Bosnian woman pleads guilty to role in effort to aid terror groups

St Louis: A Bosnian immigrant has pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge for her role in an effort to support terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria.

Jasminka Ramic entered the plea yesterday to one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists in US District Court in St Louis. Her sentencing is set for Jan 5.

Ramic was among six Bosnian immigrants indicted in February and accused of funneling money and military supplies to the Islamic State group and al Qaeda in Iraq. She was accused of contributing USD 700 to the effort.

Ramic, who became a US citizen in 2006, formerly lived in Rockford, Illinois, but moved to Germany, where she was arrested.

Her attorney, J Christian Goeke, did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

The other five suspects have pleaded not guilty. Three of them, husband and wife Ramiz and Sedina Hodzic, and Armin Harcevic, live in St Louis County. Also accused are Mediha Medy Salkicevic of Schiller Park, Illinois, and Nihad Rosic of Utica, New York.

Federal authorities say Ramiz Hodzic used Facebook, PayPal, Western Union and the US Postal Service to coordinate shipments of money and supplies through an overseas intermediary. He and his wife are accused of making 10 wire transfers totaling USD 8,850, and arranging two shipments of military supplies valued at USD 2,451.

Sedina Hodzic is accused of aiding one of those transfers and shipping six boxes of military supplies.

The indictment alleges the Hodzics were helped by Abdullah Ramo Pazara, a Bosnian immigrant who left St Louis in May 2013 to fight in Syria. Authorities have said Pazara died in Syria.