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January 14, 2004

Afghani Arrests Highlight Porosity of Balkan Borders

The arrest of five Afghani Islamist fighters attempting to cross border from Bulgaria into Serbia on the night of January 8-9, 2004, highlighted the continuing porosity of the borders of the Balkan region even as attempts are made to contain terrorism. GIS sources said that a growing number of local police officials were being caught up in the extensive corruption which accompanies the narcotics-weapons-fighters pipeline which has been linking Turkey and Albanian elements of the terrorist/narcotrafficking pipeline which extends from Afghanistan into Europe.