RIJEKA, Dec 3 (Hina) - Retired general Izidor Cesnjaj on Tuesday testified in the war crimes trial of the so-called Gospic Group at Rijeka's county court. In 1991 Cesnjaj was commander of Croatian Army (HV) operations in the Karlovac
zone.
RIJEKA, Dec 3 (Hina) - Retired general Izidor Cesnjaj on Tuesday
testified in the war crimes trial of the so-called Gospic Group at
Rijeka's county court. In 1991 Cesnjaj was commander of Croatian
Army (HV) operations in the Karlovac zone. #L#
As a witness for the defence of Tihomir Oreskovic, Cesnjaj said he
had heard about abductions and killings in central Croatia's Gospic
after 20 October 1991. He had not been able to check information to
that effect as he had not been in touch with Gospic and local HV
units, he said.
The witness stated he had not been able to get in touch with Mirko
Norac, another defendant who at that time had been subordinate to
Cesnjaj. He said he had always praised Norac as a brave fighter but
that his military training and ability to lead a brigade had been
problematic.
The witness said it had not been possible to replace Norac in his
capacity as commander of the 118th Gospic Brigade because local
soldiers liked him and there was apprehension as to how they would
take to another commander.
Another witness, Josip Balog, who was Gospic police chief at the
beginning of the war in the early 1990s, took the stand today. He
said he had been supposed to organise the Gospic defence but that he
had been threatened by groups of armed Croatian soldiers, allegedly
on orders from Oreskovic. This was why he left Gospic, staying away
for two years.
The trial resumes on Thursday.
(hina) ha sb