ANDAN: VALID REASON TO RAISE SECURITY IN SRPSKA TO HIGHER LEVEL

BANJA LUKA, OCTOBER 28 /SRNA/ - Western countries' diplomatic missions should be placed under increased surveillance following the terrorist attack on the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade, and security in Republika Srpska should be raised to a higher level, former Republika Srpska Police Director Dragomir Andan said in a statement to SRNA.

Andan said last night's attack on the Israeli Embassy in Serbia is linked to Mevlid Jašarević's terrorist attack on the US Embassy in BiH 15 years ago.

"It is the same religious indoctrination. As far as BiH is concerned, however, the security forces in the FBiH have still not brought such individuals under control. We used to know of four or five places in the FBiH where such people live," Andan said.

He said these are people from Eastern countries who fought for the so-called Army of BiH in the last war and later received BiH citizenship.

"Do the security services in BiH have insight into and full control over these individuals? I don't think they do," Andan stressed.

According to him, Republika Srpska must be very cautious.

Andan said he has no doubt that the Republika Srpska Interior Ministry has already made an adequate assessment and will place Western countries' missions under special protection.

"All missions should be placed under increased surveillance, because this is proof that all these groups are not under control in BiH. We know that the attack on the Twin Towers in the US in 2001 started from the FBiH and that those who carried it out had BiH passports," Andan said.

Last night, a minor, believed to be from Šabac, attacked a Gendarmerie officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade with two knives, shouting "Allahu Akbar".

The officer killed the attacker in self-defense and sustained minor injuries. A red level terrorism threat alert has been declared.