MILAN BOGIC TESTIFIES IN PRE-TRIAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST DINKO SAKIC

( Editorial: --> 2129 ) ZAGREB, Aug 6 (Hina) - The Zagreb County Court investigating judge on Thursday heard the testimony of Milan Bogic (aged 78) in the pre- trial proceedings against Dinko Sakic, commander of the Jasenovac concentration camp during World War II. The witness said he did not know who Sakic was only until recently. Together with about 100 other persons Bogic was arrested in Osijek in May 1943 as a secretary to a local Communist Party committee. After the arrest, he was transported to the Stara Gradiska concentration camp, where he remained until May 1944. In May 1944 Bogic managed to escape while he was cutting down trees with two other inmates in a makeshift camp in the village of Jablanovac. Bogic and one of his fellow-inmates escaped while the third one was killed on the wire fence while trying to escape. After the escape, Bogic joined the Partisan movement on Mt Kozara and remained with Partisans until the end of the war. In his testimony Bogic spoke about bad food and poor sanitary conditions in the camp and the maltreatment of inmates but said he had not heard about Sakic during his imprisonment. The pre-trial proceedings continue tomorrow with the testimony of Bogic's wife Cecilija Cokljat (aged 79). (hina) rml 061555 MET aug 98