INTERIOR MINISTRY ASKED TO ARREST NORAC

ZAGREB/RIJEKA, Feb 7 (Hina) - The Croatian Interior Ministry has received a request to bring M.N. and M.C. to the investigative centre of the county court in the seaport of Rijeka, and following the request on Wednesday M.C. was arrested in Gospic (central Croatia) and transferred to Rijeka, while M.N. has not yet been found at his address in Zagreb, a spokesman for the Ministry said on Wednesday evening. Spokesman Slavko Rako told Hina on the phone only initials of the two men against whom an investigation into the Gospic case has been extended. The initials M.C. refer to Milan Canic, who was apprehended in the town of Gospic today and taken before the Rijeka County court where he was questioned and refuted all incriminations. Canic's lawyers said he denied all accusations about his involvement in the events in Lipova Glavica, Pazariste and Karlobag during the war when ethnic Serbs were allegedly executed. The initials M.N. refer to a retired general, Mirko Norac, who is also suspected of war crimes against civilians. The deputy state prosecutor in Rijeka, Doris Hrast, told reporters earlier in the day that if Norac was not found at addresses available to the court or did not turn himself in, an international warrant would be issued for his arrest. Asked by reporters what would happen if the UN war crimes tribunal (ICTY) demanded Norac's extradition, Hrast answered that the matter of competence between courts should be settled legally, but that the Hague-based ICTY had precedence over national legislation. Hrast added that the Tribunal linked Norac to Croatian army operations in the Medak Pocket area which it was investigating, and he explained that this was different from the case processed in Rijeka. (hina) sb ms