MAIN HEARING IN GOSPIC GROUP WAR CRIMES TRIAL BEGINS

RIJEKA, Jan 28 (Hina) - The six-time postponed main hearing in the trial against Tihomir Oreskovic and four others from the so-called Gospic Group began at the Rijeka County Court on Monday with the arraignment. According to the indictment, the five indictees are suspected of the murder of at least 42 civilians in the Gospic area in late 1991. The prime suspect, Tihomir Oreskovic, president of a crisis centre in Gospic at the time, is indicted of having ordered the imprisonment and killing of civilians, while Ivica Rozic is indicted of having abducted three civilians from Karlobag and killing them on Mount Velebit. The other defendants are Stjepan Grandic, then commander of an army barracks in Berusic to which the civilians were brought and from which they were taken to be executed, Mirko Norac, commander of the 118th brigade, accused of having commanded the killing of civilians on Oreskovic's orders and murders he committed himself, and Milan Canic, indicted of having taken part in the crimes as Norac's deputy. All of the indicted stated they understood the indictment and pleaded not guilty. The panel of judges dismissed Oreskovic's demands for the exemption of judge Ika Saric and Rijeka County Court president Veljko Miskulin as unfounded. Oreskovic said this was a political decision, because of which he would begin a hunger strike and refuse further medical treatment at the prison sanatorium. He also announced a constitutional complaint over the violation of his constitutional rights. The trial continues Tuesday. (hina) lml sb