"GOSPIC GROUP" TRIAL RESUMES

RIJEKA, Aug 26 (Hina) - During the main hearing in the trial of the so-called "Gospic group" before the Rijeka County Court, the war head of the Croatian Defence Ministry's intelligence service (SIS) administration, Josip Perkovic, said on Monday that the then head of state, Franjo Tudjman, at the end of 1991 ordered that an official investigation into the abduction of persons in Gospic not be instigated. #L# At a meeting held in 1991, attended by the then Defence Minister, Gojko Susak, the head of the National Security Office, Josip Manolic, and other senior officials of the interior ministry and intelligence services, President Tudjman said there were no evidence on crimes committed in this case, Perkovic told the court. Perkovic said Tudjman ordered him to release indictee Tihomir Oreskovic from custody if Oreskovic confirmes that he did not participate in the abduction of Serb civilians, as he had stated during his arrest. Tudjman also ordered Manolic to set up secret services in the continuation of "a discreet investigation" because "problems would appear inside and outside should an investigation be instigated without quality evidence". Tudjman also ordered Susak to deploy Oreskovic in the Defence Ministry, Perkovic said in his testimony. According to him, "the SIS had information on the cooperation between Oreskovic and the FBI counter intellingece service before 1990". Perkovic said he did not have information on Oreskovic's cooperation with Yugoslav intelligence services at the time, nor on his cooperation with foreign secret services after arriving in Croatia. He said he found out about the abductions at the meeting in December of 1991, held in Tudjman's office. Today's hearing was adjourned after Oreskovic complained about health problems. The Panel of Judges decided that the main hearing would resume on Tuesday when Perkovic would continue with his testimony. (hina) it sb