RIJEKA, Feb 22 (Hina) - Retired Croatian Army general Mirko Norac on Thursday appeared before Rijeka County Court investigating judge Sajonara Culina and denied all incriminations levelled at him.
RIJEKA, Feb 22 (Hina) - Retired Croatian Army general Mirko Norac on
Thursday appeared before Rijeka County Court investigating judge
Sajonara Culina and denied all incriminations levelled at him. #L#
According to Judge Culina, Norac said he understood what he was
suspected of but was not familiar with the events he was suspected
of, namely the execution of Croatian Serb citizens at Pazariste and
Lipova Glavica and the abduction and execution of three residents
of Karlobag. Norac said he learned of the events from the press and
had not issued orders to that effect or any other order contrary to
the international criminal law of war, Culina said.
When asked about his whereabouts in the past two weeks, Norac said
he was in Croatia, in Zagreb, and added he was not familiar with the
fact that the court had issued an order for his detention and an
arrest warrant. As to other questions, Norac declined to answer,
Culina said.
The police had not previously served Norac with the order on his
detention and a request on the extension of the investigation so
Judge Culina did it today.
General Norac surrendered to the police on Wednesday and was
escorted to the Rijeka County Court Investigating Centre around 2
pm today.
Norac's attorney Ivan Kern said his client presented his defence
succinctly, denying all accusations levelled at him. Norac's
court-appointed attorney Tomislav Sabljar has already lodged an
appeal to the detention ruling and I will confirm the appeal, Kern
said, adding he was optimistic concerning the court's decision on
the appeal. The attorney expected Norac's defence team would
probably be extended.
Asked about his client's psychological state, Kern said Norac was
"stable, normal, resolute, clear, the way a general like himself
should be."
Kern said he still had not determined the defence strategy in detail
but it would certainly be based on Norac's plead of not guilty.
Norac will most probably not be present at the hearings at which
witnesses will give statements, he said.
A defence attorney for Tihomir Oreskovic, the first indictee in the
'Gospic case', and chief defence attorney for indictee Stjepan
Grandic, Milenko Skrlec, said the possible acceptance of the appeal
to the ruling on Norac's detention would support the annulment of
detention for other suspects in the case as well.
The investigation against the 'Gospic group', suspected of war
crimes against civilians in the Gospic area in 1991, continues on
Monday with the questioning of new witnesses.
(hina) rml