BELGRADE COURT SETS DETENTION FOR HAGUE INDICTEE STRUGAR

BELGRADE, Dec 8 (Hina) - Belgrade's County Court on Monday set detention for retired army general Pavle Strugar, accused by the Hague tribunal for war crimes committed in Croatia's Dubrovnik in 1991, his attorney Goran Rodic told Beta news agency, announcing an appeal against the decision.#L# Media reported the decision was made after the national council for cooperation with the Hague tribunal notified the Belgrade County Court that Strugar, hospitalised in Belgrade, had not acted on the tribunal's order to return to The Hague within the set deadline. Rodic said it was impossible for Strugar to appear before the tribunal tomorrow. His trial should start on Wednesday. Rodic said he would appeal the detention decision, notably because the national council had not asked for a medical evaluation of Strugar's fitness to fly to The Hague or asked for a postponement of the trial. He added that Strugar was gravely ill. (hina) ha