Case No.: IT-01-45-PT

IN TRIAL CHAMBER II

Before:
Judge Carmel Agius, Presiding
Judge Kevin Parker
Judge Christine Van Den Wyngaert

Registrar:
Mr. Hans Holthuis

Order of:
26 April 2006

PROSECUTOR

v.

ANTE GOTOVINA

_______________________

DECISION ON DEFENCE MOTION FOR EXTENSION OF TIME

_______________________

The Office of the Prosecutor:

Mr Alan Tieger
Ms Laurie Sartorio
Ms Prashanthi Mahindaratne
Ms Heike Bock

Counsel for the Defence

Mr Luka S. Misetic
Mr Gregory Kehoe

TRIAL CHAMBER II of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 (the "Chamber" and the "Tribunal");

BEING SEIZED OF "Defendant Ante Gotovina’s Motion for Extension of Time to File Preliminary Motions Pursuant to Rule 72" filed on 21 April 2006 ("Motion"), whereby the Defence requests an extension of time of one week, i.e. until 28 April 2006, to file its Rule 72 motions challenging the proposed joinder indictment;

NOTING that the Pre-Trial Judge indicated during the Status Conference held on 7 April 2006 pursuant to Rule 65bis of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence ("Rules"), that the Defence shall file, if it so wishes, preliminary motions pursuant to Rule 72 of the Rules challenging the proposed joinder indictment by 21 April 2006;

NOTING that Rule 127(A)(i) of the Rules allows the Trial Chamber to grant a motion for extension of time upon a showing of good cause;

NOTING the Defence submission’s according to which, inter alia, due to the schedule of Defence counsel, it has not yet had an opportunity to complete its work on its Rule 72 motions;

NOTING that as recalled by the Trial Chamber in its "Decision on the Defence Motion for Extension of Time" issued on 29 March 2006, defence counsel have recently been admitted in the present case to represent the Accused Gotovina before the Tribunal;

CONSIDERING that the Defence has shown good cause for an extension of time and have requested a reasonable period of one extra week;

PURSUANT TO Rules 54 and 127(A)(i) of the Rules,

HEREBY GRANTS the Motion and

ORDERS that the Defence of the Accused Gotovina shall submit its motions pursuant to Rule 72 of the Rules by 28 April 2006.

Done in English and French, the English version being authoritative.

Dated this twenty-sixth day of April 2006
At The Hague
The Netherlands

____________________________
Judge Carmel Agius
Presiding

[Seal of the Tribunal]