21 POLICE OFFICERS SUSPECTED OF KILLING THE PRIEST

SARAJEVO, May 23 (Hina)- The Republika Srpska Interior Ministry will arrest 21 police officers from Prijedor suspected of killing a catholic priest, Tomislav Matanovic, together with his parents in September 1995, the "Nezavisne novine" daily from Banja Luka said on Thursday. Citing unnamed police sources, the daily said that after an extensive investigation, police found that along with five suspects arrested earlier for the brutal murder of the priest and his parents there were more suspects involved in the crime. One of the suspects is the head of the crime police in Prijedor, Mladen Munjiza, as well as several other inspectors. The investigation by the Internal Ministry of the Serbian entity suspects police officers from Prijedor of committing more crimes besides killing the priest. They are accused of destroying and burglarising the parish office in Prijedor. The parish office in this town was destroyed and burned in the night of 24th and 25th of August 1995, and all the humanitarian aid placed there was stolen. Matanovic and his parents were escorted by police in an unknown direction and were believed to be missing for a number of years. After pressures by the international community and the Bosnian House for Human Rights the Serbian entity opened an investigation into the crime. The bodies of the priest and his parents were found last year in a well near Prijedor. The pathology exam showed that all three had been killed by gun shots at close range. (hina) th lml