His father Nedžib Šaćirbegović (1926–2021) was a member of the organisation "Young Muslims" (Mladi Muslimani)[1] and a close friend of Alija Izetbegović, the first and only president of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Izetbegović and Sacirbey's father were imprisoned for opposing the communist government of SFR Yugoslavia following World War II.
In 1963, the family left SFY Yugoslavia due to his father's and mother's anti-communist politics (both had spent time in prison for their activities) and lived for a while in Turkey and Libya before settling in the United States in 1967.
When the Bosnian War began in April 1992, Sacirbey was asked to assist the fledgling state gain admission to the United Nations.
Sacirbey was the eloquent public face of Bosnia on American television, a handsome, fit man who, as a student in the United States had been a starting football player at Tulane University.
During the talks, Sacirbey actually delivered his resignation as foreign minister to protest what he perceived as accommodation of Serbia's strongman Slobodan Milošević and legitimization of ethnic cleansing.
Subsequently, Sacirbey alleged that a "yellow light" had been given to Milošević by US and European representatives to overrun the UN and NATO protected "safe areas" of Srebrenica, Žepa and Goražde.
In 2001, the Bosnian government began to investigate Sacirbey on suspicion "of abuse of office" for purportedly expending funds for purposes not authorized including Bosnia's "genocide case" against Serbia/Montenegro before the International Court of Justice.
Sacirbey denied allegations of any improper use of funds and said the entire affair was fabricated by political opponents in Bosnia and the United States.
[5] Sacirbey from the outset contended that the U.S. Government was dictating the extradition request upon obedient Bosnian authorities, including misrepresenting the status of any "investigation" in Bosnia or alleged abuse of office.
Finally, the Court concluded that the US Government had no obligation to extradite Sacirbey, should not have pursued the matter in the first place and on the basis of evidence/case presented not to repeat the mistake.