MOSTAR: EIGHT BOSNIAK WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS SURRENDER

MOSTAR, Nov 15 (Hina) - Eight Bosniaks from Mostar, southern Bosnia-Herzegovina, accused of war crimes against civilians and prisoners of war in the settlements of Bijelo Polje and Gnojnica, surrendered to the cantonal court this week and are currently detained at the Mostar court, Stefo Lehmann, spokesman for the U.N. Mission's office in Mostar told reporters on Wednesday. Welcoming the voluntary surrenders, Lehmann said an arrest warrant had previously been issued against nine Bosniaks, but one was still at large. These are the first voluntary surrenders of Bosniaks suspected of war crimes against Croats during the Croat-Muslim conflict of 1993. According to a recent decision by the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague, they will be tried at the Mostar Cantonal Court. Lehmann said the cantonal prosecutor had to amend the indictments of another 12 Bosniaks, who should also be tried in Mostar according to the Hague tribunal's decision. According to Lehmann, the cantonal court in Mostar will soon issue detention and arrest warrants for those 12 Bosniaks, suspected of crimes committed against prisoners of war in a building in the eastern part of Mostar. Lehmann said the cantonal court had decided on separate trials of five Croat war crimes suspects from Mostar, of whom three surrendered in the past months. The trial of the three Croats who are currently detained at the cantonal court prison, will start on November 23 this year, while the other two will be tried in absence if they do not surrender or are not arrested by the police. Lehmann criticised the local police for failing to arrest the two Croats estimating the police had acted as political police, and not as professionals who should protect the rule of law. (hina) rml