ORESKOVIC'S ATTORNEY URGES EXEMPTION OF ALL RIJEKA PROSECUTORS

GOSPIC, Sept 14 (Hina) - Zeljko Dumancic, attorney for Tihomir Oreskovic, one of five Gospic residents arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of war crimes against civilians, on Thursday filed a request on the exemption of all prosecutors from Rijeka in the Oreskovic case, adding there was no reason for the State Prosecutor's Office in Gospic not to conduct the case. Speaking to reporters in front of the Gospic County Court, Dumancic said he was expecting a decision on his request of yesterday that Rijeka County State Prosecutor Doris Hrast be excluded from the proceedings. Requests regarding the jurisdiction of the State Prosecutor's Office should be resolved by 11 am Friday, when the measure of 48- hour detention of the apprehended person expires, Dumancic said. According to unofficial information, the decision by the State Prosecutor's Office that the case be conducted by the Rijeka County Court was made for security reasons, he said. I, however, believe that this reason is not justified because the situation in Gospic is peaceful, the attorney added. Dumancic did not want to comment on today's decision by the Supreme Court that the proceedings be conducted in Rijeka, adding he had not received the ruling yet. (hina) rml