AL-QUAIDA MEMBERS HEADED FOR BOSNIA?

SARAJEVO, Nov 24 (Hina) - Bosnia's state border service (DGS) has information that some members of the Al-Quaida terrorist organisation are headed towards Central Europe and western countries and will probably try to enter Bosnian territory. DGS director Tomislav Mihalj was quoted in Sarajevo's Dnevni Avaz daily of Saturday as saying this estimate was the result of intelligence data and operative information. "We have information they are moving from Afghanistan via Bulgaria and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia towards Bosnia and Herzegovina," Mihalj said, adding special orders had been given to all border police units. The DGS has also established contacts with the interior ministries of Bosnia's two entities, the Croat-Muslim federation and the Serb republic, which still control some 25 percent of the state border. Mihalj said the arrival of Osama Bin Laden's followers in Bosnia could be expected very soon. He confirmed information was being exchanged with the police forces in Croatia and Yugoslavia via a previously set up ministerial forum. In October, Muhamed Besic, a former federal interior minister, said around 70 Al-Quaida members were preparing to arrive in Bosnia, deeming it a safe haven. He was subsequently subjected to harsh criticism, especially by the Party for BH, which had nominated him for the ministerial post. Although he never refuted his claim, Besic was forced to resign. (hina) ha