BOSNIAN SERBS ATTACK DOZEN CROATS IN NORTHERN BOSNIA

GRADACAC, April 26 (Hina) - A dozen Croat civilians were injured on Thursday during a visit to their homes in the village of Tramosnica near Gradacac, northern Bosnia, from which they had been expelled by Serbs four years ago, the Bosnian Croat HABENA news agency said on Friday. Upon arrival in the village, about 300 Croat refugees were stoned and beaten by a group of angry Serb civilians. Bosnian Serb and international police arrived at the scene about an hour and a half later. Father Valerije Stipcic, one of the organizers of the visit, said that Bosnian Serb police had given clearance for the visit and that the refugees should have been received by international police. The NATO-led peace Implementation Force (IFOR) had promised to supervise the visit from the air. Commenting on the incident caused by Serb extremists, U.S. Captain Jason Bagley said that IFOR could not safeguard the freedom of movement of large groups of civilians. Local authorities should understand that they were the ones who had to safeguard the freedom of movement of civilians in the area under their jurisdiction, Bagley said. Representatives of the International Police Task Force, based at Bijela near Brcko, would not comment on the incident, saying they did not have the authority. (hina) ha mm 261818 MET apr 96