THREE FORMER, ONE ACTIVE POLICE ACQUITTED OF WAR CRIMES CHARGES

BJELOVAR, Dec 20 (Hina) - Three former and one active policemen from the northern town of Bjelovar were acquitted of charges accusing them of war crimes against prisoners-of-war and civilians at the Bjelovar County Court on Thursday. Ex-police officers Luka Markesic, Zdenko Radic, and Ivan Orlovic, and active officer Zoran Maras were charged with the 1991 killing of six POWs, reservists of ex-Yugoslavia's federal army (JNA), who were led out of the Bjelovar police station into a nearby wood where they were executed. Savo Kovac of Bjelovar survived. Panel of judges president Bozidar Iverac said the four defendants were acquitted as there was not a single piece of evidence linking them to the crime. Twenty-seven witnesses took the stand during the trial, which began on Dec. 14, including Tihomir Wagner, head of on-duty police service in 1991, who changed his testimony. In July he said the four defendants were connected with the case, but in September said he had no knowledge of it. Wagner explained his initial statement was made due to threats and anonymous letters from Interior Ministry investigators which, he said in a police interview several years ago, prompted him to say the names of the four accused, although he had no information about the case. (hina) ha sb