FORMER PRESIDENT OF B'NAI B'RITH TO ATTEND SAKIC'S TRIAL

WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Hina) - The former president of B'nai B'rith, Tommy Baer, will attend the trial against Dinko Sakic, at the invitation of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman. Dinko Sakic is in the process of being investigated by the Zagreb County judge as former commander of the Jasenovac concentration camp during the Independent State of Croatia (NDH 1941-1945). B'nai B'rith issued a statement in Washington on Tuesday stating that Baer, as an attorney and former district attorney, had all the expert qualifications to attend the trial. This Jewish organisation has been heading the process of Sakic's extradition to Croatia as soon as they had become aware of his whereabouts in Argentina, since January 1995. It is the opinion of American law experts that in Croatian law, Article 120, under which Sakic is accused, by definition deals with war crimes. Under this article, Sakic could be sentenced to a prison term to five to 20 years, the statement said. The State Attorney has the right to extend the indictment to acts defined in Article 119, meaning that he could be also indicted of genocide. B'nai B'rith warned that the issue of witness protection in the case causes concern. The witnesses are mainly elderly persons, and even if they were in any physical condition to testify, they are reluctant to do so because of true or possible threats, the organisation said. Because of this, and the fact that some witnesses reside outside of Croatia, B'nai B'rith suggested that Croatian authorities consent to a televised trial and in some instances, a trial out of court, where a key witness would be heard on the field. The organisation has called on all possible witnesses residing in the United States, and said that several people had already contacted their base office in Washington. (hina) lml