken. What is even more alarming is the participation of young people in such gatherings.
