TRIAL AGAINST HERZEGOVINA CROATS NOT CONTINUED

THE HAGUE, June 12 (Hina) - The trial against Bosnian Croats Mladen Naletilic Tuta and Vinko Martinovic Stela, which should have continued on Wednesday after Tuesday's quarrel between Naletilic and his attorney, did not resume, and the court provided no explanation for the delay. #L# Tuesday's court session ended earlier than planned after Naletilic addressed the panel of judges saying a "small misunderstanding" regarding questioning occurred between him and his attorney Kresimir Krsnik. He requested adjournment, not explaining the nature of the dispute. Tuta's second defence attorney, Christopher Meeck, said that the problem concerned the attorney-client relationship and needed to be cleared up. The commander of the chief medical headquarters of the Bosnian Croat Defence Council (HVO), Ivan Bagaric, began his testimony on Tuesday. During the main examination conducted by Krsnik, prosecutor Kenneth Scott objected several times to the introduction of evidence pertaining to crimes against Croats which are not relevant to the trial and indictment against Naletilic and Martinovic. The tribunal has several times dismissed the so-called tu quoque defence, that is, defending crimes committed by one side with the fact that the other side also committed crimes. We empathise with victims on all sides, Scott said, asking that it be explained how the evidence was relevant. Krsnik reacted vehemently to this, saying that it was unacceptable for the prosecution to comment on the defence, and that the prosecutor was obstructing the trial and ignored all Croat victims, since he considered them not important. After his agitated address, a guard brought him a note from Naletilic. Judge Maureen Clark warned Krsnik on several occasions not to become upset so much and to act professionally. Bagaric's testimony continued until a break, after which Naletilic addressed the judges requesting an adjournment. (hina) lml sb