Priest Jeremija Starovlah was awake but on a life-support machine and remained in a critical condition, spokeswoman Amra Odobasic said from a hospital in the northern town of Tuzla.

She said the priest's son, Aleksandar, remained in a coma with no sign of improvement.

The pair were injured when US and British troops blew down the door of their house during a search for indicted war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic.

Bosnian Serbs and the clergy have accused NATO troops of beating up the two men but NATO officials have strongly rejected the allegations.

WAR.WIRE