Bosnia Court Cuts Jail Term for Crime Boss: Ali Gasi

Sarajevo | 09 September 2010 |
 

Police photo of Muhamed Ali Gasi

Muhamed Ali Gasi, one of Bosnia's most notorious gangsters, has had his jail term reduced on appeal.
Ali Gasi, 37, was sentenced last year to 20 years behind bars, but the term was cut by the Supreme Court of Bosnia's Croat-Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) part on appeal to 17 years on Wednesday.
Seven other members of Gasi's gang, who had been tried with him last summer, received final sentences of between 22 months and four-and-a-half years.
The trial of Gasi and members of his gang, including his brother Aziz, is considered one of the most high-profile cases to have been brought in Bosnia.
Ali Gasi and his gang were believed to have been the most dangerous criminals operating in the country, police and officials working on the case told Balkan Insight.
Witnesses also described brutal methods he used to extort money from businessmen or force people to sell him valuable real estate significantly below its market value.
Prior to his arrest in January 2008, Gasi was considered untouchable and was often seen cruising in a red Ferrari sports car on the streets of Sarajevo.
 TELEFONSKI RAZGOVOR GASI-JA NAKON UBISTVA RAMIZA-CELE 




 Hier wurde versucht, den Gasi Ferrari in Bosnien zu stoppen, der mit über 200 km durch Bosnien fuhr

Albanian fugitive wanted in gang violence, armed robberies arrested

(ANA-MPA) -- A 22-year-old Albanian national arrested on Monday in a Piraeus-area district is believed to be a member of an Albanian gang involved in a bloody turf war in the Greek capital two years ago as well as a perpetrator of numerous armed robberies of jewelry stores and break-ins of upscale residences in the greater Athens area.

The man is suspected of participating in the robbery of nine jewelry stores, where merchandise worth 500,000 euros was taken, as well as in the burglary of six residences.

Nine murders and at least 13 attempted homicides were attributed to the 2008 violence, which pitted mostly gangs of young Albanians nationals vying for slices for the drug trade in parts of central and west Athens.

The suspect was arrested along with a Romanian woman, 22, in the Piraeus working-class district of Drapetsona after a brief car chase. He had reportedly ignored a police patrol's indication to stop for a routine traffic stop.

Authorities found an assault rifle, a pistol, bullets, a bulletproof vest as well as 11,490 euros and US$4,300 in the vehicle, while a subsequent search of the couple's home revealed another assault rifle, three handguns, a large number of rounds, another bulletproof vest, suspected loot from previous robberies, cannabis and two precision scales.