BOSNIA: GENERAL REPLACED FOR SUPPORTING "ALGERIAN GROUP"

SARAJEVO, Feb 21 (Hina) - Brigadier General Sulejman Vranj, who held a senior position at the Defence Ministry of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, has been replaced and suspended due to suspicion of having supported the so-called "Algerian group". Federation Defence Minister Mijo Anic said in Sarajevo on Thursday he had been informed of the decision by the chief commander of the Stabilisation Force (SFOR), General John Sylvester. The chief SFOR commander, in line with the Dayton peace agreement and instructions on the implementation of its military segment, can suspend any entity officer holding the rank of general if his acts can be interpreted as a threat to the implementation of the Dayton agreement, the peace process, and security. SFOR spokesman Daryl Morell confirmed that General Vranj had been suspended, but would not say what exactly he was suspected of. Anic read out parts of the letter by Gen. Sylvester saying Vranj had been suspended due to suspicion that he participated in recent demonstrations in Sarajevo. Anic presumes the demonstrations in question were rallies staged against the hand-over of the so-called "Algerian group". A month ago the Bosnian authorities handed over to the United States eight Algerians suspected of connections with Islamic terrorists. Several hundred Islamic radicals protested in front of the central city prison at the time of the hand-over, attacking the police and trying to prevent the extradition. (hina) sb rml