Voice of America, 01-08-02

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From: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA/ARRESTS (L-O) BY STEFAN BOS (BUDAPEST)

[02] BOSNIA/ARRESTS (L-O) BY STEFAN BOS (BUDAPEST)

[03] MACEDONIA (L ONLY) BY JEFF BIELEY (OHRID)

[04] BOSNIA / WAR CRIMES / ALTERNATE (L ONLY) BY LAUREN COMITEAU (THE HAGUE)

[05] BOSNIA / WAR CRIMES (L) BY ROGER WILKISON (BRUSSELS)

[06] BOSNIA / WAR CRIMES (S) BY ROGER WILKISON (BRUSSELS)

[07] BOSNIA / WAR CRIMES (S) BY ROGER WILKISON (BRUSSELS)

[01] BOSNIA/ARRESTS (L-O) BY STEFAN BOS (BUDAPEST)

INTRO: The government of the Muslin-Croat federation within Bosnia-Herzegovina says it has arrested three Muslim military officers wanted by the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. Stefan Bos in Budapest says that at least two of them reportedly have already been handed over to The Hague Tribunal.

TEXT: The Muslim-Croat federation authorities said late Thursday that two retired army generals and an active brigadier voluntarily surrendered to local police, after they had been served with the Constitutional Court's extradition decision. Government officials said the Court ordered their detention and subsequent extradition on the basis of secret indictments and arrest warrants from The Netherlands-based United Nations War Crimes Tribunal. Prosecution spokeswoman Florence Hartmann confirmed to The Associated Press that indictments have been handed to authorities in Sarajevo, but she refused to release names or other details. In a statement, the government named the generals as Mehmed Alagic and Enver Hadzihasanovic and the brigadier as Amir Kubura. Muslim-Croat federation police reportedly detained the former generals early Thursday and soon escorted them to flights to The Hague. But police officials were not available for comment or confirmation. Observers say that generals Alagic and Hadzihasanovic would be the highest-ranking Muslims so far to be transferred to the U.N. Tribunal on suspicion of war-crimes. General Alagic was reportedly arrested at his family home in Sanski Most while General Hadzihasanovic was picked up in his home in Sarajevo. Ministry of Defense officials said Brigadier Kubura, a wartime commander of the so-called seventh Muslim brigade of the Bosnian Army, was also detained in the Bosnian Capital. General Alagic retired after the war and was elected head of the Sanski Most municipality. He was later removed from the post and earlier this year sentenced by a local court to four years in prison on charges of abuse of power. General Hadzihasanovic held several army posts during the war and became commander of the Third Corps. He was then promoted to the post of chief of staff of the Muslim-Croat federation army's joint command, before retiring last year. The latest developments are seen as a sign that the Muslim-Croat federation, one of two highly-autonomous entities in ethnically-divided Bosnia Herzegovina, is willing to cooperate with The Hague Tribunal. In 1996, the federation arrested and extradited to The Hague two Muslims who were later sentenced to 15 and 20 years in prison for war crimes they committed against Serbs in a detention camp near Sarajevo, during the war. The other entity, the Serb Republic, only last month drafted a proposed law on cooperation with The Hague tribunal. But the law has not received final approval and the Serb Republic has not yet arrested any war crimes suspects, although most of about 40 wanted men are believed to be hiding there. NATO-led peacekeepers have arrested about 20 Bosnian Serb and Croat war crimes suspects since 1996. However tribunal prosecutors have pressured NATO to do more to arrest the key war crimes suspects, former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic and his wartime military advisor Ratko Mladic. Both wartime leaders have been indicted, but remain at large. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/FC SLUG: 2-278923 Bosnia/Arrests (L-O) DATE: NOTE NUMBER:

[02] BOSNIA/ARRESTS (L-O) BY STEFAN BOS (BUDAPEST)

INTRO: The government of the Muslin-Croat federation within Bosnia-Herzegovina says it has arrested three Muslim military officers wanted by the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. Stefan Bos in Budapest says that at least two of them reportedly have already been handed over to The Hague Tribunal.

