From Deseret News archives:
Talovic family keeps to itself after moving back to Bosnia
Bosnia-Herzegovina Talking to the Talovic family is almost "Mission: Impossible." Neighbors claim the family doesn't talk to anybody. Sabira Talovic, mother of Sulejman Talovic, doesn't leave the home. The same is true for the daughters, Medina, Fatima and Sanela.
When we arrived at the house, Sabira opened the door and said she does not want to talk to the media at all. A few moments later, her husband, Suljo Talovic, did speak with us.
"We did not run away from the U.S.A.," he said. "Nobody said to us that we have to go. Nobody pushed us out of Salt Lake City, and nobody threatened us or treated us badly.
"On the contrary, local people comforted us after the tragedy, they gave us consolation. We came back to Bosnia simply because this is the best place for us at the moment, for me, for my sick wife and for our children,"
"The tragedy" refers to the Feb. 12, 2007, shootings at Salt Lake City's Trolley Square mall in which Talovic's 18-year-old son, Sulejman, randomly shot nine people five fatally before he was killed by police.
Dubnica is a small village about 93 miles from the capital, Sarajevo. It is near the former Eagle Base, used by the U.S. Army during its peacekeeping operations in Bosnia. Many refugees from the eastern part of Bosnia have made new lives here.
The Talovics bought land with a ruined house, destroyed during the fighting of the 1990s. They are building a new home.
Suljo Talovic said he became a heavy smoker in the past year, since the Trolley Square shooting, smoking 30 or 40 cigarettes a day. He doesn't speak a lot. All he wants, he said, is to finally settle down and continue with his wife.
"This is not our final decision," he added. "We are still thinking about life in the United States. Someday, maybe, we will go back to the U.S.A. We will see.
"But my wife is very sick. She suffered a heart attack after our son committed the massacre, and I hope this will be a good place for her to get well."
He said that nobody in Salt Lake City judged the family because of what Sulejman did.
"Lots of people called us, and they offered help. We met with the mother of one of the victims. She called us and asked to see us, to talk to us. It was human conversation.
Recent comments
Fatima, His sister was my friend, ever since the third grade, we knew...
John Ngo | Oct. 8, 2009 at 2:23 p.m.
the talovici are my family and i grow up with sulejman i know him...
saldina | March 31, 2008 at 9:10 p.m.
that this whole story went away. Let them live their lives in peace...
It's time.. | March 19, 2008 at 4:10 p.m.
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