18 BODIES EXHUMED FROM GRAVE IN DEBELO BRDO

DEBELO BRDO, Dec 14 (Hina) - Experts of the forensic institute from the northern Adriatic city of Rijeka by 14.00 hours Thursday discovered the remain of 18 persons at a local cemetery in Debelo Brdo, central Croatia. The exhumation was conducted at the request of Rijeka County Court investigation judge Sajonara Culina in a proceeding against Tihomir Oreskovic and several Gospic residents suspected of war crimes against civilians. According to the testimony of one of the witnesses before the County Court in the northern Adriatic city of Rijeka, the bodies of 24 or 25 persons of Serb nationality were buried in the mass grave in 1991. The exhumation started shortly after 9 AM and was completed by 14.00 hours. According to deputy county state prosecutor from Rijeka Doris Hrast, forensic experts were searching for the remains of 24 or 25 persons and 18 bodies were discovered. Six bodies have been exhumed over the past years by relatives of the victims. "The defence claimed there were no bodies and now transpires that the bodies do exist", Hrast said. Judge Culina told reporters in Rijeka that the investigation was being conducted adding it could be completed by March 2001. She said she would request data of the International criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The bodies have been taken to the forensic institute to be identified. (hina) it