VEHICLES STONED IN MOSTAR AS ACT OF RETRIBUTION

( Editorial: --> 4247 ) MOSTAR, Feb 24 (Hina) - Two persons were injured Monday night during a stoning of vehicles on Mostar's main street Bulevar . UN spokeswoman in Mostar, Kelly Moore, told a news conference on Tuesday that some of the vehicles had been parked, while some had been in motion. This stoning immediately followed an incident when an explosive device was thrown from a vehicle towards the "Mahala" coffee shop at 20.20 hours. There had been no casualties, but material damage had been caused, Moore said. She added that the stoning of the vehicles had been an act of retribution for the thrown explosive device. The Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Interior Ministry on Tuesday confirmed that sometime between 20.30 and 22.20 hours Monday night seven vehicles on Bulevar road had been stoned, adding that they had "Herzeg-Bosnian registration plates". Extensive material damage was caused on six vehicles. During the stoning, the assailants stopped a vehicle, demolished the car and abused the driver of the car. "Witnessing the incident were Bosniac members of the Herzegovina- Neretva Canton police, who did nothing to prevent this unfortunate incident," the Ministry said in a statement, adding that the stoning of the vehicles followed two explosions near the "Mahala" coffee shop at 20.20 hours that same evening. The "Mahala" coffee shop is owned by a person of Serb nationality. "The goal of repeated bombing and stoning of vehicles is to prevent peaceful life in this town, and to cause tension with the aim of worsening the security situation in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton," the Ministry said. Head of the Mostar-based office of the International High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Martin Garrod, said Tuesday he was concerned and disappointed with Monday night's incident on Bulevar. He called on police officials and politicians to punish the perpetrators and prevent such incidents in the future. (hina) lm 241341 MET feb 98