TRIAL OF SUSPECTS IN PAKRACKA POLJANA CASE STARTS

( Editorial: --> 1934 ) ZAGREB, Sept 21 (Hina) - The trial of eight people accused in the "Pakracka Poljana" case started on Monday before the Zagreb County Court panel of judges, chaired by Judge Mirko Klinzic. They have been accused of serious crimes including murder, maltreatment and extortion in the Pakracka Poljana area (about 100km south-east from Zagreb) during 1991. All of the accused were Croatian Interior Ministry reservists in 1991. They committed the criminal acts outside of their regular defence duties in the war, motivated by a desire for revenge and self-interests, according to the plaintiff's statement. All of the accused on Monday announced they would remain silent during the trial. The panel of judges accepted the defence's request to release from custody Munib Suljic and Igor Mikola on 75,000 German marks bail. Suljic, Mikola and Sinisa Rimac have been accused of murdering Aleksandar Antic in the Pakracka Poljana area. The rest of the indictees - Miro Bajramovic, Zvonimir Zakosek, Zvonimir Prosinecki, Branko Seric, and Zoran Karlovic - have been accused of many offences including illegal arrests, extortion and causing serious bodily harm. (Hina) it jn /mbr 211643 MET sep 98