Kosovo Jails ISIS Recruit for Three Years

Kosovo special police units positioned outside a court during a terror trial | Photo: BIRN

A court in Kosovo on Thursday jailed a 19-year-old from the town of Gjilan in eastern Kosovo for three years for joining ISIS in Syria.

Florent Bajrami was found guilty of having participated in ISIS formations during February to May 2015.

Bajrami pleaded guilty and expressed remorse in court, saying that he soon realised the reality of life under ISIS and genuinely regretted his poor decision.

“When I arrived there [in Syria], I realised that I had made a bad decision and immediately attempted to return to my family in my country, but it was impossible,” Bajrami told the court.

Bajrami’s statement echoed those of other Kosovar terror suspects, who have told prosecutors that ISIS commanders did not allow them to return home.

According to prosecution indictments, which BIRN has seen, several suspects have told authorities that despite their wish to return to Kosovo after becoming disillusioned, ISIS commanders imposed a minimum service time of three months.

Bajrami is one of some 50 suspects arrested in Kosovo in the last two years, most of whom are or were accused of having been part of ISIS and Al Nusra in Iraq and Syria.

Early in 2015, Kosovo adopted a new law that forbids its citizens from participating in wars overseas, stipulating prison sentences of up to 15 years.

Bajrami was sentenced under the existing criminal code, which foresees a minimum prison time of five years for terrorism-related crimes.

Judge Emine Saliu said the court gave Bajrami a reduced sentence because he had pleaded guilty and clearly felt remorse.