ZAGREB, Aug 28 (Hina) - An association for the protection of Croatia's Homeland Defence War, HONOS, at Tuesday's press conference produced photographs proving U.S. intelligence presence before, during, and after 1995's Operation
Storm. The photographs clearly show the Americans were acquainted with the preparations, course and what happened after Storm, HONOS president Nenad Ivankovic said, adding the Americans would have surely registered and publicly said if Croatian forces had committed mass and systematic crimes. Either there were no crimes or they were suppressed, he added. Ivankovic showed several photos of Croatian and United States officers, including General Ante Gotovina, an indictee of the Hague war crimes tribunal. The photos were taken in Croatia and the U.S. and, according to Ivankovic, show the "cordiality and openness of the U.S. army towards Croatian generals." One, taken in October 1995 on t
ZAGREB, Aug 28 (Hina) - An association for the protection of
Croatia's Homeland Defence War, HONOS, at Tuesday's press
conference produced photographs proving U.S. intelligence
presence before, during, and after 1995's Operation Storm.
The photographs clearly show the Americans were acquainted with the
preparations, course and what happened after Storm, HONOS
president Nenad Ivankovic said, adding the Americans would have
surely registered and publicly said if Croatian forces had
committed mass and systematic crimes.
Either there were no crimes or they were suppressed, he added.
Ivankovic showed several photos of Croatian and United States
officers, including General Ante Gotovina, an indictee of the Hague
war crimes tribunal. The photos were taken in Croatia and the U.S.
and, according to Ivankovic, show the "cordiality and openness of
the U.S. army towards Croatian generals."
One, taken in October 1995 on the road between Split and Han-
Obrovac, shows a container truck with U.S. registration plates
carrying a system for the control of pilotless aircraft. Behind
this truck is another with a satellite antenna, followed by two
hammer jeeps and a vehicle of the Croatian Intelligence Service
(HIS).
According to Ivankovic, at the time U.S. military and civil
intelligence services were penetrating into Bosnian and Yugoslav
territory.
He said Storm was a Croatian operation to which Washington gave the
green light. The U.S. and Croatia cooperated in terms of
intelligence and the Americans supervised Croatia's military
operations as evidenced by halting the progress of Croatian troops
towards Banja Luka in Bosnia, added Ivankovic.
Asked how he got hold of the photos, he declined to answer, claiming
they could only help in protecting Croatian generals.
Ivankovic said he would assume responsibility if the photos caused
a scandal, and called on the government to check all archives to
shed light on the truth about the Homeland Defence War.
To accept the Hague tribunal's indictment against Gen. Gotovina is
to accept that Storm as genocide, Ivankovic said.
(hina) ha sb