The Bosnian security authorities had in the recent past conducted a thorough research on Iranian subversive operations in the country, that was revealed by local media. The project was code named "PLATO" according to newspaper Vesti and was registered in the Bosnian authorities files under the number UR-04-429/09 . Below a synopsis of the most important players from the Iranian side will be presented along with mentioning of their roles and capabilities.
The report lists the names and complete biographies of hundreds of Iranian intelligence agents who visited or are still residing in Bosnia, and then their associates in Bosnia ranging from university professors to students or employees. The time span starts from 1994 up to 2009.
First on the list of Iranian intelligence agents there is the name of Hassan Jawad , the Deputy Minister of Intelligence in Tehran, which during the war in the 90's, according to OSA Bosnian intelligence service, was the head of the Revolutionary Guards for South Eastern Europe, and then became the head of the Department of Central Asia and the Caucasus .
Hasan Jawad is also a member of the Board of Directors Iranian- Bosnian Friendship , but dealt with intelligence work and was a key player for recruitment procedures.
Moreover, in 2003 Mohamed Bakir Serifzade , aka Yasser or Asad came from Iran to Bosnia, and he was allegedly specialized in "Liquidations". More specifically he arrived in Serajevo on the 30th of January 2003 and stayed in the country for a few weeks. Further on the 7th of March 2003 Bahram Feridouni arrived in Bosnia and was then Head of the Department for Europe and America in the Iranian intelligence service and to a specific cell named "Deparment 500".
In the OSA rpeort it is also mentioned that a longtime professor of the Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo , Nev. Kahtaran , then Director of Radio and TV of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Sarajevo ( IRIB ) and Mohammad Reza Golzardi were involved witth the aforementioned.
For the Bosnian security a man was particularly interesting - Javdan Amjad alias Majid , a member of the Committee of the Shiite organization that operates in the area of Bosnia and Herzegovina . His name is mentioned in several operating ciphered names "Anchor" and "Marathon" where he unequivocally concluded that works for multiple security services of Iran , and it is in constant contact with the head of IRGC 's Ali Sabet . Thus OSA derives the conclusion that he was an operative of great importance not just for Bosnia but for European affairs as well.
According to the findings of OSA , longtime head of IRGC for B & H , which is was also the first secretary of the Embassy of Iran Ali Mahdavi Sabet was also previously head of the Revolutionary Guards in Lebanon , and in Bosnia he has managed major eavesdropping operations for Iran.
The main "listening center", was located in the municipality of Stari Grad on the street Alifakovac No. 2. It had modern listening devices which allow interception of communication both land and wireless. This station was activated in the end of 2001.
Another name mentioned is Hasan Jawad , who according to intelligence data, spent most of his time in Sarajevo, in the internet cafe club Jildiz whose owner is owner Sadik Mirasdzija aka Dziga . The latter was implicated in coordinating riots in a mosque in 2001, presumably under directions from Teheran. The number of operatives in Bosnia at any given moment was estimated at 40 people with addittional 10 in Croatia who cooperated closely together.
In Croatia, in charge was a certain Hasan Attic . Furthermore the address Alifakovac 2 in Serajevo and the tel. number 061/366-397 of BH Mobile are mentioned as part of the communication system of the Iranians.
It should also be mentioned that Hossein Safari the son of General Safari, was spotted occassionaly in Bosnia. Another operative Abu Amar is suspected by OSA that he planned the assassination of a Kurdish leader named Kasam Lulua in a hotel in France. Abu Amar was a head of the "9000 directory" in Iran responsible for liquidations before venturing as well in Bosnia.Shaykh Yusuf owner and financier of religious schools - madrassas in Germany , funded the construction of Tekke in the postwar period in Travnik and he was in contact with the above.
Sheikh Jafar is the main financier of religious and other projects carried out by the Iranian embassy , and by him directed all financial and material resources that are used , or are intended to finance the " achievements of the Islamic revolution. " All the companies that have registered Iranian nationals in BiH get involved in financing these activities through Sheikh Jafar , " as revealed the agents OSA .
Among the more interesting visits to Bosnia from Iran , there are two according to OSA: The first was by the professor Nadžefija who in Iran was known as Jaber who is the director of the Department of Research and Strategy , whose head office is located at the military college, " I Hosea ," in which members of IRGC are trained. Another visit was by a guest lecturer named Jakub Mehdin at the Institute " Ibn Sini ", and OSA considered that he participated in paramilitary training.
Names of local citizens that particated in those trainings are: Amel Hadzimejlic and Halil Elezovic , born both in Stolac. Also, Midhat Hadzalija and Esmir , a certain Meho and Ramiz Mulaomerović .
"According to available data, Ramiz Mulaomerovic was in Iran in the mid-90's and he used a false passport in the name of Amer Hodzic. With him in Iran traveled Abbas Cutuk , Mevludin Babajićcand Salih Pindzo
Lastly the OSA assess that Bosnian citizens take part in mercenary activities on behalf of Iran abroad, including assistance to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Four names are mentioned linked to the Lebanese organization.
Further-background sources on the subject
- "The Iranian reach in Bosnia", by Ioannis Michaletos, 9 December 2008: http://www.serbianna.com/columns/michaletos/042.shtml
- "Iran in Bosnia during the 90's & early 00's: Part 1", by Ioannis Michaletos: http://europenews.dk/en/node/6951
(Part 2 &3 : www.drougos.gr/?p=6253 & www.drougos.gr/?p=6255)
- "Iran’s soft power reach in the Balkans", By Ioannis Michaletos: http://serbianna.com/analysis/archives/732