Bosnia Convicts Four Men For Supporting Islamic State Group

A Sarajevo court has convicted and sentenced four Bosnians on terrorism charges.

They are the first verdicts under a law passed last year aimed at curbing recruitment and discouraging young Bosnians from joining radical Islamist groups abroad.

Bosnia-Herzegovina's state court said on October 6 that Nevad Husidic and Merim Keserovic were each sentenced to one year in prison for attempting to join the Islamic State group.

Husein Erdic was sentenced to 3½ years for organizing their departure to Syria, while Midhat Trako will serve 1½ years for financing the trip.

The group was arrested in February as Husidic and Keserovic tried to depart for Istanbul from Sarajevo's airport.

Nearly half of Bosnia's population is Muslim. Police estimate some 200 Bosnians have left to enter Syria over the past three years, of whom more than 50 later returned home while about 30 were killed.

With reporting by Reuters