Croat court orders detention of MP for war crime

ZAGREB, Oct 23 (Reuters) A Croatian court has ordered the arrest of an influential parliament deputy suspected of atrocities against Serb civilians during Croatia's 1991-95 independence war, state news agency Hina said today.

The Zagreb county court ordered the detention of Branimir Glavas, who is under investigation for the abduction, torture and murder of Serbs in the eastern city of Osijek in late 1991 and early 1992, when he was in charge of the city's defence.

Glavas, who has denied wrongdoing, is the highest-ranking Croat official investigated for war crimes since the country, which hopes to join the EU by 2010, started coming to terms with its atrocities.

The state prosecution has twice demanded his detention, citing his potential influence on witnesses, but the requests were rejected. This time the court accepted the prosecution's arguments.

Glavas can still appeal against the court's detention order.

After completing the investigation, the judge is due to decide whether to indict him.

Glavas was among the founders of the ruling conservative HDZ party before being expelled last year after clashing with Prime Minister Ivo Sanader over Sanader's pro-European policies.

A parliamentary committee decided on Monday to lift Glavas's immunity from detention after eastern Osjecko-Baranjska county state prosecution linked Glavas with killings of Serb civilians in Osijek.

In a move police described as ''the final success of a long investigation'' Croatia arrested at the weekend six former members of its armed forces suspected of committing war crimes against Serbs in Osijek.

Human rights groups have long pressed authorities to find the perpetrators behind the killings of ethnic Serbs in Osijek, which was a target of heavy shelling by rebel Serbs and the Yugoslav army at the beginning of the war.

REUTERS AB HT2335