Third trial for militia accused of martial law killings of Wujek miners

ZOMO militia members are being tried for a third time over the killing of six miners in Katowice 23 years ago during the rule of martial law. The militia opened fire on workers at the Wujek mine, in Silesia, when they were called-in to pacify strikers. The ZOMO officers were found not guilty at the original trial in 1993. Later, due to loopholes in the law, an administrative court cancelled the verdict. However, a subsequent trial, which started in 1999, returned the same verdict. Last year the appeal court decided that the case should be investigated yet again. Yesterday, shortly after 17 ZOMO officers heard the prosecution present its case the trial was almost suspended. The reason for the halt in proceedings lay with Henryk Bojda, one of Wujek demonstrators, who wanted to exercise his right as a lay prosecutor. Fortunately his outburst did not stop the court proceedings. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A3) J.J.