Bosnian Protesters Demand Release of Detained Intelligence Chief

More than 200 Bosnians holding banners and flags protested on Thursday in Sarajevo over the arrest of the country's intelligence chief, Osman Mehmedagic.

The head of the Intelligence and Security Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, OSA, was detained by Sarajevo Canton police on Wednesday in an investigation into abuse of office, forgery of documents and money laundering.

He was arrested on the order of the Prosecutor's Office, which is conducting an investigation into the so-called "Diploma" affair, which concerns the validity of the diploma that Osmanagic obtained at the American University in Tuzla.

On Thursday, after spending 24 hours in police custody, Osmanagic was handed over to the State Prosecution, which has until Friday to decide further measures, such as detention or release.

The gathering demanded the resignation of the Chief Prosecutor, Gordana Tadic, who they said was behind the politically motivated indictment. Another rally was also organised in the southwest Bosnian city of Mostar.

Protest in Sarajevo over the arrest of Osman Mehmedagic, Photo: BIRN

Among the protesters in Sarajevo were several prominent members of the Party of Democratic Action, SDA, the largest Bosniak party.

Salko Zildzic, an SDA member from Tuzla, told the media that Mehmedagic's arrest could be seen almost as a coup d'etat.

"What we are seeing is something that is not recalled in democratic countries - a large number of attempts to disrupt that [intelligence] agency," Zildzic said.

"It is clear to a child that this is the plan of Milorad Dodik and Dragan Covic," said Zildzic, referencing the main Bosnian Serb and Bosnian Croat leaders.

Accusations that Dodik, Serbian member of the Bosnian state presidency, and Covic...