EXPLOSIONS DON'T AFFECT COOPERATION BETWEEN SERB POLICE AND IPTF

VITEZ, July 17 (Hina) - At 22.40 hours on Wednesday three explosive devices went off at the SFOR base in Banja Luka causing meterial damage but not serious consequences, SFOR South-West Sector spokesman Michael Wright said in the central Bosnian town of Vitez on Thursday. Immediately after the explosion four civilian persons were detained by SFOR and then handed over to local civilian police that have been investigating the incident along with the international police (IPTF), since Thursday morning. Although several blasts have been recorded in the Serb entity's parts under control of British SFOR troops in recent days, IPTF spokesman Allun Roberts told the Vitez news conference that he did not want to speculate about their intentions or perpetrators. According to our knowledge, although the probe had not yet been finished, these explosions had neither planned scheme nor natural connection which implies that they were not organised incidents, Roberts added. He said that blasts did not influence cooperation between the international and Bosnian Serb police, and policemen of both parties had organised the joint night patrol in Prijedor as a sign of good will. Roberts added that international policemen had not participated in a recent "Tango" operation conducted in Prijedor when one Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect was apprehended and another killed by British SFOR troops. (hina) mš 171815 MET jul 97