COUNTY COURT DISMISSES APPEALS OF THREE ZADAR ARRESTED MEN

ZADAR, Sept 15 (Hina) - The Zadar county court on Friday rejected appeals of defence lawyers of the detained Joso Nekic, Zeljko Stipic and Jeronim Nekic, charged with assistance in harbouring the so-called Ahmici group. An investigating judge in Zadar decided that these three suspects, apprehended on Tuesday, should remain in custody for one months. Their attorneys appealed against the judge's decision. Joso Nekic is a former head of the Zadar branch of the Croatian Service for the Protection of the Constitutional Order (SZUP), Zeljko Stipic is an officer in the Croatian Army, while Jeronim Nekic is employed with the Zadar-based customs authorities. They are suspected of helping four Bosnian Croats - who are believed to have been involved in the Ahmici crime - to live in Zadar under false identities. Two of the war crimes suspects - Ante Sliskovic and Tomislav Vlajic - were arrested recently, while the other two - Pasko Ljubicic and Vlado Cosic - are still on the run. According to the lawyers, the Nekics and Stipic will be in custody as long as the investigating judge is questioning witnesses. (hina) ms