BH FEDERATION POLICE INVESTIGATE MOSTAR RIOTS

SARAJEVO, April 25 (Hina) - The interior ministry of Bosnia's Croat-Muslim entity (Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina) has been investigating a number of persons suspected of initiating and attempting to implement a project of Croat self-rule in Bosnia, Federation Deputy Interior Minister Tomislav Limov said. In an interview published in Wednesday's issue of Sarajevo's "Dnevni avaz" daily, Limov explained the investigations were directed exclusively against criminal activities and not political work. "Nobody will be held accountable just because he is a politician but because he is involved in crime," Limov said. The investigations were stepped up after incidents which occurred in Mostar on April 6, when international representatives in charge of supervising transactions of Hercegovacka Banka were attacked, Limov said. He added that some 300 persons suspected of having planned and organised violence on the streets of Mostar would be interviewed. Limov confirmed that Justice Minister Zvonko Mijan and the head of the UN Mission to the country, Jacques Klein, had requested competent prosecution bodies to authorise the Interior Ministry to investigate the events in Mostar, and that the police would request that proceedings be initiated as soon as they were authorised. Asked to comment on claims that some members of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) are preparing to move to Croatia to avoid criminal prosecution in Bosnia- Herzegovina, Limov said: "Ultimately, we will seek their hand-over through the Interpol. I believe that Jelavic has packed up already and that he is in Croatia." At the of the interview, Limov repeated that those who were not involved in crime had no reason for fear. "I guarantee that no one will be held accountable just because he is a Croat, but criminals, whether they are Croats, Serbs or Bosniaks, will be prosecuted," he said. (hina) rml,