Anybody who knew anything about the Balkans knew that Bill Clinton’s extra-legal intervention on behalf of the Bosnian Muslims against the Orthodox Christian Serbs was a terrible idea; the area’s ancient, tripartite (the western Christian Croats are also part of the mix) religious divisions date back to the schism within Christianity and the invasion of large swaths of eastern and central Europe by Muslim Turks. The Turks were eventually thrown back and out of almost everywhere in Europe, with the exception of what became Albania and in Kosovo. To this day, Bulgarians, Romanians and Hungarians celebrate their deliverance from Islam — and know exactly why it must be resisited, tooth and nail. Allowing the Serbs to crush the Muslims of Yugoslavia — especially Muslims occupying one of Orthodox Christianity’s holiest sites — would have been merely the final touches on a long war against darkness and brutality. So, thanks, Bill Clinton, for leaving this dagger in the heart of Europe:
Islamic State have established a stronghold in mainland Europe, a Sunday Mirror investigation reveals. Terrorists are secretly buying land in an isolated village, surrounded by deep woodland. Security services think the area in Bosnia is used for ISIS training camps and could be a base for devastating terror attacks on the West. Crucially, the location gives IS a key strategic position due to its proximity to the Mediterranean which is used by extremists from Syria, Iraq and North Africa.
At least 12 ISIS fighters trained in the village of Osve have left for Syria in recent months and five are reported to be dead. Terror expert Dzevad Galijasevic said: “From this village a large number of people went to Syria and are going constantly. It is understood that notorious ISIS supporter Harun Mehicevic is among fanatics who bought land in the area. He has purchased two hectares. Mehicevic fled Bosnia during the 1990s Balkan wars and settled in Melbourne, Australia, where he is considered one of the country’s most dangerous men.
In one ranting sermon, he reportedly told an audience of potential recruits: “Allah will help the mujahideen (holy warriors) establish an Islamic State where Muslims can live with dignity and honour.” Other known terrorists believed to have bought land in the village include Jasin Rizvic and Osman Kekic, who are both now fighting with ISIS in Syria.
Muslim leader Izet Hadzic – arrested by Bosnia’ and Herzegovina’s security service Sipa in a raid – is also understood to have property in the village, as have many others who have gone to fight in Syria and Iraq. One villager told our investigators that locals fear the area is a “nest for terrorists”.
All utterly predictable.
UPDATE: a few commenters below seem to think I am “advocating genocide” by putting the Bosnia War into the historically complex context of the Balkans and the front-line battle that has been waged there — and is still being waged there — between the West and Islam. I am not. You can read all about the 14th-century Battle of Kosovo here, which provides the background for what, believe it or not, happened half a millennium later. Memories are very long in the Balkans, tribal loyalty is fierce, and the borders keep shifting around.
My larger points are two 1) we should have stayed out of the conflict — as was official American policy for four years following the breakup of Yugoslavia — just as we did in the horrific civil war in Rwanda, and 2) an Islamic terrorist enclave in the heart of Europe is not a good thing.
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