SECURITY MINISTRY TO CHECK CLAIMS BOSNIA UNDER ANTI-TERRORIST INVESTIGATION
BBC Monitoring International Reports - June 6, 2006 Tuesday

Excerpt from report by Mensud Zorlak entitled "We are going to prove that we are not terrorists" published by Bosnian Croat daily Dnevni list on 6 June

Sarajevo: In a massive anti-terrorist sweep on the night between Friday and Saturday [2-3 June], the Canadian police arrested 17 people on suspicion of plotting bomb attacks in Ontario. Following an announcement by the Canadian police that the arrests were linked to investigations in other countries, including Bosnia-Hercegovina, Security Minister Barisa Colak has undertaken substantive measures to check those claims.

In Colak's words, the issues relating to the fight against terrorism are always addressed in an organized and studious manner. The same attitude has been adopted towards local and international media reporting on the issue.

"The information of this kind is always checked. Of course, we pay special attention to information provided by foreign agencies or police, because in such cases one deals with concrete particulars. I can only say that, in this particular case, foreign media claims will be checked," Colak said. Let us recall that the Canadian police seized about 3 tons of explosive materials, which were planned to be used in attacks against targets in southern Ontario. Colak believes that B-H is frequently associated with terrorism because of the unresolved citizenship issue.

"I hope this issue will be successfully resolved by the end of the year. A review will be conducted in a lawful manner. I assure you that, this time, B-H will be able to conduct a review on its own and thus prove to both the local and international public that it is capable of solving its own problems," Colak said. The citizenship review has begun. The task has been given serious and meticulous attention and the first concrete results are expected this year.

Although Colak expects that the process will be finalized by the end of the year, he cannot claim with certainty that it will actually happen. This country is making every effort to prove to Europe that it is not a place where terrorists can find refuge and has therefore signed two agreements with the Republic of Slovakia - on readmission and on police cooperation in combating all forms of crime, including terrorism and organized crime.

Source: Dnevni list, Mostar, in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian 6 Jun 06 p 4

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Copyright 2006 BBC Monitoring/BBC Source: Financial Times Information Limited

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