HAGUE TRIBUNAL INDICTS TWO BOSNIAN CROATS

THE HAGUE, Dec 23 (Hina) - The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has indicted Mladen Naletilic (alias Tuta) and Vinko Martinovic (alias Stela) for ethnic cleansing in the area of Mostar (southern Bosnia-Herzegovina) during 1993. According to a statement released by the ICTY on Tuesday, Judge Richard May on Monday confirmed the indictment issued by Prosecutor Louise Arbour against the two Bosnian Croats, who are being charged with crimes against humanity, severe violations of the Geneva Convention and the laws and customs of war. Naletilic's indictment includes 17 counts while Martinovic is charged with 22 counts. According to the indictment, in 1993 Naletilic formed a special disciplinary battalion and became its commander. The battalion's main activities included missions on the front-line, and expulsion and attacks on Muslim civilians on the part of Bosnian territory controlled by the Croatian army and Croatian Defence Council (HVO). Martinovic was the commander of the paramilitary Croatian Armed Forces (HOS) in Mostar in 1992. He later joined Naletilic's disciplinary battalion and became the commander of one of its units. The two men are being charged according to the principle of individual responsibility and responsibility as commanders. Naletilic is currently being tried before the Zagreb County Court and is in detention. Martinovic was sentenced to eight years in prison by the Croatian judicial bodies this month. (hina) rml