SARAJEVO, Oct 24 (Hina) - Political tensions in the central Bosnian region of Zepce are growing as police from Zenica resume attempts to apprehend Bosnian Croats the Zenica-Doboj prosecutor's office suspects of war crimes. The
Interior Ministry in Zenica described the situation on Wednesday as calm. A press release confirmed an attempt was made to arrest Niko Jozinovic, one of 15 local Croats held responsible for the setting up of detention camps and the harassment and killing of Muslims during the 1990s war. Similar attempted arrests, failed as the suspects were not found at home, elicited protests among Croats from Zepce, who barricaded the local police station for several hours. A committee protecting Croat rights has announced a big protest rally for Friday, to pool representatives of political parties, executive authority officials, and members of war associations. The aim will be to point to the
SARAJEVO, Oct 24 (Hina) - Political tensions in the central Bosnian
region of Zepce are growing as police from Zenica resume attempts to
apprehend Bosnian Croats the Zenica-Doboj prosecutor's office
suspects of war crimes.
The Interior Ministry in Zenica described the situation on
Wednesday as calm.
A press release confirmed an attempt was made to arrest Niko
Jozinovic, one of 15 local Croats held responsible for the setting
up of detention camps and the harassment and killing of Muslims
during the 1990s war.
Similar attempted arrests, failed as the suspects were not found at
home, elicited protests among Croats from Zepce, who barricaded the
local police station for several hours. A committee protecting
Croat rights has announced a big protest rally for Friday, to pool
representatives of political parties, executive authority
officials, and members of war associations. The aim will be to point
to the endangered rights of local Croats.
The Catholic Press Agency (KTA) has said that local priests have
forwarded a letter to the international community's High
Representatives in Bosnia warning that a trial could have serious
political repercussions.
The priests deem it impermissible that Muslims should prosecute
Croats over alleged war crimes as this will bring into question the
arduously established interethnic confidence.
The New Croat Initiative party previously urged High
Representative Wolfgang Petritsch to entrust an impartial court
with investigating the "Zepce Case", but the request was turned
down.
(hina) ha