MOST REMAINS OF KILLED PERSONS IDENTIFIED USING CLASSIC METHOD

MOST REMAINS OF KILLED PERSONS IDENTIFIED USING CLASSIC METHOD ZAGREB, Oct 6 (Hina) - About 80 per cent of people exhumed from mass or individual graves, that is, 2,519 of the total of 3,155 soldiers and civilians killed during Croatia's 1991 war for independence, have been identified so far. This is a result which can be compared with global achievements in the field, president of the Government's Office for Missing and Imprisoned Persons, Ivan Grujic, said Friday. Almost four fifths were identified using the classic method -- the medical processing of remains, and the identification of remains and personal belongings by family members. Croatia is still searching for 1,588 people, according to latest figures. In cases when the classic method does not work, the DNA method is used for identification, but usually the two methods are combined. Family members are usually not satisfied with just the result of a DNA analysis, but wish to see photographs and items found on the victim, the remains themselves, and teeth prints, which are characteristics of the classic method, Grujic told Hina. Without the classic processing of remains and the presence of forensic experts, identification cannot be completed in full, he added. If the identity of the person is established unequivocally using the classic method, there is no need to use DNA analysis, Grujic said, stressing claims that the DNA method was being used insufficiently were unfounded. Croatia has three laboratories on premises of faculties of medicine, in Zagreb, Split and Osijek, in which remains are being identified, and all three are equipped to handle DNA identification. The laboratories are cooperating well, Grujic said, dismissing claims on disagreement among them and a "race" for remains with the aim of receiving as much support as possible from the government budget. Grujic stressed all laboratories were equipped with state-of-the- art equipment. Croatia has this year financed a part of the equipment, and the International Commission for missing persons provided assistance. As we increase the laboratories' working possibilities, so we are creating a DNA data base with blood specimens of all families searching for their loved ones, and their genetic codes, as well as those extracted from the remains, Grujic stressed. So far the data base contains 1,620 blood specimens of family members. He stressed the Office for Missing and Imprisoned Persons cooperated well with associations of Homeland Defence War soldiers. (hina) lml