TEXT: The Muslim-Croat federation authorities said late Thursday that two retired army generals and an active brigadier voluntarily surrendered to local police, after they had been served with the Constitutional Court's extradition decision. Government officials said the Court ordered their detention and subsequent extradition on the basis of secret indictments and arrest warrants from The Netherlands-based United Nations War Crimes Tribunal. Prosecution spokeswoman Florence Hartmann confirmed to The Associated Press that indictments have been handed to authorities in Sarajevo, but she refused to release names or other details. In a statement, the government named the generals as Mehmed Alagic and Enver Hadzihasanovic and the brigadier as Amir Kubura. Muslim-Croat federation police reportedly detained the former generals early Thursday and soon escorted them to flights to The Hague. But police officials were not available for comment or confirmation. Observers say that generals Alagic and Hadzihasanovic would be the highest-ranking Muslims so far to be transferred to the U.N. Tribunal on suspicion of war-crimes. General Alagic was reportedly arrested at his family home in Sanski Most while General Hadzihasanovic was picked up in his home in Sarajevo. Ministry of Defense officials said Brigadier Kubura, a wartime commander of the so-called seventh Muslim brigade of the Bosnian Army, was also detained in the Bosnian Capital. General Alagic retired after the war and was elected head of the Sanski Most municipality. He was later removed from the post and earlier this year sentenced by a local court to four years in prison on charges of abuse of power. General Hadzihasanovic held several army posts during the war and became commander of the Third Corps. He was then promoted to the post of chief of staff of the Muslim-Croat federation army's joint command, before retiring last year. The latest developments are seen as a sign that the Muslim-Croat federation, one of two highly-autonomous entities in ethnically-divided Bosnia Herzegovina, is willing to cooperate with The Hague Tribunal. In 1996, the federation arrested and extradited to The Hague two Muslims who were later sentenced to 15 and 20 years in prison for war crimes they committed against Serbs in a detention camp near Sarajevo, during the war. The other entity, the Serb Republic, only last month drafted a proposed law on cooperation with The Hague tribunal. But the has not received final approval and the Serb Republic has not yet arrested any war crimes suspects, although most of about 40 wanted men are believed to be hiding there. NATO-led peacekeepers have arrested about 20 Bosnian Serb and Croat war crimes suspects since 1996. However tribunal prosecutors have pressured NATO to do more to arrest the key war crimes suspects, former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic and his wartime military advisor Ratko Mladic. Both wartime leaders have been indicted, but remain at large. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/FC SLUG: 2-278916 Macedonia (L-O) DATE: NOTE NUMBER:

[03] MACEDONIA (L ONLY) BY JEFF BIELEY (OHRID)

INTRO: Macedonia's prime minister said today (Thursday) that before the government signs an accord to end months of fighting, ethnic-Albanian rebels must give up territory they now hold. As Jeff Bieley reports, the prime minister's remarks, made on the country's national holiday, cast a shadow over peace talks set to resume Friday.

TEXT: Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski said even if a peace deal is struck with ethnic-Albanian political leaders, signing it under duress would bring shame on the country. In a speech marking Macedonia's national day, Mr. Georgievski said he hoped negotiations to end an ethnic Albanian insurgency would be successful. But he went on to say that Macedonians would be humiliated if an accord were signed now, while what he called "terrorists" are occupying dozens of villages near the borders with Albania and Kosovo.

[04] BOSNIA / WAR CRIMES / ALTERNATE (L ONLY) BY LAUREN COMITEAU (THE HAGUE)

INTRO: Judges at the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague have handed down their first genocide conviction. Bosnian Serb general Radislav Krstic was found guilty of genocide for his role in massacres in Srebrenica in 1995 and sentenced to 46 years in prison. Lauren Comiteau has more from The Hague.

TEXT: This is a historic moment for the tribunal and a clear victory for prosecutors. Not only did judges rule in their favor on all counts, but they have established -- for the first time -- that genocide was committed in Bosnia. Presiding Judge Almiro Rodrigues said that although Krstic didn't make the decision to execute between seven-thousand and eight-thousand Muslim men after the fall of Srebrenica, he nevertheless knowingly agreed to an evil plan. Judge Rodrigues spoke through an interpreter.

