NALETILIC'S EXTRADITION WAS CARRIED OUT IN LINE WITH LAW -- JUSTICE (EXTENDED)

ZAGREB, March 21 (Hina) - Croatian Justice Minister Stjepan Ivanisevic said Tuesday the extradition of Mladen Naletilic Tuta to the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) had been carried out in line with the law and in a way to make Naletilic as little subjected to stress and physical efforts as possible. He explained that the aeroplane by which Tuta was transported to The Hague had been especially equipped with medical supplies and a team of doctors for urgent intervention. Naletilic is being accompanied by psychiatrist Vladimir Gruden. At a news conference held at the Justice Ministry on Tuesday, Ivanisevic said upon arrival to The Hague Naletilic would be admitted to the detention hospital. He said Naletilic's defence attorney Kresimir Krsnik had been invited by the ICTY chief prosecutor for a meeting on Wednesday, because she wishes an attorney present at her first meeting with Naletilic and an arraignment will take place soon. Commenting on Krsnik's claims that he had not been informed of Naletilic's extradition and was not allowed to visit his client, Ivanisevic said this was incorrect. Krsnik visited Naletilic on Monday afternoon and attorney Visnja Drenski Lasan saw Naletilic around 22:00 hours Monday, Ivanisevic said. He added attorneys had not been allowed to see Tuta Tuesday morning when formalities surrounding the extradition were being carried out. In agreement with doctors Ivanisevic visited Naletilic and informed him about the extradition. "I wanted Naletilic to spend a peaceful night and in agreement with doctors I decided to inform him about his extradition this morning when I spoke to him in hospital at 8:30 hours, and at the same time I sent a fax to his attorney," Ivanisevic said, adding Tuta had been in a good mood during the meeting. Commenting on Krsnik's claim that Tuta had been extradited before the Constitutional Court had the time to make a decision on his request for a postponement of the extradition, Ivanisevic said "a person who is familiar with the law knows that a decision cancelling the temporary decision on postponing the extradition cannot be a subject of a constitutional appeal." Ivanisevic judged the Constitutional Court would dismiss Krsnik's appeal. Asked whether Tuta's defence would be paid out of the government budget, Deputy Justice Minister Ranko Marijan said this had been settled in line within the ICTY. "If the defendants cannot afford an attorney, the Hague-based Tribunal will provide him with one. On the contrary, they pay for their defence," Marijan said. Commenting on a reporter's claim that the public had been excluded from the extradition event, Ivanisevic said the organiser of his transport requested that reporters should not be allowed near Naletilic's aeroplane for security reasons. He stressed that because of various statements and a petition that had been signed in Herzegovina regarding Tuta's extradition, the Ministry had opted for strict security measures. Ivanisevic also commented on the ICTY's refusal to grant a request by the Croatian justice Ministry that Naletilic's plea be organised in Zagreb and that he remain in custody in Zagreb until the start of the trial. "Everything had almost been arranged through diplomatic channels, but because of a protest staged before the United States' Embassy in Zagreb, the agreement had fallen through, as The Hague decided security measures in Zagreb were not sufficient. The direct victim (of the protest) is Naletilic," Ivanisevic said. (hina) lml jn