Spokesman for the Interior Ministry Zlatko Mehun told Hina that following a court order police was searching Gotovina's apartment in which the wife of the runaway general, Dunja Zlioc Gotovina, lives.
Mehun, however, did not want to reveal what the police were searching for nor did he comment on the speculation that the police raid was part of the plan aimed at Gotovina's arrest and that was taking place at the time of the arrival of ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte in Zagreb.
According to the unnamed police source, the Interior Ministry has been for a longer period of time trying to confiscate the fire weapons that Gotovina has a permit to keep. Allegedly this is about three gun licences for four pistols and three guns. According to the same source, Gotovina's wife declined to hand over the weapons to the police who came to her apartment two days ago. Dunja Zloic Gotovina was called for a police interview yesterday. Mrs Zloic Gotovina allegedly came to the police station yesterday but refused to hand in the weapons, so the police request a court to issue a search order.
One of Gotovina's attorneys told Hina that the raid was taking place. The attorney Marin Ivanovic said the police had an order, but added that the order should have been handed to Gotovina and not his wife.
"The raid is unlawful because the warrant was issued for the search of premises owned by the wife, with the aim to confiscate the weapons owned by somebody else," the lawyer said.
According to Interior Ministry spokesman Mehun, Dunja Zloic Gotovina handed over her husband's weapons after the police showed her the warrant.
"The apartment wasn't searched, because Mrs Gotovina showed the police were the weapons were kept," he added.