VUKOVAR, April 17 (Hina) - The Vukovar County Court on Friday found Zarko Tkalcevic, a second lieutenant in the former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), guilty of war crimes against civilian population and sentenced him to three years in
prison. Tkalcevic, a 35-year-old Croat, born in Virovitica, was charged with having commanded random mortar attacks of a Belgrade Guard Brigade mortar platoon on the Vukovar neighbourhood of Mitnica in the period between September and November 18, 1991. A large number of civilians were killed or injured in the attacks and a number of houses, flats and commercial and cultural buildings were destroyed in the shelling. Explaining the verdict, Judge Ante Zeljko said there were some extenuating circumstances in Tkalcevic's case, such as his contribution to Croatia's defence war and help to other persons in leaving the JNA. After Vukovar's fall into the hands of
VUKOVAR, April 17 (Hina) - The Vukovar County Court on Friday found
Zarko Tkalcevic, a second lieutenant in the former Yugoslav
People's Army (JNA), guilty of war crimes against civilian
population and sentenced him to three years in prison.
Tkalcevic, a 35-year-old Croat, born in Virovitica, was charged
with having commanded random mortar attacks of a Belgrade Guard
Brigade mortar platoon on the Vukovar neighbourhood of Mitnica in
the period between September and November 18, 1991. A large number
of civilians were killed or injured in the attacks and a number of
houses, flats and commercial and cultural buildings were destroyed
in the shelling.
Explaining the verdict, Judge Ante Zeljko said there were some
extenuating circumstances in Tkalcevic's case, such as his
contribution to Croatia's defence war and help to other persons in
leaving the JNA. After Vukovar's fall into the hands of the JNA,
Tkalcevic returned to Belgrade from where he managed to escape to
Croatia, where he joined the Croatian Army and participated in its
'Flash' and 'Storm' operations.
(hina) rml