LUCIN DISMISSES CLAIM ON BIN LADEN'S FOLLOWERS OPERATING IN CROATIA

ZAGREB, Sept 26 (Hina) - Croatian Interior Minister Sime Lucin on Wednesday dismissed claims published in the "US News and World Report" political weekly and carried by the Croatian press today that an organised terrorist group linked to Osama bin Laden, suspected of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, is operating in Croatia. The claims are not true. There is no organised terrorist network in Croatia that could be linked to Islamic terrorism or bin Laden, Lucin said at today's round table on crime and the media in Zagreb. The Croatian press today carried a report by the US political weekly saying the most wanted world terrorist bin Laden had established a network of his terrorist organisation al-Qa'ida in 88 countries, including Croatia, with terrorist groups operating independently in individual countries. The US paper supports its claims with data by the Congress and State Department investigative services and the monthly "Jane's Intelligence Revue". According to the data, bin Laden's followers are also active in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. Bin Laden's followers in western Europe are present in Great Britain, Sweden, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Branch organisations have also been established on the territory of the former Soviet Union and in the Middle Asia and countries bordering with Afghanistan. (hina) rml