KILLING OF TWO CROATS AIMED AT PROJECT OF RETURN - SOLJIC

MOSTAR, Sept 1 (Hina) - The killing of two Croat refugees who returned to their village near Travnik is the most serious in a series of moves against a pilot project for the return of displaced Croats to central Bosnia and the entire Croat-Moslem Federation, Federation President Vladimir Soljic said in Mostar on Monday. Luka and Pero Jezercic, father and son, were shot dead by unknown persons on Saturday night as they were having supper in their home in the village of Nula near Turbe in the Moslem- controlled Travnik municipality. Soljic said he expected the international community to energetically condemn the crime, to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to justice and to prevent similar incidents from happening. Any call by Moslem authorities to Croat refugees to return to their homes is followed by the blowing up of houses, organisation of "spontaneous" rallies, blackmails and even killings, as was the case in the Travnik area, Soljic warned. He said that the investigation would show whether that was "a response by groups that are out of control or it is a matter of a double game." Soljic said he hoped that "domestic and foreign media will not disregard or marginalise that crime as it is usually the case with crimes against Croats." "I think that it really was the last straw and that we can expect reactions from all international factors." An urgent investigation was requested by the government of the Central Bosnian canton which held an emergency session in Travnik on Monday. A statement issued from the session said that the cantonal government condemned the crime, describing it as "the latest in a series of terrorist acts committed on the territory of the Central Bosnia canton." The killing of Luka Jezercic and his son Pero caused great concern and fear among the Croats who had returned to Travnik, the statement said. (hina) vm jn 011621 MET sep 97