A schiller Park woman, mother of four was accused of sending money and supplies to terrorists is facing 30 years in prison. In spite of this, as she walked into the Chicago Federal Court on Monday, Mediha Medy Salkicevic was smiling. She was wearing an orange jail uniform and a black veil wrapped around her face.
Salkicevic is a 34-year old Bosnian immigrant who apparently had no regrets or remorse for the deeds she is being accused of. Throughout the trial she kept looking towards her family and supporters, smiling and blowing kisses. At one point she even encouraged them to keep their chins up. She even pumped her fist up in the air screaming “Stay strong” all of a sudden.
Along with 5 others, Salkicevic is accused of sending supplies and money to terrorist organisations like ISIS and Al-Qaida. The suspects also reportedly sent tactical gear and clothing, range finders, rifle scopes and U.S. military costumes to terrorists.
Moreover, it appears that since 2013, Salkicevic has made several money transfers through Paypal and Western Union in the amounts of $1,500, $1,200 and $1,062 to the others involved in the same terrorist supporting deeds. She also sent money to other family members of terrorist fighters.
The woman was arrested last Friday afternoon during a traffic stop. She was supposedly on her way to renew the passports of two of her children prior to a programmed trip to Bosnia this spring. Salkicevic was immediately transported to the FBI Headquarters where she spoke to agents during a two-hour videotaped interview.
“We don’t think she needs to be in detention. Innocent until proven guilty means just that. An indictment is what the government thinks happened, sometimes they’re right and sometimes they’re wrong,”
Andrea Gambino, Mediha Medy Salkicevic’s attorney said .
According to the charges made on Monday, the conspiracy in which Salkicevic is active since May 2013, with Salkicevic, through emails, telephone calls and social media websites like Facebook, communicated with others using code words such as “brothers,” “lions” and “Bosnian brothers.”
The woman was working for Alliance Ground International, a cargo company that’s involved in dealing with items coming in and out of O’Hare International Airport, for $12 per hour. Her family is in Bosnia and she is currently building a house in her own home country. That’s why her lawyers claimed she was not dangerous at all. On the other hand, a prosecutor told the judge at the hearing Monday that Salkicevic is a danger to the community and is a flight risk.
The judge said he’ll decide during a hearing Tuesday whether the woman can travel on her own or not.
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