The police in the Republic of Macedonia held recently a major antiterrorist operation in a few towns and seized nine people on suspicion of connections with the radical organization Islamic State. Most of the detained are recently back from Syria and further thirty individuals are sought, while twenty are known to continue fighting against the Syrian regime.

Recently, in a similar operation, there were victims from the ranks of the Macedonian police and the frequency of operations taking place in Bulgaria’s western neighbour, have caused fears among Bulgarians – not only because, though not that big and decisive, anti-radical Islam operations are held in Bulgaria as well. Both in Macedonia and Bulgaria the target of police actions are persons whom official leaderships of the Muslims denounce. In practice though, these individuals follow instructions of imams and mosques of traditional Islam.

Now the authorities in Skopje have suspicions that the Skopje Mosque of Tutunsuz and some private homes were used to carry out even military training. All arrested in the action in Skopje are Macedonian nationals and given the visa-free regime of travel between the two countries their entry into Bulgaria would have no formal impediment. What is impressive is that the actions of the Macedonian authorities are much more energetic that those of Bulgarian authorities. It is probably due to that there is proven presence of jihadists in our western neighbour who have fought in Syria, but also because in Macedonia such actions are incriminated by the law and are punishable with sanctions and imprisonment.

Indeed, jihadists who have taken part in military actions of the Islamic State have not been found in Bulgaria so far, but recently an adherent of that terrorist organization was detained who has been part of an international hacker group. Maybe disclosing militants in Bulgarian territory is just a matter of time. Most probably this was what Krassimir Karakachanov, co-chairman of the parliamentary Patriotic Front and VMRO leader, had in mind when he said that developments in Macedonia spelled a threat for Bulgaria. Islamic State might have already penetrated its territory, and the terrorist attack at Burgas Airport a few years back showed clearly that Bulgaria is easy game for terrorist attacks.

English Daniela Konstantinova