ICTY - FURUNDZIJA TRIAL TO BEGIN ON MONDAY

( Editorial: --> 8908 ) ZAGREB, June 4 (Hina) - The trial of the Bosnian Croat Anto Furundzija, accused on war crimes in Bosnia-Herzegovina, will begin on Monday, 8 June, before Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), said an ICTY statement released on Thursday. Trial Chamber II for the Furundzija case consists of Judges Florence Mumba, Antonio Cassese and Richard May. According to the indictment, Anto Furundzija, born in Travnik on 8 July, 1969, was during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina a commander of a special forces group within the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) called the Jokers, whose headquarters was in Vitez. The indictment charges Furundzija of being present at the questioning of two Muslim women in Vitez on 15 May 1993 when his fellow-soldiers sexually assaulted one prisoner and he did nothing to stop them. Furudzija was detained by members of the Stabilisation Force on 18 December 1997 and the following day, at his initial appearance before ICTY he pleaded not guilty. The original indictment, issued on 10 November 1995, charged Furundzija with three counts - one count for Grave Breach of the Geneva Convention and two counts for Violations of the Laws or Customs of War, torture and outrages upon personal dignity including rape. On 13 March 1998, Trial Chamber II issued an order granting leave to the Prosecutor to withdraw the breach of the Geneva Convention from the indictment. The Prosecution bench will consist of Patricia Viseur-Sellers and Michael Blaxill and the defence is represented by Luka Misetic (Lead Counsel) and Sheldon Davidson. (hina) bag/rml 041733 MET jun 98