INDICTMENT AGAINST KORDIC AND CERKEZ AMENDED

( Editorial: --> 6574 ) ZAGREB, Oct 7 (Hina) - The International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) on Wednesday confirmed an amended indictment of Dario Kordic and Mario Cerkez, Bosnian Croats indicted for war crimes. Kordic and Cerkez will reappear before the ICTY on October 14, to submit their pleas, an ICTY statement said. The amended indictment, which was accepted on September 30 by Judge Gabrielle Kirk McDonald, extends the period of time covered by the initial indictment, specifies the positions held by the accused as well as charges regarding the campaign of persecution and ethnic cleansing against Bosnian Muslims in the Lasva Valley (central Bosnia). The amended indictment aggravates the charges against the accused: both Kordic and Cerkez are now charged with 22 counts each. They were initially charged with 13 and 10 counts respectively. Kordic and Cerkez surrendered voluntarily to the Hague Tribunal in October 1997, after which they pleaded no guilty. (hina) rml 071957 MET oct 98