 |  |  |
| Return to: Left History: a digital archive | Return to: Say no to imperialist wars! | Return to: NATO-Yugoslav War Internet Resources |
| | |
| Return to: Left History: a digital archive | Return to: Say no to imperialist wars! | Return to: NATO-Yugoslav War Internet Resources |
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) Croatia today suspended a Supreme Court decision allowing the extradition of a Bosnian Croat to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague, saying he was too sick for trial.
Mladen Naletilic was indicted on 17 counts of war crimes committed during the 1992-95 Bosnian war. On Friday, the Croatian high court agreed to extradite him to the international tribunal.
But today, Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic announced the government would postpone Naletilic's extradition because of deteriorating health. Local doctors say Naletilic is suffering from serious circulatory problems that require surgery.
Naletilic, 52, fell ill Thursday, one day before the Supreme Court approved his extradition to the international tribunal.
The tribunal has complained to the U.N. Security Council that Croatia was stalling on the extradition request for Naletilic, known by his nickname ''Tuta.'' Croatia faced sanctions for not cooperating with the tribunal.
Naletilic allegedly commanded a paramilitary unit called the ''Convicts Battalion,'' accused of some of the most brutal massacres of Muslims in southwestern Bosnia in 1993-94. He has denied the charges and said he was simply defending his country.
He was arrested by Croat police in 1997 on charges of kidnapping, assault and inciting murder. His trial was in its second year before The Hague requested his extradition.
The Croatian government wanted to keep Naletilic in Zagreb until his trial was over. But the government finally appeared to yield to threats of sanctions.
It is widely believed that Naletilic's trial would embarrass senior government figures in Croatia suspected of having ordered atrocities and ethnic-cleansing.
He is believed to have been close to the late Defense Minister Gojko Susak, and through him other top officials in Zagreb.