OVER 80 BODIES EXHUMED FROM OVCARA MASS GRAVE

VUKOVAR, Oct 2 (Hina) - More than 80 bodies had been removed from the Ovcara mass grave so far, and more than 60 bodies were transferred to Zagreb on Monday for an autopsy that might start in the middle of the next week, International War Crimes Tribunal for ex-Yugoslavia (ICTY) forensic specialist Bill Haglund told a press conference on Wednesday at the Vukovar UNTAES headquarters (eastern Croatia). Haglund stressed that only bodies of men had been unearthed so far and added that besides bodies some objects had been also dug up such as plaster casts for broken extremities, which indicated that victims had been hospital patients. #L# The forensic expert said that remains of "at least 40 bodies" were spotted at the surface layer. The exact number of bodies would not be known until the mass grave was emptied completely, he said. He estimated that such process could end within the next five days, but it might take more or less time as well. Haglund told the conference that traumatic injuries had been found on bodies and added that the exhumation was being carried out at one-to-two-metre depths depending on positions of some bodies. Autopsies will take four to eight weeks, and no identification date will be revealed in the next weeks. Traumatic injuries on victims' bodies will be examined by specialists, according to him. International Tribunal investigator Vladimir Dzuro said the Croatian government had been agreed on the presence of Serb observers from the area in question and from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at the post mortem examinations. (hina) mš 021601 MET oct 96