SUPREME COURT DISCONTINUES DETENTION FOR 2 AHMICI CRIME SUSPECTS

ZAGREB, March 20 (Hina) - The Croatian Supreme Court on Tuesday accepted an appeal by defence attorneys for Ante Sliskovic and Tomislav Vlajic, discontinuing detention for the two men who are suspected of having taken part in the Ahmici war crime in Bosnia- Herzegovina and forging identification papers. An investigation into the two crimes will continue and Sliskovic and Vlajic will be able to defend themselves without being detained. The municipal and county courts in Zagreb recently extended detention for the two suspects until April 9 this year. Their attorneys appealed against the ruling with the Supreme Court, holding the decision legally unfounded because their clients were held in custody for more than six months without being indicted for any criminal act. The Supreme Court accepted the appeal and discontinued detention for Sliskovic and Vlajic. The two men were arrested in Zadar on September 5 last year. The police pressed charges against them, suspecting them of a war crime and the forging of identification papers. Criminal charges were also pressed against Pasko Ljubicic and Vlado Cosic who are at large and for whom arrest warrants have been issued. (hina) rml