CASE MARTIC OPENS - VECERNJI LIST COMMENT PIECE

THE HAGUE, Feb 27 (Hina) - Today's issue of Zagreb-based daily of Vecernji List carries a comment piece "The Case Martic Opens". The article comments on court hearing which started Tuesday at the International war crimes tribunal in The Hague (ICTY) over last year's rocket attack on Zagreb. The Tribunal's prosecutor brought charges against the leader of the Serb separatists in Croatia Milan Martic, who was indicted for giving orders to attack three Croatian cities, including Zagreb. On May 2 and 3, 1995, Zagreb was attacked with Orkan (hurricane) shells which carry cluster bomb warheads that spray shrapnel over a wide area. The shells (as such, forbidden by the Geneva convention) killed seven and wounded 236 civilians. The Vecernji List author, Visnja Staresina, recalls that in a following television appearance Martic had said that he had personally ordered the attack. "After the hearing the Tribunal can confirm the charges, issue a warrant of arrest and notify the UN Security Council about everything. It can also extend the bill of indictment," Staresina says, adding that the option would be the most interesting one. "To accuse Martic merely of breach of law of war is way below his 'merits'", Staresina adds. The commentator questions whether and will his case be used as an example of Serbian genocide politics in Croatia directed from another country. "Those familiar with the situation should remain skeptical," she says. "There is a much stronger argument for the extension of the indictment -- Vukovar. It inevitably leads to the real address -- Belgrade and it is therefore strange that it accounts for Zagreb 1995 instead of Vukovar 1991. "Perhaps it's just a matter of politics, perhaps Dayton is moving to The Hague," the article concludes. (Hina) jn ns 271529 MET feb 96