The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has ordered the provisional detention of Mevlid Jašarević in connection with extradition proceedings to the United States. These proceedings were initiated following a diplomatic note from the U.S. Embassy in BiH, with the aim of conducting criminal proceedings before the competent U.S. judicial authorities.
The detention may last for 18 days from the date of his arrest—specifically from October 27 to November 13, 2026—or until a new decision is issued by the Court.
An appeal against this ruling does not stay its execution, the Court of BiH announced.
During this morning’s hearing, Prosecutor Nives Kanevčev stated that the Prosecutor’s Office received a document and accompanying attachments from the Ministry of Justice yesterday. Among these was a note from the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo requesting the provisional detention of Jašarević for the purpose of submitting a formal extradition request.
According to the prosecutor, the documentation explains that an indictment was filed against Jašarević in 2012 before a U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. He is charged with, among other things, the attempted murder of U.S. officials and U.S. citizens, assault with a dangerous weapon, damage to a building and property, and the use of a firearm. Kanevčev stated that the Prosecution acknowledged that Jašarević had already been prosecuted and convicted for terrorism; however, she noted that the current indictment concerns new criminal acts. She further clarified that none of the charges in this indictment carry the death penalty.
His defense attorney, Alma Tabaković, opposed the Prosecution’s proposal, describing it—among other things—as unsubstantiated and incomplete. She explained that today marks the final day of Jašarević’s prison sentence, which he has served in its entirety. She argued that his right to a defense has been violated, as no time was provided for preparation and the documentation was not fully disclosed; she further asserted that Jašarević has been harmed and that his fundamental human rights have been denied.
Jašarević was previously sentenced to 15 years in prison for a terrorist attack on the U.S. Embassy building in Sarajevo, which took place on October 28, 2011. During the incident, he fired approximately 105 rounds from an automatic rifle at the facility over the course of 50 minutes, while shouting threats at staff members. He also severely wounded a police officer—who was guarding the Embassy—in both legs. It is also noted that, yesterday, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina delivered a first-instance verdict acquitting Jašarević of charges related to obstructing an official in the performance of their duties within the prison where he is serving his sentence for the attack on the U.S. Embassy.
