Del Ponte said that the main reason for her unexpected request was the fact that a week before the trial the pre-trial judge had given an oral order to the prosecution restricting the number of witnesses they could call and the time for the presentation of evidence.
Del Ponte assessed that 55 witnesses and 170 hours were not enough for the prosecution to present evidence of all the crimes Delic is charged with.
Within the given time frame, the prosecution can present evidence of crimes committed only at one location during three months, Del Ponte said, adding that such cases should be referred to national courts.
Delic is charged with failure to punish the perpetrators of crimes against Bosnian Croat prisoners and Croat Defence Council (HVO) personnel who surrendered to Bosnian Army forces in the villages of Maline and Bikosi near Travnik in central Bosnia during the 1992-1995 war.
Delic is also charged with failure to prevent the torture, killing and decapitation of Bosnian Serb soldiers in the Kamenica detention camp and to prevent the rape of three women in that camp.