EXERCISE IN KARIN IS REGULAR SPECIAL POLICE TRAINING - POLICE DIRECTOR

ZADAR, Aug 30 (Hina) - Police director Ranko Ostojic said today the exercise special police troops are holding in Karin is regular police training. Police have no legal obligation to inform the public of their regular tasks on their grounds, he added. "This is a joint training of all sections of special police, from Zagreb, Split and Osijek," Ostojic told a news conference. In reply to numerous queries, he stressed the police, in doing their routine tasks, were causing much media speculation, especially regarding sensationalist writings about the special police training in Karin being connected with the arrest of General Ante Gotovina. This is all a form of exciting the public, he said. "The state did not give us the arrest warrant. Such a Taliban system does not exist. There is only a court warrant, and the Interior Ministry is carrying out every operation in seeking General Gotovina," he said, dismissing all speculation about how the special police exercise in Karin had anything to do with Gotovina's arrest. Along with a sealed indictment, the Hague tribunal sent to the Croatian government on June 8 the warrant for the arrest and extradition of the indictee. The warrant was turned over to the Zagreb County Court on July 13, which issued the arrest warrant. On July 23, the Interior Ministry placed General on the wanted list. (hina) lml sb