ZAGREB, Sept 15 (Hina) - I am not a protected witness of the Hague-based Tribunal and I am now in my flat in Knin (central Croatia), but I have not left it for two days for security reasons, Ignac Kostroman was cited by the Croatian
Radio as saying on Friday. Kostroman, a retired colonel of the Croatian Army, gave an interview to the radio about his role in the Ahmici case and on speculations whether he was a protected witness of the International Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Kostroman said that at the time when villagers in Ahmici (central Bosnia) were killed he was in his office in Tisovac, which is some 20 kilometres of Ahmici and about five kilometres of the town of Busovaca. In this context Kostroman said he did not know why he could be an important witness to this event. He, however, stressed that if it was in the interest of the defence of Dario Kordic and Tihomir Blaskic (two Bosnian Croat
ZAGREB, Sept 15 (Hina) - I am not a protected witness of the Hague-
based Tribunal and I am now in my flat in Knin (central Croatia), but
I have not left it for two days for security reasons, Ignac
Kostroman was cited by the Croatian Radio as saying on Friday.
Kostroman, a retired colonel of the Croatian Army, gave an
interview to the radio about his role in the Ahmici case and on
speculations whether he was a protected witness of the
International Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
Kostroman said that at the time when villagers in Ahmici (central
Bosnia) were killed he was in his office in Tisovac, which is some 20
kilometres of Ahmici and about five kilometres of the town of
Busovaca. In this context Kostroman said he did not know why he
could be an important witness to this event.
He, however, stressed that if it was in the interest of the defence
of Dario Kordic and Tihomir Blaskic (two Bosnian Croat indictees in
The Hague) to help them who are his friends, he would "definitely
help to prove their innocence."
Kostroman blamed the international community for inventing the
news about his arrest.
"I have never contacted with the (ICTY) Prosecutor's Office, nor
have I met anybody who would talk with me about this. So, I am not
protected or any other witness in the Ahmici case," Kostroman
stressed.
Earlier this week the Croatian media reported, according to
unofficial sources, that Ignac Kostroman was apprehended in the
Croatian town of Knin.
Kostroman used to be in charge of the propaganda and political
activities in the war-time (Bosnian Croat) Herzeg-Bosnian
structures during the Croat-Moslem conflict. He was also said to be
a close aide to Dario Kordic.
Kostroman said he hoped the police would establish who had launched
wrong rumours about his apprehension.
(hina) ms