SUPREME COURT DISCUSSES WW2 CRIMINAL DINKO SAKIC'S APPEAL

ZAGREB, Sept 26 (Hina) - Croatia's Supreme Court on Tuesday discussed war criminal Dinko Sakic's appeal against his 20-year imprisonment sentence. A decision will be made subsequently. Sakic, the World War Two commandant of an Ustashi concentration camp in Jasenovac, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for war crimes against civilians. His attorney Ivan Kern spoke to reporters in Zagreb today, elaborating on some sections of the 35-page appeal which outlines points the defence believes considerably violated penal law provisions during trial. Kern said the prosecutor did not compile the indictment in line with the reason why Argentina had been requested to extradite Sakic, and that some witnesses' statements were contradictory. In the appeal, Kern suggests revoking the sentence and holding another trial, or a milder sentence. The defence attorney announced another appeal in case the Supreme Court confirmed the sentence, as the defence is entitled to another appeal in case of a long imprisonment. Sakic was arrested in April 1998 in Argentina, where he had lived since the end of the WW2. He was extradited to Croatia on 18 June 1998. After six months of investigation, Sakic was put on trial in March 1999. Some 40 witnesses testified before it wrapped up in October. The panel of judges took three days to proclaim him guilty of war crimes against civilians. Sakic is awaiting the final verdict in Zagreb's district prison. The Supreme Court should reach the final verdict by October 30 if the day Sakic was arrested in Argentina is counted as the beginning of his detention. In the contrary, Sakic could go free pending the ruling because detention may last a maximum two and a half years. If the day he was extradited to Croatia is counted as the beginning of detention, the deadline expires on December 18, said Kern. (hina) ha jn