The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, on Monday removed Munir Alibabic from his position as director of the Federation Intelligence Service (FOSS). This Decision is part of the process of introducing standards of accountability and professionalism that are expected of intelligence services in other European democracies.
Mr Alibabic has served his country well in working closely with other international counter-terrorist agencies and with the ICTY, and in the fight against organized crime and corruption. However, FOSS documents and information have found their way into the public domain and have been used for party political purposes, on all sides. This has undermined the integrity, reputation and professionalism of the Service, and therefore its ability to perform its duties.
Mr Alibabic, as the head of the Service, must take ultimate responsibility for this.
The High Representative’s Decision is the first step in raising standards in the Service. It is not the prelude to a complete change of the senior ranks of FOSS, as some political parties would like. On the contrary, the intelligence services must be depoliticised.
“I will act to prevent any attempt to clear out FOSS, any attempt by any political party to try to take control of this agency, and any attempt to divert FOSS from its core tasks of fighting terrorism, organized crime and corruption, and bringing war criminals to justice,” The High Representative said. “BiH needs a modern, accountable intelligence service that acts in the interests of the state and the citizen. It has suffered for too long from intelligence agencies that have been abused for political and ethnic goals.”