ZUROFF RESPONDS TO SAKIC'S ACCUSATIONS

ZAGREB/JERUSALEM, Sept 30 (Hina) - The Simon Wiesenthal Centre from Jerusalem on Thursday issued a statement responding to claims which the former commander of the Jasenovac concentration camp, Dinko Sakic, made during his presentation of the closing argument at his Zagreb trial, accusing the Centre's director Efraim Zuroff and the head of the Belgrade Museum of the Victims of Genocide, Milan Bulajic, of being responsible for his trial. #L# In a statement published in Jerusalem, Zuroff repeated that the Centre intended to reinforce efforts aimed at bringing the perpetrators of the Holocaust before justice. In this sense, the trial of Sakic is a significant success, said Zuroff. He said the Centre was extremely proud that it had played an important role in locating, extraditing and issuing an indictment against Sakic. The Centre will continue working in the best way it can in persecuting Nazi killers, since the passage of time can in no way lessen their crimes, Zuroff added. Zuroff said the eyes of the international community would be turned to Croatia on Monday during the pronunciation of Sakic's verdict. The crimes which Sakic had committed and which were uncovered during the trial speak for themselves and increase the need for justice, Zuroff said, announcing his attendance at the pronunciation of the verdict, to take place on Monday noon. (hina) rml