On Saturday 11 October the Senior Principal Deputy High Representative Ambassador Jacques Klein visited the scene of the early morning bomb attack against the Catholic High School in Sarajevo. Following his visit Ambassador Klein condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms.
He said that the attack was an attack on all civilised values; and that to bomb a school was an assault on children and as such was an attack on the future. He went on to describe the school as an ecumenical institution that accepted not just Catholic children but also those from the Orthodox, Jewish and Muslim faiths as well as pupils from the international community. The bombing was therefore also a direct attack on the peace process. “Those who carried out this attack are sick people with sick minds whose deliberate aim was to inflame tensions. They are the enemies of peace and reconciliation,” he said.
Ambassador Klein was also keen to emphasise that the Sarajevo Cantonal police were investigating the attack and that everything must be done to bring the perpetrators to justice. Every assistance must be given to the Police to help them do this. He also confirmed that immediate funds from both the OHR and UNESCO had been made available to repair the damage to the school.