Croatian war crimes protest

Norac supporters say he is a war hero not a war criminal

ZAGREB, Croatia -- Thousands of army veterans have protested against a war crimes investigation into retired general Mirko Norac.

While prosecutors say he killed dozens of Serb civilians during Croatia's 1991 war of independence, Norac's supporters regard him as a war hero.

Protesters blocked roads across central and southern Croatia on Saturday, a day after the government appealed for calm.

Norac is wanted by the county court in Rijeka for questioning about his alleged involvement in the 1991 murder of Serb civilians.

Norac was supposed to turn himself in on Wednesday but instead disappeared, setting off a nationwide police hunt for him.

The automobile club HAK said the protest forced traffic to be diversion from the port city of Split to avoid Norac's home town of Sinj.

A section of the coast road near the town of Zadar was also closed and traffic diverted to by-roads.

Norac's officially appointed lawyer said on state television on Friday that Norac would probably give himself up if the manhunt were called off and he did not have to "be taken to court handcuffed."

More protests by war veterans are planned -- one in Split on Sunday and another one next week in Zagreb.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Croatian government

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