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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
A Bosnian national who naturalized to America under a false identity was cleared of torture charges related to the Bosnian conflict in the 1990s, but now faces a second federal trial for passport fraud.
Sead Miljković, 51, has lived in Chattanooga for years and was charged with three counts of torture for abuse of two Bosnian prisoners when he served as a member of the OBL police force for the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia.
Supposedly, Miljković inflicted severe and sustained beatings on the prisoners, using various tools like a metal pipe and rifle butt, and conducted other inhumane treatments like withholding water while forcing the prisoners to perform manual labor.
Miljkovic’s defense argued the actions did not meet the criteria for torture and has maintained that the U.S. government does not have jurisdiction over the case and that the statute of limitations has expired.
Many of the prosecution’s witnesses required a translator throughout the trial, as Bosnian is their primary language, and the defense noted how the victims’ stories seemed to change over time, which they suggested meant the victims may have been encouraged to fabricate or exaggerate their testimonies.
The jury deliberated for approximately two hours before returning a not guilty verdict for the torture charges.
But the three counts of passport fraud still stand as court documents show that in 2007 Miljković naturalized as a U.S. citizen under the false identity of Sead ‘Dukic’ after two failed attempts at entering the county using his birth name.
These separate charges warrant a second federal trial which is scheduled to begin sometime in July.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
