Islamic group bombs police station in Bosnia

A police officer was killed and another seriously injured on Sunday when a bomb exploded behind the police station in the central Bosnian town of Bugojno, reported Radio Sarajevo.

Police arrested Haris Causevic, a member of a radical Islamic Wahhabi movement, who was caught fleeing the scene of the explosion. According to police sources, he admitted to detonating the bomb. While being pursued, Causevic reportedly threw a second bomb at a police patrol, which resulted in minor injuries to five additional police officers.

Four accomplices to the attack were arrested soon after the attack, with a fifth person arrested later in the day. Police recovered a large bag containing explosives, along with masks and gloves, at the scene.

The attack on the police station was reportedly timed to coincide with a meeting of police officers responsible for security during the 'Ajvatovica' religious celebrations. Ajvatovica Days' is the largest Islamic religious event in Europe, and located near Prusac in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Wahhabism is an extremist Islamic sect, with roots in Saudi Arabia, which regards itself as the only true Islamic movement.

BiH Security Minister Sadik Ahmetovic said the attack was a " classic act of terrorism" on institutions of the state and law enforcement.

"We need to send a message that we are determined to fight against this evil," said Ahmetovi?.

Haris Silajdzic, Chairman of the BiH Presidency, said the bombing was a direct attack on the security and constitutional order of BiH.

"Given that the existence of individuals and groups who operate in this way can seriously jeopardize the integration of BiH into Euro-Atlantic structures, and feed into forces that oppose integration, it is necessary that the activities of these persons and groups are fully eradicate from our society," said Silajdzic in an official statement.

Source: Xinhua