RED CROSS CONFIRMS CHURCHES IN BANJA LUKA BLOWN UP

SARAJEVO, May 8 (Hina) - The International Red Cross spokeswoman in Sarajevo, Nina Winquist, today confirmed reports on three Catholic churches having been demolished in and around Serb-controlled city of Banja Luka, NW Bosnia, in past three days. Local Serb authorities kept threatening the remaining Croats, physical abuse often included, Winquist said. The situation should be regarded as apparent revenge of the Serbs who had fled from western Slavonia, she added. Besides the Franciscan monastery and church in Banja Luka suburb of Petricevac, local Serbs had pulled down the Catholic church in village of Sargovac, 5 km off Banja Luka, in the night between Saturday and Sunday, ICRC spokeswoman said. Another Catholic church, in the village of Vujinovici, was mined Friday night. ICRC had visited the Banja Luka Bishop Franjo Komarica again, Winquist said, also confirming that local Serb authorities had expelled remaining twelve nuns of the Nova Topola monastery. The nuns are in Zagreb now. (Hina) mm bk 081919 MET may 95