Unidentified persons desecrated a Catholic church on Friday night in
the central Bosnian town of Zenica causing considerable material
damage and an inter-religious committee for cooperation has condemned
the attack. The Franciscans at the church have urged that the incident be properly investigated.
Fr. Zdravko Andjic told Hina that unidentified persons had taken a concrete block and smashed several windows, damaged the entry door and a plaque that identifies the church as a cultural monument.
According to Fr. Andjic eye witnesses have reported that four people took part in the vandalism.
"For the past year that I have been the parish priest here there has not been any incidents. This is an ugly message and I hope the police will resolve this incident," he said.
The Inter-reglious committee for cooperation said in a statement that the church was "a wealth to Zenica and has been the focal point of inter-religious and ecumenical dialogue.
This act has deeply offended the feelings of all believers, particularly because the incident occurred on the feast day of one of the Catholic Church's greatest saints, St. Francis of Assisi", the statement said.
The committee urged for better security of religious facilities so that similar incidents are not repeated.