MOSTAR PAPER ACCUSES MUSLIM RELIGIOUS DIGNITARY OF ANTI-SEMITIC, ANTI-CHRISTIAN MESSAGES

MOSTAR, Feb 15 (Hina) - The head of the Muslim religious community in Herzegovina, Seid Smajkic, made anti-Semitic and anti-Christian statements in a speech at a religious ceremony held on the occasion of Bairam, the Mostar-based "Hercegovacke novine" of Sunday reported.#L# In his speech, the transcript of which is carried by the paper, Smajkic accused Jews of the situation in Jerusalem, stressing that Jerusalem would be peaceful only once it had come under the rule of Muslims. He also urged a similar solution to the issue of organisation of Mostar, saying that Mostar under the Muslim rule would be a city fitting the needs of all citizens. The religious dignitary opposed the construction of Catholic religious buildings in Mostar and accused the Catholic Church and Caritas of having worked in collusion with the international community during the war to remove Muslims from Mostar. (Hina) rml