CRO EMBASSY CAR ATTACKED IN CENTRAL BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Sept 4 (Hina) - A vehicle carrying Croatian Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH) Darinko Bago was attacked on Tuesday during an election rally of the Croatian Democratic Union of BH in Muslim- controlled Bugojno (central Bosnia). The Croatian Embassy car was stopped in the centre of Bugojno by a group of 30 civilians riding in two cars and a minibus without license plates. The group were waving flags and other symbols of the leading Bosnian-Muslim Party of Democratic Action (SDA). Despite the fact that the Croatian car was marked properly, in accordance with diplomatic practice and regulations on the registration of diplomatic vehicles in BH, the attackers ripped off and destroyed the official flag of the Republic of Croatia, shouting "Alahu ekber". All this happened before many Bosniak-Muslim policemen who did not react until help was directly requested. They approached the attackers and returned the destroyed flag. After the incident had been reported to the NATO-led Peace Implementation Force, soldiers of the Pakistani battalion increased security at the election rally and afterwards ensured that participants left Bugojno safely. (hina) ha jn 041737 MET sep 96