ZUROFF REJECTS ACCUSATIONS OF INTERFERENCE IN SAKIC TRIAL

( Editorial: --> 5326 ) ZAGREB, July 3 (Hina) - The director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem, Efraim Zuroff, has rejected claims that his statements on the trial of World War II Jasenovac concentration camp commander Dinko Sakic were a "very harsh encroachment upon the independence of judicial authorities of a sovereign state". I do not have any intention of interfering or putting pressure on the court. I have not read the material evidence given that I am familiar with the facts and I gave my assessment of the situation, Zuroff said in a statement on Thursday for Croatian Television (HTV). Earlier on Thursday, Zagreb County Court president Miroslav Sumanovic expressed his concern over comments made by Zuroff, published in that day's edition of "Vecernji List", relating to the Sakic case. According to the Zagreb newspaper, Zuroff said "evidence against Dinko Sakic exists and it is firm, clear and indisputable", and that if the court delivered an exculpatory verdict "it would mean that the Croatian state was a farce as well as the Croatian judiciary, and the whole world will know about it". Sumanovic assessed that Zuroff's statements represented a "very harsh encroachment upon the independence of judicial authorities of a sovereign state" and "exerted direct pressure on the court regarding the outcome of the case". Zuroff told HTV he was convinced by the available information on the events that Sakic was guilty of serious crimes. I believe that the court will arrive to the same conclusion, Zuroff said, adding that this of course was its job. But as a historian engaged in researching the Holocaust, I am an expert for these issues and I believe I have a right to assess the situation, Zuroff said. (Hina) mbr jn 031219 MET jul 98