Serbia to ban extremist groups

BELGRADE, Serbia, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Serbia says it will outlaw violent groups such as rightists who in recent days have been blamed for attacks on foreigners and gay activists.

Justice State Secretary Slobodan Homen said Tuesday he has asked prosecutors to sort out the organizations that recently arrested rightists and ultra-nationalists belong to in a bid to outlaw their activities, the Serbian news Web site B92 reported.

Homen reportedly said efforts to ban the groups must begin with prosecutors establishing exactly which organizations' members were responsible for attacks on French soccer fans and threats that caused the cancellation of a gay pride parade in Belgrade.

Serbian President Boris Tadic, speaking in the U.S. city of Cleveland, said Serbia wanted to both guarantee safety for gay activists and allow protests by all social groups. But he promised that Serbia would clamp down on bullies, B92 reported.

"All extremists, left or right, will be tried before our courts," Tadic said.