ZAGREB, April 7 (Hina) - The defence attorneys of a former commander of the Bosnian Croat Defence Council (HVO), Ivica Rajic, 45, on Monday filed an appeal against a ruling of a judge who ordered Rajic's detention after on Saturday he
was arrested at the request of the Hague-based U.N. war crimes tribunal. Rajic is accused of the massacre of Muslim villagers in Stupni Dol in Bosnia in October 1993.
ZAGREB, April 7 (Hina) - The defence attorneys of a former commander
of the Bosnian Croat Defence Council (HVO), Ivica Rajic, 45, on
Monday filed an appeal against a ruling of a judge who ordered
Rajic's detention after on Saturday he was arrested at the request
of the Hague-based U.N. war crimes tribunal. Rajic is accused of the
massacre of Muslim villagers in Stupni Dol in Bosnia in October
1993. #L#
"We have filed an appeal which should be deliberated in the next few
days by the Zagreb County Court," one of the attorneys, Zeljko
Olujic, told Hina on Monday. He explained that the so-called
extradition detention had been set for his client.
Olujic said the defence team had not yet decided whether it would
use all legal remedies and lead a "legal battle" against Rajic's
extradiction in Croatia.
"Ivica Rajic is prepared to appear in court, but he would like it to
be in Croatia, not in The Hague," said Olujic after having talked
with his client for two hours, during which, he said, Rajic had told
him he was not connected with the crimes in Stupni Dol.
"Although the indictment issued by the ICTY has been confirmed, we
will undertake all steps to try and get the trial to take place in
Croatia," Olujic said, adding that he was aware that in order to do
this, "we need the will of Croatian authorities and, primarily, of
the Hague tribunal".
Rajic has been indicted as commanding officer of the second
operational group of the HVO from Kiseljak for being responsible
for the killing of at least 16 Muslim civilians in the central
Bosnian village of Stupni Dol in October of 1993.
(hina)
lml sb