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November 6, 2006

Serbia: Islamists Attack Mosque Worshippers

News from AKI, B92 and Monsters & Critics reports that Serbian state television RTS reported on fighting which took place at a mosque in Novi Pazar in southwestern Serbia on Friday evening (November 3). The fighting was caused by Islamist extremists, known as Wahhabis, who tried to disrupt the Friday evening Juma prayer meeting. Gunshots were fired.

Three people were injured, and police made two arrests. The clashes began when the Wahhabists attacked the imam and tried to impose their own "pure" form of worship at the prayer session. One of the mosque's regular worshippers, identified as 33-year old Habib Fijuljanin, fired a gun twice into the ceiling as a warning. The attack upon the imam took place at around 2 pm. Habib Fijuljanin was later charged with possession of illegal weapons.

The Wahhabists continued to demonstrate outside the mosque.

Later, another mosque regular, 37-year old Izet Fijuljanin, was attacked outside the building by three Wahhabis, who also tried to vandalize his car. Fijuljanin had driven his car in front of the mosque at around 4 pm, when Wahhabis were gathered in front of the building. The Islamists then set about his vehicle with wooden poles. Fijuljanin fired a gun at three of them.

They appear to have been the three who are reported as wounded, though there were traces of blood both inside and outside the mosque. Fijuljanin was charged with attempted murder of the three Islamists, who have been named as Ismail Gicic, Jasmin Smailovic and Erhan Smailovic.

Police said that 17 people who took part in the fighting were charged with misdemeanor. The mosque was closed following the violence, and the local Islamic community issued a statement that said the building would remain closed until further notice.

Novi Pazar is an agricultural trading center and the main cultural and business center of the region of Sandzak. It has a population of 52,000 and has an established textile industry. The region is predominantly Muslim. On October 19, their soccer team was subjected to anti-Muslim abuse in a match held at Belgrade. 152 fans were arrested for their insulting behavior.

The head of the Sandzak Democratic Party, Rasim Ljajic, claimed that the Wahhabis were more of a threat to other Muslims than they were to the state. He said: "Lately, the conditions for all sorts of extreme religious organizations' activities have been favorable, while the state remains inactive."

Many of the Wahhbis arrived in the region during the conflict of the Bosnian civil war of 1992 to 1995. Thousands of mujahideen arrived to support the Muslims in their fight with Serbs. When that conflict came to an end, many remained, and have continued to indoctrinate local Muslims with their extreme and uncompromising form of Islam.

The Wahhabists wear distinctive shortened breeches and long beards, and insist that women cover their faces with veils. In April, they tried to disrupt a music concert in Novi Pazar. They have been growing in numbers in Sandzak and Kosovo in Serbia, and also in Bosnia-Hercegovina and parts of Montenegro.

The mujahideen were invited to Bosnia at the time of the civil war by then-president Alija Izetbegovic, who allowed these Islamists to become "incorporated and subordinated" within the Bosnian army, comprising the 7th Muslim Brigade, which was formed on November 19, 1992. They later went on to become the "El Mujahed" unit (pictured) in August 1993. Many were granted citizenship when the war ended.

Izetbegovic has been revealed as receiving money from Al Qaeda at this time. In Bosnia-Hercegovina, the problem of Islamist mujahideen who came but would not leave has led to legal action. So far, 50 of these Wahhabists have had their citizenship rights, granted by Izetbegovic, revoked. Bosnian authorities have a list of 1,500 similar individuals whom they wish to deport.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 6, 2006 7:22 AM

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