SIX POLICEMEN SUSPENDED IN MOSTAR

MOSTAR, Feb 20 (Hina) - Criminal charges against six policemen have been made and submitted to the public prosecutor's office in Mostar on well-grounded suspicion that they committed an indictable offence in the February 10 events in Mostar. The charges were made against six employees of the interior ministry of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, the ministry's public relations office said on Thursday afternoon and added that crime- investigation police of the ministry, along with Mostar police administration, had started to probe causes and consequences of the distressing events on February 10, 1997 in Mostar. According to a statement by the ministry's public relations office, the six employees are suspended until the end of the probe. During an investigation of "roles, behaviour and activities of the policemen" it was established that they had overstepped their authorities and used force inappropriate to the situation at the time, the statement said. It added that crime-investigation police was continuing the probe so that the events might be completely clarified. Results of the probe and names of culprits would be made known in due course. (hina) jn mš 201933 MET feb 97