ZAGREB, March 28 (Hina) - The attorney of war crimes suspect Ante Gotovina said on Thursday the defence team was collecting evidence from a variety of sources, including from the United States, which can refute "the unfounded
indictment against the Croatian general."
ZAGREB, March 28 (Hina) - The attorney of war crimes suspect Ante
Gotovina said on Thursday the defence team was collecting evidence
from a variety of sources, including from the United States, which
can refute "the unfounded indictment against the Croatian
general." #L#
"The attorneys have to be ready for every option... he may be
arrested in some country," said Luka Misetic. He contacted Hina to
comment on a statement the spokeswoman for the Hague war crimes
tribunal's prosecution, Florence Hartmann, made to the effect that
the prosecution did not have evidence which would lead to the
changing of the indictment.
The prosecution charges Gotovina, on commanding responsibility,
for crimes committed during 1995's Operation Storm.
"There is no evidence for the indictment, and chief prosecutor
Carla del Ponte has the ethical duty to withdraw it," said Misetic.
He confirmed he was familiar with the evidence on which the
indictment relied but declined to say how he learned about it. He
added that evidence based on statements of UN peace troops in
Croatia was "unreliable."
The Hague tribunal's rules stipulate that the defence team is
supplied with evidence after the indictee has surrendered and his
attorneys been registered with the tribunal's secretariat.
Hartmann confirmed in the past that this was the only way in which
Gotovina's defence could obtain the evidence.
Misetic said the fact that the defence was collecting evidence
against the indictment did not mean Gotovina intended to
surrender.
The attorney declined to say which sources the defence was getting
evidence from.
He added that Hartmann's book about Slobodan Milosevic, for
example, indicated that the former Yugoslav President and not
Croatia was behind the ethnic cleansing in the so-called Krajina
region.
"She (Hartmann) herself is a witness that the indictment is
unfounded," said Misetic. He wondered if the investigation of
Gotovina's commanding responsibility would extend to the top of the
U.S. administration, which Hartmann in her book calls the
godfathers of Operation Storm.
"Ante Gotovina is completely convinced he is innocent," Misetic
concluded.
(hina) ha