NALETILIC'S ATTORNEY TO MEET ICTY PROSECUTOR DEL PONTE

ZAGREB, March 21 (Hina) - The attorney of Mladen Naletilic Tuta, Kresimir Krsnik, at Tuesday's press conference said he would, on Wednesday in The Hague, meet the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, and, if possible, Naletilic who was extradited to the ICTY this afternoon. He said that the Constitutional Court this afternoon overruled his constitutional appeal against Naletilic extradition as groundless. Krsnik stressed he would demand from the ICTY prosecutor that expert doctors establish Naletilic's ability to undergo the court process. "We will not allow Tuta's entering the ICTY court room until it is established that he is capable of attending and following the trial", Krsnik said. Krsnik told reporters that his appeal against Naletilic's extradition to the ICTY submitted today at 9.00AM, was overruled by the Constitutional Court as groundless later in the day. In the constitutional appeal, Krsnik assessed that, considering Naletilic's health condition, the life of his client was jeopardised by the decision on the extradition. Expressing disappointment by the way his client was extradited to The Hague Tribunal earlier in the day, Krsnik said that the principle of the rule of law has been violated because Naletilic was extradited before the constitutional Court passed its decision on his appeal against Naletilic's extradition. Krsnik claims he asked Croatian Justice Minister Stjepan Ivanisevic on two occasions to stop Naletilic's extradition until the constitutional appeal is solved. It is indicative that minister Ivanisevic announced that the appeal was groundless several hours before the Constitutional Court passed its decision, Krsnik said. When asked about the current health condition of his client, Krsnik said Naletilic was not feeling well last time he saw him, namely yesterday afternoon. (hina) it mm