Macedonia ISIS Suspects Ready for Plea Bargain

The Skopje criminal Court has directed six terror suspects who have indicated willingness to plead guilty to charges to settle their sentences with the prosecution.

The court said it would then hold an additional session to determine whether to accept or discard the charges by the prosecution, which may or may not result in trial.

While some of the defence lawyers have dismissed the prosecution charges, the prosecution insists it has all necessary evidence against the group of 11 men.

The men were arrested last August 6 when police carried out a large-scale operation in several towns, including Skopje, aimed at detaining suspected Islamist radicals.

The bust resulted in charges against 11 people in a case codenamed "Cell". They were accused of "participation in foreign armed forces, police, paramilitary or para-police formations". By law they face up to five years in jail if found guilty.

Most of the suspects are charged with taking part in fighting in Syria and Iraq. A self-proclaimed imam, Rexhep Memishi, from Skopje, who is in conflict with the country's  official Islamic Religious Community, IVZ, is the suspected mastermind.

The prosecution charges him with organizing and preparing people to go to the Syrian frontline "by indoctrinating them through religious and nationalistic speeches".

According to media reports, several hundred people from Macedonia at least are fighting in conflict zones in the Middle East.

The Interior Ministry says it believes that at least 20 people, all ethnic Albanians, have been killed so far in the fighting there.

Roughly a quarter of the Macedonian population are ethnic Albanians who are predominantly Muslim.