Man linked to terrorist activity arrested in Plainfield
A Bosnian national indicted on charges of funneling resources to terrorists overseas was arrested earlier this month in Plainfield, officials confirmed Friday, but it was unclear why the man was in Indiana.
U.S. marshals booked Nihad Rosic, 26, in the Marion County Jail on Feb. 6, jail records show, though his connections to the state appear to be minimal.
A federal indictment alleges that Rosic and five others communicated on social media with coded language to organize financial support and send equipment to terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq.
Jan Diltz, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, where the indictment was handed up, said she doesn't know why Rosic was in Indiana.
Diltz said the Utica, N.Y., resident worked as a truck driver.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Indianapolis referred questions on the arrest to Diltz.
Court documents show that Rosic was released into the custody of federal officials in St. Louis on Feb. 11. He will appear in court there in coming weeks.
Also named in the indictment are Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, 40, his wife, Sedina Unkic Hodzic, 35, and Armin Harcevic, 37, all of St. Louis County, Mo., along with Mediha Medy Salkicevic, 34, of Schiller Park, Ill., and Jasminka Ramic, 42, of Rockford, Ill.
The indictment alleges the defendants provided terrorist organizations with thousands of dollars, along with firearms accessories, camouflage clothing, optics and surplus military equipment.
The indictment says most of the equipment was bought in stores in Missouri.
Rosic, along with his co-defendants, is accused of sending the money and equipment to Abdullah Ramo Pazara, a man overseas who acted as a point of contact. The group communicated with Pazara and rallied support through Facebook, using code words and code names, the indictment alleges.
The U.S. Justice Department believes Pazara is dead, USA Today reported.
Star researcher Cathy Knapp contributed to this report. Call Star reporter Madeline Buckley at (317) 444-6083. Follow her on Twitter: @Mabuckley88.