ZAGREB, Oct 3 (Hina) - A pre-trial procedure against Tihomir Oreskovic and another four arrested Gospic citizens, suspected of having committed war crimes against civilians in their hometown in 1991, commences tomorrow in the county
court in the Croatian biggest seaport of Rijeka. Oreskovic's defence counsel, lawyer Zeljko Dumancic, on Tuesday said that not before tomorrow the defence would learn of a list of all witnesses, at the first investigative hearing. What the defence knows now is names of seven or eight witnesses, cited in a decision on launching an investigation. There are four protected witnesses labelled for this purpose "Velebit 1,2,3 and 4", Dumancic added. He announced that the defence would propose its several witnesses and that during the first hearing "a situation should be clarified" in view of the qualification of events in 1991, which, in the decision on instigati
ZAGREB, Oct 3 (Hina) - A pre-trial procedure against Tihomir
Oreskovic and another four arrested Gospic citizens, suspected of
having committed war crimes against civilians in their hometown in
1991, commences tomorrow in the county court in the Croatian
biggest seaport of Rijeka.
Oreskovic's defence counsel, lawyer Zeljko Dumancic, on Tuesday
said that not before tomorrow the defence would learn of a list of
all witnesses, at the first investigative hearing. What the defence
knows now is names of seven or eight witnesses, cited in a decision
on launching an investigation. There are four protected witnesses
labelled for this purpose "Velebit 1,2,3 and 4", Dumancic added.
He announced that the defence would propose its several witnesses
and that during the first hearing "a situation should be clarified"
in view of the qualification of events in 1991, which, in the
decision on instigating the enquiry are called " the conflict
between Croatian Armed Forces and Serb paramilitary units."
According to the opinion of the defence, this was not conflict but
the aggression against Croatia and all of this can completely
change the nature of the case and defence, Dumancic added.
He told reporters that he would ask Judge Sajonara Culina to produce
copies of the documentation the police confiscated while they were
searching Oreskovic's flat.
Those are papers which have the character of the diary in which
Oreskovic, being a secretary of the Gospic-based war crisis centre
in 1991, noted everyday events in that central Croatian town in
1991. Dumancic said the papers were important for the preparations
of the defence. In case he does not get the documents he will insist
on the discontinuation of the investigative procedure, the lawyer
explained.
Dumancic also hoped that the defence would eventually be informed
of the contents of the "famed yellow envelope for (Croatian)
President's office" which is a part of investigative papers and
which has allegedly been classified as a state secret.
According to the media speculations, the envelope contains a letter
of Ante Karic, the commander of the Gospic crisis centre in 1991, in
which he accuses Oreskovic of being implicated in the disappearance
of local Serbs.
Tihomir Oreskovic, Ivan Jovanovic, Martin Markovic, Joso Miletic
and Ivica Rozic, apprehended on 12 September, are suspected of
being involved in the killing or disappearance of some 50 Serb
civilians.
Prior to tomorrow's commencement of the pre-trial, Rozic's defence
attorney, Mirko Ruzic, reiterated the defence would insist on the
talks with the four protected witnesses.
Lawyer Ruzic said the beginning of the investigation had been
burdened by the impact of a probe which previously International
Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) investigators had
conducted in Gospic.
The prime suspect, Tihomir Oreskovic, who is being treated in the
Zagreb-based infirmary for imprisoned persons owing to his health
problems, is likely to be returned to Rijeka today or tomorrow as
his condition has been improved.
The second suspect, Ivica Rozic, is also in the same hospital an
psychiatrists are still examining him to establish whether he will
be able to attend the investigative procedure.
The three remaining suspects are in custody in Rijeka.
The first hearing is set for 09.00 am Wednesday.
(hina) jn ms