[05] BOSNIA / WAR CRIMES (L) BY ROGER WILKISON (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: The International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague has convicted a former Bosnian Serb general of genocide for his participation in the 1995 killing of thousands of Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica. V-O-A Correspondent Roger Wilkison reports it is the first time that anyone has been convicted of genocide for crimes committed in Europe.

TEXT: The court sentenced 53-year-old Radislav Krstic to 46 years in prison for genocide and the persecution of thousands of Bosnian Muslims after Bosnian Serb forces overran the United Nations safe haven of Srebrenica in July 1995. It is the harshest sentence handed down so far by the tribunal. General Krstic had pleaded not guilty to genocide and the other charges against him. He denied responsibility for the killing of seven thousand to eight thousand Muslim men and boys that followed the Bosnian Serb army's capture of Srebrenica. General Krstic argued that his superior officer, General Ratko Mladic, gave the orders for the execution. But the tribunal ruled that General Krstic knew that massacres were taking place. Judge Almiro Rodrigues, speaking through an interpreter, said though the responsibility of others may be greater, General Krstic was guilty of agreeing to a plan to execute Srebrenica's men and boys of fighting age.

[06] BOSNIA / WAR CRIMES (S) BY ROGER WILKISON (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: The International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague has convicted a former Bosnian Serb general of genocide for his participation in the 1995 killing of thousands of Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica. The court sentenced him to 46 years in prison. V-O-A Correspondent Roger Wilkison reports it is the first time that anyone has been convicted of genocide for crimes committed in Europe.

TEXT: Fifty-three-year-old Radislav Krstic was found guilty of genocide for agreeing to a plan to execute between seven-thousand and eight-thousand Bosnian Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, a United Nations safe haven that was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995. General Krstic had pleaded not guilty to genocide and other charges, such as persecution and forced deportation of Muslims. But Judge Almiro Rodrigues ruled that, though somebody else probably ordered the executions, General Krstic agreed that they should take place. The judge also ruled that General Krstic had knowingly taken part in the forced transfer of thousands of Bosnian Muslim women, children and old people from Srebrenica. In a lengthy summary of the facts, the judge said the Bosnian Serb forces executed nearly all of the seven to eight-thousand men they captured over a seven-day period. Describing the events at Srebrenica as a killing spree, Judge Rodrigues said not a single Serb was punished for the massacre, considered Europe's worst atrocity since World War Two. (Signed)
NEB/RE/GE/JWH SLUG: 2-278901 Bosnia / War Crimes (S) DATE: NOTE NUMBER:

[07] BOSNIA / WAR CRIMES (S) BY ROGER WILKISON (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: The International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague has convicted a former Bosnian Serb general of genocide for his participation in the 1995 killing of thousands of Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica. The court sentenced him to 46 years in prison. V-O-A Correspondent Roger Wilkison reports it is the first time that anyone has been convicted of genocide for crimes committed in Europe since the end of World War Two

TEXT: Fifty-three-year-old Radislav Krstic was found guilty of genocide for agreeing to a plan to execute between seven-thousand and eight-thousand Bosnian Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, a United Nations safe haven that was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995. General Krstic had pleaded not guilty to genocide and other charges, such as persecution and forced deportation of Muslims. But Judge Almiro Rodrigues ruled that, though somebody else probably ordered the executions, General Krstic agreed that they should take place. The judge also ruled that General Krstic had knowingly taken part in the forced transfer of thousands of Bosnian Muslim women, children and old people from Srebrenica. In a lengthy summary of the facts, the judge said the Bosnian Serb forces executed nearly all of the seven to eight-thousand men they captured over a seven-day period. Describing the events at Srebrenica as a killing spree, Judge Rodrigues said not a single Serb was punished for the massacre, considered Europe's worst atrocity since World War Two. (Signed)
NEB/RE/GE/JWH

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