ZAGREB, March 4 (Hina) - The President of the Supreme Court, Ivica Crnic, on Tuesday did not wish to confirm or deny that the Supreme Court turned down a request to secretly tap phones of the family and friends of fugitive General
Ante Gotovina, wanted by the UN war crimes tribunal, because this would violate a state secret.
ZAGREB, March 4 (Hina) - The President of the Supreme Court, Ivica
Crnic, on Tuesday did not wish to confirm or deny that the Supreme
Court turned down a request to secretly tap phones of the family and
friends of fugitive General Ante Gotovina, wanted by the UN war
crimes tribunal, because this would violate a state secret. #L#
Asked whether the Supreme Court rejected the request by the
Counter-Intelligence Service (POA) with the explanation that his
arrest was not significant to national security, as reported in a
Croatian weekly, Crnic refused to answer. He declined to say
whether he informed the government of his decision. He told Hina
that the answers to these questions could be found in the Law on
Intelligence Services.
The law explicitly prescribes that the President Supreme Court is
obliged only to give information to the Sabor relating to the work
of the secret service or rather, measures taken to secretly gather
information on certain persons. Any other behaviour would be like
disclosing confidential information.
According to experts who spoke to Hina on condition of anonymity,
these measures to tap phones can only be requested from the Supreme
Court by investigating judges pursuant to the Penal Code,
particularly since the case against Gotovina is currently being
dealt with Zagreb County Court. The case refers to the request for
his extradition to the Hague-based ICTY that has indicted this
retired Croatian general for war crimes.
Chief State Prosecutor Mladen Bajic said the State Prosecution had
not requested such measures (on bugging) but that it had taken
appropriate measures in its jurisdiction relating to the criminal
proceedings against Ante Gotovina.
(hina) sp ms sb