RIJEKA WAR CRIMES TRIAL RIJEKA, Feb 1 (Hina) - The head of police in Gospic in late 1991 said at the war crimes trial against the so-called Gospic Group on Friday that he had given statements on a so-called deadly meeting and
execution of civilians in Pazariste to then Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and other senior political and military officials. Testifying at the Rijeka County Court, Ivan Dasovic said the official Zagreb knew about the event immediately after it had occurred, and that the government's commissioner for the Lika region at the time, Ante Karic, had notified the superiors at once. Besides the late Tudjman, Dasovic gave a statement to the head of the Service for the Protection of the Constitutional Order, Smiljan Reljic, Deputy Interior Minister Josko Moric, Ivan Milas, and generals Antun Tus and Petar Stipetic at the military general staff. Describing the events during and after the infamous deadly
RIJEKA, Feb 1 (Hina) - The head of police in Gospic in late 1991 said
at the war crimes trial against the so-called Gospic Group on Friday
that he had given statements on a so-called deadly meeting and
execution of civilians in Pazariste to then Croatian President
Franjo Tudjman and other senior political and military officials.
Testifying at the Rijeka County Court, Ivan Dasovic said the
official Zagreb knew about the event immediately after it had
occurred, and that the government's commissioner for the Lika
region at the time, Ante Karic, had notified the superiors at once.
Besides the late Tudjman, Dasovic gave a statement to the head of
the Service for the Protection of the Constitutional Order, Smiljan
Reljic, Deputy Interior Minister Josko Moric, Ivan Milas, and
generals Antun Tus and Petar Stipetic at the military general
staff.
Describing the events during and after the infamous deadly meeting
of Oct. 17, 1991, Dasovic said he did not know who had convened it
nor who had invited him to attend. In attendance were the defendants
Mirko Norac and Tihomir Oreskovic, among others, he said.
According to Dasovic, a column of vehicles headed towards a
plantation near Zitnik when a group of 8-12 people arrived in a
military lorry. They were lined up before the group from the deadly
meeting stood less than a metre away and started shooting at them.
Dasovic confirmed he had seen the defendant Oreskovic among those
who were shooting.
Testimonies were also given by the wives of three killed Croatian
Serb police officers. They all confirmed their husbands had signed
loyalty statements at the beginning of October 1991 as they wanted
to remain living in Croatia.
The trial resumes tomorrow with Dasovic testifying again.
(hina) ha sb