Ramiz Delalić (15 February 196327 June 2007), widely known by his nickname Ćelo (The word means "baldy" - a common nickname in

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...

for criminals, because their heads were shaven during their time spent in prison), was a Bosnian

gangster A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...

and

warlord A warlord is a person who exercises military, economic, and political control over a region in a country without a strong national government; largely because of coercive control over the armed forces. Warlords have existed throughout much of h ...

, commander of the 9th Mountain Brigade in

. He was one of several prominent underworld figures engaged by the

Party of Democratic Action The Party of Democratic Action ( bs, Stranka demokratske akcije; abbr. SDA) is a Bosniak nationalist, conservative political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. History The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) was founded on 26 May 1990 in Sarajevo, ...

in preparations for the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Delalić gained notoriety as the main suspect who stood trial before a local court for the killing of Nikola Gardović on 1 March 1992.

Activities

Delalić, along with Mušan "Caco" Topalović were two of the criminals who helped to organize Bosniak paramilitaries in Sarajevo. In addition to guarding key positions on Mount

Trebević Trebević ( sr-cyrl, Требевић) is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, located to the southeast of Sarajevo, in the territory of East Sarajevo city, bordering Jahorina mountain. Trebević is tall, making it the second shortest ...

, their gangs "requisitioned" private vehicles; kidnapped men to dig trenches at the front; murdered, raped and robbed with impunity. Despite the stories surrounding him later during the war, namely his racketeering and extortion rings, his acts during the wartime were still considered far less controversial when compared to other local warlords, such as Jusuf "Juka" Prazina. Unlike Prazina and some other local gangsters, Delalić remained loyal and obedient to official Bosnian political and military authorities through the entire war-period, and it is even assumed that he was very close with Bosnian president

Alija Izetbegović Alija Izetbegović (; ; 8 August 1925 – 19 October 2003) was a Bosnian politician, lawyer, Islamic philosopher and author, who in 1992 became the first president of the Presidency of the newly independent Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovin ...

Sarajevo wedding attack

On 1 March 1992, a

Bosnian Serb The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sr-Cyrl, Срби у Босни и Херцеговини, Srbi u Bosni i Hercegovini) are one of the three constitutive nations (state-forming nations) of the country, predominantly residing in the politi ...

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

wedding procession in front of the Old Church in

's old quarter of

Baščaršija Baščaršija (Cyrillic: Башчаршија; ) is Sarajevo's old bazaar and the historical and cultural center of the city. Baščaršija was built in the 15th century when Isa-Beg Ishaković founded the city. Baščaršija is located on the n ...

was attacked, resulting in death of the father of the groom, Nikola Gardović, and the wounding of a

Serbian Orthodox The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous ( ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian churches. The majority of the population ...

priest. Delalić was identified by eyewitnesses as the shooter. However, Bosnian Muslim authorities made little effort to locate and prosecute him. On 8 December 2004, Delalić was charged with one count of

first degree murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the ...

in relation to the wedding attack. Delalić was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in Sarajevo before the completion of his trial.

Death

Delalić was gunned down at the entrance to his apartment building in the center of

, on 27 June 2007. The killer waited for Delalić and fired at him on two occasions, each time with multiple shots. Immediately after the shooting, an ambulance arrived, though doctors pronounced Delalić dead shortly after. Delalić was buried in the Kovači Cemetery, Sarajevo.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Delalic, Ramiz 1963 births 2007 deaths Bosniaks of Serbia People from Priboj Bosnia and Herzegovina gangsters Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina soldiers Bosnia and Herzegovina murder victims People murdered in Bosnia and Herzegovina Deaths by firearm in Bosnia and Herzegovina People acquitted of murder Serbian expatriates in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2007 crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2007 murders in Europe 2000s murders in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Activities

Sarajevo wedding attack

Death

See also

Notes

References