DEFENCE MINISTRY SUES EDITOR, REPORTERS OF GLOBUS FOR LIBEL

ZAGREB, Dec 10 (Hina) - Croatia's Defence Ministry sued the Globus weekly's editor-in-chief Davor Butkovic, journalist Vlado Vurusic and photographer Boris Beribak, for libel and insults in the weekly's report saying that "Ivica Rajic, indicted for grave war crimes in Bosnia-Herzegovina, is living in the 'Zagreb' army hotel in Split." The Defence Ministry filed the civil suit with the Zagreb municipal court. According to the suit, allegations were published at the front page of the Globus. Furthermore, the suit quoted the weekly's claims that "high-ranking intelligence sources of the Defence Ministry have said that Ivica Rajic left Croatia three days after the Globus took picture of him." The suit said that photographs of a man, published by the Globus, had been taken from a distance and that they were not clear. The Defence Ministry said it was a flagrant lie that the photographs showed Ivica Rajic in front of the hotel, and it denied allegations that any sources of the Ministry had informed the Globus of Rajic's whereabouts. The Ministry also denied allegations that it had any contact with Rajic and that it provided sanctuary for him. (hina) jn mš 101926 MET dec 96