DASOVIC ON TUDJMAN'S REACTIONS DURING STATEMENT ON GOSPIC EVENTS

RIJEKA, Feb 6 (Hina) - The war commander of the Gospic police, Ivan Dasovic testified in a trial against the so-called "Gospic Group" before the Rijeka County Court on Wednesday. Dasovic said "the then President Franjo Tudjman, while taking the statements about the events in Gospic from Dasovic, Ante Karic and Drazen Jurkovic, was fuming and said; 'I demand that the Hague war crimes tribunal be established and I have to be the first to be on trial!" According to Dasovic, in the presence of the Rijeka County Court penal of Judges, chaired by Ika Saric, Tudjman decorated the then Croatian government commissioner for Lika, Drazen Jurkovic and appointed him the commander of the Croatian Army in Gospic. Dasovic stressed Mirko Norac should have been replaced but the replacement never took place. Dasovic described the events of October 16, 1991 regarding the so- called deadly meeting in the crisis centre and the execution of civilians in Pazariste. He said somebody had ordered him to open fire, but he would not reveal the name of the person who gave the order saying it would be a harsh accusation given that was not certain of this persons identity. He said prime suspect Tihomir Oreskovic had carried weapons on the place of the execution and added he did not see that any of the present open fire. Dasovic described Tihomir Oreskovic as an authoritative person whom everyone obeyed. The trial will resume tomorrow by the testimonies of witnesses of the prosecution. (hina) it