BOSNIA: MUJAHIDEEN FIGHTERS STAGE PROTEST

(17 Mar 2000) Bosnian/Serbo-Croat/Nat

Thousands of Mujahideen fighters marched through Sarajevo on Friday protesting against the Russian military offensive in Chechnya.

Mujahideen speakers accused the international community and the United States of aiding Russia in their bloody offensive against the Chechens.

The Mujahideen took to the streets of Sarajevo on Friday, protesting against the Russian campaign in Chechnya and the international community's reluctance to intervene.

During the four years of civil war in Bosnia several hundred Islamic mercenaries - Mujahideen - fought together with Bosnian Muslims.

Many stayed on, and have recruited younger members to the Mujahideen.

The march was organised by the Active Islamic Youth movement who claim to have over 10-thousand members in Bosnia.

Around 90 percent of those marching on Friday were young Bosnian men who'd joined the movement.

The Mujahideen claims to have support from many Islamic nations including Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan.

Their anger was aimed not only at the Russians, but also the U-S and the international community in general.

SOUNDBITE: (Bosnian)
"They consider us as foreign mercenaries, but the foreign mercenaries are the international community and Madeleine Albright. Everybody is against us."
SUPER CAPTION: Adnan Pezo, Mujahideen speaker

The growth of the Mujahideen's popularity followed the war in Bosnia.

The economy is in a poor state with high unemployment among the young who've increasingly looked for more extreme answers to their problems.

The Mujahideen operate out of their base which is 80 kilometres north of Sarajevo.

No one knows the true strength of the Mujahideen in Bosnia - even NATO's S-FOR troops won't go into the areas occupied by the Islamic group.

Friday's march also marked the beginning of the three-day Ayam al-Tashreek, or "the day of drying meat."

It follows the feast of sacrifice, or Eid al-Adha, which was celebrated on Thursday by Muslims all over the world by sacrificing rams and other animals.

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