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Verdict due over Croatia massacre Two jailed over Croatia massacre
(about 2 hours later)
The UN tribunal in The Hague is to hand down verdicts on three former Yugoslav Army officers accused of massacring civilians in Croatia in 1991. The UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague has convicted two former Yugoslav Army officers accused of massacring civilians in Croatia in 1991.
Mile Mrksic, Miroslav Radic and Veselin Sljivancanin face life sentences over the deaths of 250 people sheltering at a hospital in Vukovar town. A third man has been acquitted of involvement in the the deaths of at least 194 people who were sheltering at a hospital in Vukovar town.
The three defendants deny murder, torture and persecution. All three defendants denied charges of murder, torture and persecution.
Croats regard the siege of Vukovar by the Serb-dominated Yugoslav Army as a key event in the war for independence.
Some 1,000 of the town's residents died during the fighting in November 1991 and another 5,000 were taken prisoner.Some 1,000 of the town's residents died during the fighting in November 1991 and another 5,000 were taken prisoner.
Croats regard the siege of Vukovar by the Serb-dominated Yugoslav Army as a key event in the war for independence.
Mile Mrksic was sentenced by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to 20 years' imprisonment for murder and torture.
Another officer, Veselin Sljivancanin, was sentenced to five years' jail on charges of torture, but was acquitted on charges of extermination.
The third defendant, Miroslav Radic, was acquitted.
Mass gravesMass graves
At the start of the war in Croatia, hundreds of refugees, hoping to be evacuated in the presence of international observers, gathered at the Vukovar hospital.At the start of the war in Croatia, hundreds of refugees, hoping to be evacuated in the presence of international observers, gathered at the Vukovar hospital.
Prosecutors say the Yugoslav Army handed 400 Croats and non-Serbs over to Serb rebel forces.Prosecutors say the Yugoslav Army handed 400 Croats and non-Serbs over to Serb rebel forces.
They say officers such as Mr Sljivancanin, Mr Mrksic and Mr Radic should have known what would happen to the victims. The victims were forced on to buses and taken to a remote location where they were killed and buried in mass graves, according to the indictment.
The victims were forced on to buses and taken to a remote location where at least 264 of them were killed and buried in mass graves, according to the indictment. The men were also accused of trying to cover up the murders afterwards.
The men are also accused of trying to cover up the murders afterwards. After more than seven years on the run, the three were arrested and transferred to the UN tribunal in 2002 and 2003.
After more than seven years on the run, the three were arrested and transferred to the UN International War Crimes Tribunal in 2002 and 2003.
The Vukovar massacre is specifically mentioned in the indictment against the former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.
In 2005, a court in Serbia gave 14 former Serb militiamen prison terms ranging from five to 20 years for their involvement in the massacre.In 2005, a court in Serbia gave 14 former Serb militiamen prison terms ranging from five to 20 years for their involvement in the massacre.