LONDON Ñ European Union governments are pressuring
Bosnia-Herzegovina to extradite or expel scores of Islamic insurgents from
the Central European republic.
The governments, in a move supported by the United States, are calling
on Sarajevo to arrest a list of mostly North African immigrants suspected of
being involved in attacks on European figures and installations over the
last decade.
So far, Bosnia has not formally agreed to the requests amid threats by
Islamic groups to resist arrest. But quietly Bosnian authorities have
extradited Islamic fugitives to such countries as Algeria, Egypt and France.
One extradition request has come from Italy for the transfer of a
Tunisian suspected of trying to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1997. Italy
has relayed a request for the extradition of Salah Nidal, age 32 and
identified as the attempted assassin. He was said to have been one of 12
Algerians and Tunisians involved in the attempt to kill John Paul.
Nidal was said to have been arrested in November 1997 for possession of
explosives. He served a three-year sentence and then was said to have to
dropped out of sight.
European diplomatic sources said Bosnia has not responded to Italy's
request as the two countries do not have an extradition agreement. The
sources said authorities in Sarajevo are willing to arrest Nidal, believed
to be in a town 70 kilometers northwest of the capital, if they are given
evidence of his involvement in the plot against the pope.
Another obstacle, the sources said, is confusion over the identity of
Nidal. They said Bosnian authorities have placed under surveillance another
Tunisian who had served seven years for the killing of an Egyptian national.
The Tunisian suspected of being involved in the assassination attempt
against the pope, is said to have left Bosnia. Interpol is also said to be
searching for Nidal.
