For the past two years, the Secret Service was engaged in preventing and
trying to stop the recruitment of dozens of citizens who were appealed
to fight in Syria. However, this didn’t actually happen.
Top Channel learned through secure sources that the Secret Service agents have investigated the activity of the Unaza e Re mosque for the past two years, together with that of Dragostunja, Librazhd, and several others across the country. They have even processed reports mostly based on the activity of the self-proclaimed Imam, Genci Balla.
However, regardless of this preventing investigation by the Secret Service, no report has been made at the Prosecution. At least this is what is shown by the Prosecution register of criminal cases. Unofficial sources explained for Top Channel that the initiation of these investigations was notified by foreign Secret Services and by an Embassy in Tirana, which caused the involvement of the Prosecution of Serious Crimes, the Anti-Terror Department at the State Police and that of the Albanian Secret Service.
The Secret Service agents have actively operated in the surveillances ordered by the Prosecution, but also for documenting how jihad was propagated by imams through hidden texts, and how followers were convinced into accepting this procedure. It also shows how their ticket was bought for going initially to Turkey, and how the main suspects of this case communicated with each other, i.e Genci Balla, also known as Abdurrahim Balla, and Gerti Pashaj, suspected of operating from a base in Turkey.
The Prosecution suspects that more than 80 Albanian nationals are currently involved in the fights of Al-Nusra, which made the UN list of terrorist organizations. All recruits, besides being Muslim followers from the extreme sheriat sect, share the economic difficulties as another common element. However, sometimes it is inexplicable how well-educated people get involved in recruitments, not only in Albania but also from abroad.
Meanwhile, there have increasing reports of Albanian nationals being killed in Syria during this time. About one month ago, the Muslim Community sent an internal order to all branches around the country, instructing them that based on the public concern regarding the involvement and encouragement which could have been provoked by followers inside and outside mosques, the Community asked local branches to notify authorities as soon as they spot these provocations. The Muslim Community adds that religion cannot be taken as reference or used as encouragement for convincing people to get involved in wars or conflicts, and that these efforts are dangerous for the citizens and the image of the Muslim religion. Even after the eight arrests that took place recently, the Muslim Community declared that the two Imams of the Unaza e Re and Mezezi mosques are not authorized by them.
During an interview for Top Channel, the Head of the Commission of Cults, Ilir Hoxholli, explained that the Muslim Community recognizes the presence of 650 mosques, and that there are only 3-4 mosques under legalization process, but not that they are not recognized by the Muslim Community. “We are preparing an accurate database for the number of mosques that they use, but I don’t think they are more than five”, he declared.
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