Copyright Richmond Newspapers, Incorporated Apr 14, 2004

The sign on the gym window says "Justice Karate - American Style."

Don't let that fool you.

The martial arts may be "American style," but the young athletes jumping and kicking and steaming up the windows inside are more global than national in nature.

Take cousins Suad and Amir Bektic, for example.

The 16-year-old, Douglas Freeman High sophomores were born in Bosnia and fled to Germany before migrating to western Henrico County in April 1999.

"We practically moved in next door . . . and decided to join," Suad said of the karate club. "Self defense is very big in Bosnia. . . . There is a much better chance of getting into a fight there."

Only an unknowing bully would single out the mid-sized Suad Bektic to pick on.

Two years ago, Suad used his blurring combination of quick hands and feet to capture the gold medal for his age class at the USAKA Nationals, held in Tidewater.

Having quickly attained black-belt status, Suad and his equally rugged cousin, Amir, are two tough customers.

"We've been in a lot of tournaments," Amir said, "and we're pretty much undefeated, except when we face each other."

Club owner Sam Justice, a seventh-degree black belt, shakes his head in awe when discussing the Bosnians.

"Oh my gosh, they're so fast . . . such tremendous athletes," he said. "They learned from scratch here, but they picked it up quick . . . in less than two years they had their black belts.

"But I'm telling you, they were here every day. When I came to unlock the doors, Suad and Amir were waiting."

Justice Karate - American Style is located at Quioccasin Station, just west of Regency Mall. The shopping center has become a melting pot of people, from all over the world.

For starters, there are Italian, Mexican and Chinese restaurants. And many of the employees at Food Lion do not speak English as their first language.

The karate gym underscores the international image.

"I'd guess at least half our members are from other countries," said Justice, who has been teaching his craft locally since 1969.

Justice is proud of the world-wide appeal given his establishment. To prove it, he has a flag placed in the gym representing each of the student's homelands.

Egypt, Ireland, South Korea, France, Russia, The Ukraine, Pakistan, Canada, Spain and Portugal, just to name a few.

And, of course, Bosnia - an unstable eastern European nation where so many have died in civil-war fighting.

Suad Bektic was asked if any of his family had been killed.

"Plenty," he said, emphatically.

Amir Bektic nodded his head in agreement.

"Same with me," he added.

Suad Bektic is the son of Suljo and Sabaheta Bektic. Amir is the son of Vahid and Sadeta Bektic.

Their fathers are brothers . . . and their mothers are sisters.

Both fathers work in the stock room of a West End Wal-Mart.

Suad and Amir played on Freeman's junior varsity volleyball team this past fall. They hope to try out for the varsity next school year.

Times have changed in the karate business.

"When I started, all my students were adults," Justice recalled. "Now, it's mostly children . . . and children from all over the world.

"It's really interesting to hear them all talk . . . and I think it's a good thing . . . them getting exposed to people of different cultures."

Justice is about the roughest, toughest guy around town, yet he comes across as the doting grandfather, with a house brimming with the "world's" children.

In a recent interview, Justice juggled a reporter's questions while baby-sitting for a pair of Egyptian children, whose parents worked next door.

To pass the time before classes, Justice and his longtime aid - black belt Kevin Deckert - strum their guitars in a makeshift music studio.

"We play a little of everything .*.*. country, folk, rock," Justice said with a gentle smile.

Considering his clientele, he might want to add a little Bosnian rhythm to his growing repertoire.