Kosovo: Orthodox worshipers attacked

As yet unidentified attackers threw stones at a convoy of buses carrying Orthodox Serb worshipers near the town of Pec in Kosovo. The Serbs were returning from the ceremony of Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Patriarch Irinej's enthronement at the seat of the Church in the Patriarchate of Pec. Kosovo: Orthodox worshipers attacked The buses that were damaged were from towns in Serbia and Montenegro. No one was reported injured. Kosovo police, KPS, said they had three suspects under arrest. There were no incidents during the ceremony itself. Worshipers arrived in Pec from many cities, including those in Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and its Serb entity RS. Some Serbs from Pec, exiled from their homes in the town a decade ago, were also among the several thousand people who crowded the yard of the monastery where the ceremony took place. Our reporter says that in the morning, there were "almost no (ethnic) Albanians in the streets of the town's quarter". KPS secured the access roads, while NATO-led troops, KFOR, provided security for the Patriarchate complex itself. But offensive posters were put up along one of the streets leading to the monastery, depicting Patriarch Irinej, and reading, "War criminal", and, "Go to Hell". KFOR soldiers were seen removing the posters. In two separate incidents, the leaders of opposition parties SNS and NS, Tomislav Nikolic and Velimir Ilic, who said they intended to attend the ceremony in Pec as private citizens, were denied entry into the province earlier today. The yard of the Patriarchate today (Beta)

Kosovo: Orthodox worshipers attacked

The buses that were damaged were from towns in Serbia and Montenegro. No one was reported injured.

Kosovo police, KPS, said they had three suspects under arrest.

There were no incidents during the ceremony itself.

Worshipers arrived in Peć from many cities, including those in Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and its Serb entity RS.

Some Serbs from Peć, exiled from their homes in the town a decade ago, were also among the several thousand people who crowded the yard of the monastery where the ceremony took place.

Our reporter says that in the morning, there were "almost no (ethnic) Albanians in the streets of the town's quarter". KPS secured the access roads, while NATO-led troops, KFOR, provided security for the Patriarchate complex itself.

But offensive posters were put up along one of the streets leading to the monastery, depicting Patriarch Irinej, and reading, "War criminal", and, "Go to Hell". KFOR soldiers were seen removing the posters.

In two separate incidents, the leaders of opposition parties SNS and NS, Tomislav Nikolić and Velimir Ilić, who said they intended to attend the ceremony in Peć as private citizens, were denied entry into the province earlier today.