BOSNIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY EXPLAINS INTERPOL REQUEST

SARAJEVO, Sept 20 (Hina) - The Interpol branch office in Bosnia- Herzegovina has received a demand from the U.S Interpol office, within their regular communication, to check the names of 19 citizens of Islamic countries believed to have committed terrorist attacks in the United States, the Bosnian foreign ministry stated.#L# According to the statement, forwarded to Hina via Bosnia's embassy in Zagreb on Thursday, this request has not been sent only to Bosnia but also to all Interpol member-countries within a broader international operation. Competent Bosnian institutions began check-ups immediately upon receiving the request, and found no trace which might indicate the suspects' connections in Bosnia, read the statement. It added that some media reported about this request in a manner suggesting the U.S. demand had been forwarded solely to Sarajevo and that the suspects were Bosnian citizens. Prime suspect Osama bin Laden does not carry a Bosnian passport nor has terrorist training camps on Bosnian territory, the ministry stated. People in any way linked with international crime and found on Bosnia's territory were earlier arrested and handed over to countries where investigations against them had already been launched. According to the statement, measures have been taken to prevent abuse in granting Bosnian citizenship. An inspection of naturalised Bosnians who obtained Bosnian citizenship between 1992 and 1995 has shown 11,000 foreigners were given Bosnian passports. Most were former citizens of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Croatia. Of 11,000, only 420 persons were of Arab or Turkish descent. Seventy (70) persons from Islamic countries, who fought in the Bosnian army units, were granted Bosnian citizenship, the statement read. (hina) sb ms