OSIJEK: WAR CRIMES TRIAL CONTINUES

OSIJEK, May 8 (Hina) - The trial of Milos Loncar from Jagodnjak in Baranja, accused of war crimes against civilians, continued in Osijek on Wednesday. #L# Loncar, who has been in custody at the Osijek County Prison since last September, is charged with war crimes against civilians, committed between September 1991 and May 1992. He is accused of shelling Osijek and its suburbs and killing a large number of civilians and wounding many. According to the charges, Loncar led and commanded the shelling. The prosecution has proposed nine witnesses for the trial which has been going on for the past two months, while the defence presented its witnesses for the first time today. "We wish to explain the attitude of the accused towards the non-Serb population as well as his opposition to the destruction of the Catholic church in Jagodnjak by extremists. It is illogical that a man who protected a church from being destroyed would at the same time be considered dangerous and lead shelling operations on Osijek and other places," Loncar's attorney Stevan Dobos said. The trial will continue on May 27 while a ruling could be expected by May 28. (hina) sp sb