DETENTION SET FOR BJELOVAR POLICEMEN SUSPECTED OF WAR CRIMES

BJELOVAR/ZAGREB, Aug 27 (Hina) - Bjelovar County investigating judge Ana Turek Novak on Monday ruled a month-long detention to three former policemen from the northern Croatian town of Bjelovar, suspected of war crimes against war prisoners and civilians, and isued an arrest warrant against another policeman who is at large, the Bjelovar County Court said in a statement. Luka Markesic, Zdenko Radic, Zoran Maras and Ivan Orlovic (at large) are suspected of killing six members of the former Yugoslav Army and seriously injuring two detained civilians in a forest near Bjelovar in October 1991. The judge also ordered an investigation. Court officials were not able to say whether the only survivor of the crime Savo Kovac, whose house in Bjelovar has been under police protection, would testify in an investigating process which is scheduled to start on September 4. Six Homeland War associations from Bjelovar commented on the court's decision, stressing this was account-settling caused by personal and political reasons. The associations claim the indictees, who were Homeland War volunteers, were innocent and would prove their innocence before the court. (hina) it