RIJEKA: TRIAL FOR LIQUIDATION OF KARLOBAG CIVILIANS BEGINS

RIJEKA, April 24 (Hina) - The testimony of Ljerka Bogdanovic - the widow of a Karlobag citizen who was abducted from Karlobag and later murdered, marked the beginning of the third part of the trial of the so-called Gospic Group on Wednesday. The charges in this section of the case relate to the abduction of three civilians from Karlobag and their alleged liquidation on Mt. Velebit by indictee Ivica Rozic. #L# Ljerka Bogdanovic testified before the Rijeka County Court panel of judges, which is chaired by judge Ika Saric. Bogdanovic said that her husband Stojan was abducted from their house by several undisguised soldiers and that she never saw him again. Bogdanovic's body was found later along with two other bodies at Ravni Dabar on Mt. Velebit. The witness said that she had not heard about any lists with the names of Serb residents of Karlobag, but she did hear about other abductions. Another testimony was given today by Lieutenant Mile Jurisic, the accused Stjepan Grandic's deputy in 1991 in the 118th Brigade's Perusic Battalion. He testified about events at Lipova Glavica, where a group of Gospic civilians were allegedly murdered, of which Grandic, Tihomir Oreskovic and Mirko Norac have been accused. Jurisic said that he did not see any detained civilians at the Perusic barracks and that Grandic had sent him on security duty at the time of the execution at Lipova Glavica. He added that he was not near Lipova Glavica at the time and that he did not see any vehicles or what had occurred at that location. He heard shots, he said, adding that shooting was heard every day at the time, so he did not pay any attention to it. The trial will continue on Monday. (hina) sp sb