Wednesday, June 14, 2006 6:03 AM

MOSTAR, Bosnia-Herzegovina-Bosnian Croat and Muslim fans collided in this southern Bosnian town following the World Cup match Tuesday between Brazil and Croatia, leaving one person seriously wounded by a gunshot and dozens injured, police officials said.

"Shortly after the game ended, a large group of fans gathered and started throwing stones and breaking windows, destroying benches, bus stops and vehicles," police spokeswoman Lejla Trivun told The Associated Press.

Croatia played well in a 1-0 loss to the defending World Cup champions and when Bosnian Croats celebrated the good showing by neighboring Croatia, they collided with Muslims who cheered for Brazil.

"Special police forces were deployed and detained 26 persons. Six officers were injured and three police vehicles were damaged. Gunfire was reported and one person has been seriously wounded," Trivun said.

The majority of Bosnian Catholic Croats and Orthodox Serbs feel their ethnicity is more important than their Bosnian nationality. Almost all have dual citizenship and don't call Bosnia their homeland.

The bloody Bosnian war from 1992-95 left the Catholic Croats, Orthodox Serbs and Muslim Bosniaks divided into a Bosnian Serb ministate and a Muslim-Croat federation.

In Mostar, the city is divided by the Neretva river into a Bosnian Croat section on the right and a Muslim majority on the left.

The hooligans collided at a square which was the front line during the war and is still the invisible border between the two parts. Regular police and SWAT officers had to intervene and use tear gas to disperse the crowd, Trivun said.

The right bank of Mostar is euphoric ahead of the World Cup, with stores loaded with red-and-white checkered Croatian team hats and jerseys. Many fans are wearing them in town even when Croatia does not play.

In the Muslim part of the city, it's easier to buy an Italy jersey, or any other World Cup qualifier that is not Croatia. Local Muslims say that wearing a Croatia shirt in the eastern part of Mostar could get you in serious trouble.

Even when Bosnia plays against Croatia or Serbia, the vast majority of Bosnian Croats and Serbs at the match would cheer for the visitors.

Last October, thousands of Bosnian Serbs celebrated Bosnia's loss to Serbia-Montenegro in a World Cup qualifier.

Croatia reached the World Cup by beating Sweden in its qualifying group. Serbia-Montenegro finished ahead of Spain, with Bosnia third in its group. Both Sweden and Spain also qualified, but there was no room for third-place Bosnia in the 32-team field.