ZAGREB, July 15 (Hina) - The trial of war crimes suspect and commander of a Croatian World War Two concentration camp, Dinko Sakic, resumed at the Zagreb County Court on Thursday with the defendant's statement regarding the recently
expanded indictment. Sakic said he refutes "all new incriminations I have been charged with," and reiterated his earlier plea of not guilty. He is charged with war crimes against civilians committed in Croatia during WW2.
ZAGREB, July 15 (Hina) - The trial of war crimes suspect and
commander of a Croatian World War Two concentration camp, Dinko
Sakic, resumed at the Zagreb County Court on Thursday with the
defendant's statement regarding the recently expanded
indictment.
Sakic said he refutes "all new incriminations I have been charged
with," and reiterated his earlier plea of not guilty. He is charged
with war crimes against civilians committed in Croatia during
WW2.#L#
Zagreb County State Attorney Radovan Santek altered the factual
description of the crime by further charging Sakic with personally
killing an unnamed inmate who had stolen a corncob, and by being
responsible for the death of an undetermined number of inmates shot
at from the camp command headquarters in the so called "hunting
game".
The count of the indictment which refers to the selection and
killing of ill and for work unfit inmates from the hospital,
inmates' barracks, and during musters, was expanded. It now states
that according to earlier compiled lists, an undetermined number of
inmates were from time to time selected during night-time from
their barracks, and subsequently killed, most frequently at
Gradina, a site near the Jasenovac camp.
The expanded count states the selections were frequent in the
autumn of 1944 when, according to the indictment, the camp was
commanded by the defendant.
Speaking about the alleged murder of the inmate who stole a corncob,
Sakic said it did not happen. He said he did not participate in the
"hunting game" nor anything similar either, pointing out it was the
"product of one witness' imagination."
The defendant assessed as untruths the accusations that groups of
civilians were brought to and executed in Jasenovac between August
and October 1944.
"All this represents a fabrication of events, just like the two
trials held in the former Yugoslavia. It could happen again, in
possible trials against Croats in Argentina and other countries,
being prepared just because they fought against criminal
Yugoslavia," Sakic said, adding he would answer no more questions.
In the wake of the expanded indictment, Sakic's defence attorneys
suggested that three witnesses be re-interrogated, some witnesses
be confronted, and a new one interrogated.
"In the interest of a just trial, I demand that the last possibility
of interrogation be used, regardless of the trial's length or cost,
because all else would lead to an unfair trial," said defence
attorney Ivan Kern.
He submitted a copy of a 1944 calendar to compare specific dates
with dates some witnesses referred to, in order to check their
statements.
Defence Attorney Branko Seric proposed Rama, Bosnia, -based Ante
Mestrovic as the new witness. As a member of the Ustashi Youth he
stayed at the Jasenovac camp in 1943 and 1944. Seric said Mestrovic
should be interrogated given his knowledge of Sakic's tasks and
activities in the incriminating period.
After two-hour consultations, the panel of judges rejected the
proposed re-interrogation of three witnesses. Panel president
Drazen Tripalo said the witnesses had been questioned thoroughly
and that a re-interrogation would represent an unnecessary
repetition of the same evidence.
The panel assessed the confrontation of witnesses would represent
inappropriate evidence, but agreed to the suggestion to check the
calendar and interrogate Mestrovic.
Commenting on the claims Sakic and his defence made on the course of
the trial, Tripalo said, "the assessments that the trial is unfair,
fabricated, and lacking in seriousness, are inappropriate." The
regularity of the trial is judged by a higher court, he added.
"This panel is making maximum effort to establish facts, therefore
such views could be evaluated as pressure on the court which has to
be eliminated," Tripalo said.
The trial will resume on August 30.
(hina) ha jn