ČUSTOVIĆ THREATENED PRESIDENT DODIK AND MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY

BANJA LUKA, AUGUST 27 /SRNA/ – Elvir Čustović from Chicago, who was placed in one-month detention on suspicion of making terrorist threats in Republika Srpska, repeatedly made threats on December 21 last year, using phone numbers from US telecom operators, stating that he would kill Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, members of his family, and that he would start a war in BiH, all with the intent of intimidating the population.

Čustović also called official phone lines of the Trebinje Police Administration and threatened police officers that he would kill them upon arriving in BiH, the Republika Srpska Ministry of Interior /MoI/ told SRNA. The MoI stated that on December 24 last year, police officers from Trebinje Police Administration submitted a report to the Republic Public Prosecutor’s Office against Elvir Čustović, registered as residing in Mostar and living in Chicago /USA/, on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of "Terrorism" under Article 299, Paragraph 1 of the Republika Srpska Criminal Code. Since the above mentioned was not available to the MoI officers at the time the report was submitted to the Prosecutor’s Office Banja Luka, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Additionally, on January 16 this year, Čustović repeatedly called the Office of Republika Srpska Prime Minister from a U.S. number, again threatening to kill President Milorad Dodik and members of his family. The case was taken over by the Counterterrorism and Extremism Department officers, who, under the supervision of the responsible prosecutor, took measures to document the threats. A report on the undertaken actions was submitted to the Prosecutor’s Office Banja Luka on January 23. Furthermore, on June 5 this year, the Banja Luka Police Administration submitted another report to the Republic Public Prosecutor's Office against Čustović on the same charge of terrorism under Article 299, Paragraph 1 of the Republika Srpska Criminal Code, the MoI told SRNA. This offense was committed, according to the report, by Čustović calling the Ministry of Justice of Republika Srpska on January 16 and threatening to attack the lives of President Dodik and his family, intending to intimidate citizens and inflict serious harm on Republika Srpska. Čustović was detained on August 24 by Border Police of BiH at Sarajevo International Airport, based on a warrant issued by the Trebinje Police Administration. He was handed over the same day to the Trebinje police. According to a search warrant issued by the pre-trial judge of the District Court Banja Luka on August 25, the following items were found in Čustović's luggage: seven mobile phones, a laptop, a tablet, and two USB flash drives, which were temporarily seized. Yesterday, Čustović was brought to the Republic Public Prosecutor's Office and handed over for further proceedings. The District Court Banja Luka then ordered one-month detention for Elvir Čustović from Chicago on suspicion of terrorism-related threats in made in Republika Srpska. He was arrested in Sarajevo, based on the warrant issued by the Trebinje Police Administration, and taken into custody immediately upon entering BiH.