EXPLOSIVE DEVICE GOES OFF OUTSIDE FRANCISCAN CHURCH IN ILOK

ZAGREB/ILOK, Jan 7 (Hina) - An explosive device planted by Serb extremists went off outside the front door of the Franciscan church of St Ivan Kapistran in the eastern Croatian town of Ilok at 4.00 hours on Monday. Zeljko Zavisic of the transitional police force investigating the case said that the blast caused damage at the bottom of the walled-up entrance to the church. The explosion made a crater 80 cm wide and 20 cm deep. The origin of the explosive has not been determined yet. The front door of the Franciscan church, as well as its stained glass windows and tower, was damaged three times during Serbian aggression - on 19 and 24 April and 8 July 1993. Since then the entrance has been walled up. On Christmas Eve last year, Serb extremists physically attacked about 200 Croats, including 40 displaced persons, attending mass in the Franciscan church. (hina) vm 071109 MET jan 97