MUSLIM YOUTHS ATTACK ORTHODOX PRIEST IN SERBIA'S SANDZAK
BBC Monitoring International Reports - January 29, 2005

 
Text of report by Bosnian Serb news agency SRNA

Belgrade, 29 January: Yesterday afternoon in Prijepolje a group of Muslim youths ambushed and beat up Orthodox priest Jovo Andan, swearing at him and insulting him with the worst kind of obscenities based on nationality and religion, the Serbian Orthodox Church's (SPS) information service has reported.

According to Mileseva bishop Filaret, eyewitnesses recognized among the attackers the son of Bahrija Begonev *, one of the richest men in Prijepolje, while shortly before this incident unknown attackers had stoned the Bishop's palace (Vladicanski Dvor) in Prijepolje.

Bishop Filaret said that the Serb people in the entire Raska region (Sandzak) were visibly upset and were gathering around Orthodox temples.

This is the latest in a series of increasingly commonplace attacks on Serbs and the SPC in Raska.
 

Source: SRNA news agency, Bijeljina, in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian 0912 gmt 29 Jan 05

Copyright 2005 Financial Times Information
All rights reserved
Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
Copyright 2005 BBC Monitoring/BBC

Posted for Fair Use only.

* BBC had withheld Bahrija Begonev's name.