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Croat war crimes witness killed
BBC World Service

BBC World Service
Monday, 28 August, 2000, 22:39 GMT 23:39 UK
(posted on wounded earth e-group bu Djordje Indjic)

Croat war crimes witness killed

Croatian troops are accused of massacring Serbs in Gospic

A key witness for the international war crimes tribunal's
investigation into the mass killing of Serbs in the
Croatian town of Gospic has died in an explosion.

Milan Levar was the only Croat to accuse two senior
Croat military commanders of carrying out a murderous
campaign against the Serbs in 1991.

Police said he died in a "powerful explosion" in the front
yard of his house in Kaniska Street in Gospic.

The area has been sealed off and police have begun an
investigation into the incident.

Mr Levar shocked Croatia two years ago, when he
accused Tihomir Oreskovic and Mirko Norac - military
commanders of Gospic in 1991 - of carrying out mass
executions of Serbs.

At least 100 people are suspected to have been killed
in this campaign.

Surveillance

Trouble started when minority Serbs waged a rebellion
against Croatia's declaration of independence from
Yugoslavia in 1991.

Aided by Serbia, the rebels waged a six-month war
against the Croat military.

Mr Levar was involved in organising the security of
Gospic against the Serb forces at that time.

His testimony and the evidence presented by him led to
a war crimes tribunal investigation.

In April, tribunal officials visited Gospic and found
human remains in the area.

Although no indictment has come out of the
investigations, Mr Levar had been receiving constant
death threats.

Police had even put him under surveillance to foil
possible assassination attempts.