DATE=1/22/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-255683
TITLE=PENTAGON / WAR CRIMES (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
// EDS: CAN BE USED W/GOLLUST SHORT CR FROM WHITE HOUSE; UPDATES
GILLIAN SHARPE LONG CR W/NEW DETAILS //
INTRO: U-S AND ALLIED TROOPS HAVE CAPTURED A BOSNIAN SERB
INDICTED ON GENOCIDE CHARGES BY THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES
TRIBUNAL AT THE HAGUE. V-O-A'S DAVID SWAN HAS DETAILS.
TEXT: THE SOLDIERS ARRESTED GORAN JELISIC OUTSIDE HIS APARTMENT
BUILDING IN (THE CITY OF) BIJELJINA, IN TERRITORY DOMINATED BY
BOSNIAN SERB HARDLINERS. OFFICIALS SAY PRESIDENT CLINTON
AUTHORIZED THE MOVE DAYS AGO AND WAS AWAKENED EARLY THURSDAY AND
TOLD OF ITS SUCCESS. MR. JELISIC WAS REPORTEDLY ARMED, BUT NO
SHOTS WERE FIRED. HE WAS FLOWN TO THE HAGUE, AND IS EXPECTED IN
COURT THERE EARLY NEXT WEEK.
THE 29-YEAR-OLD SUSPECT COMMANDED THE INFAMOUS LUKA PRISON CAMP
IN NORTHEASTERN BOSNIA DURING THE WAR. HE IS ONE OF NINE PEOPLE
ACCUSED OF GENOCIDE, THE TRIBUNAL'S MOST SERIOUS CHARGE. A
PENTAGON SPOKESMAN,(NAVY) CAPTAIN MICHAEL DOUBLEDAY, SAYS MR.
JELISIC ALLEGEDLY KILLED MORE THAN 16 PEOPLE.
// DOUBLEDAY ACT //
AND HIS CRIMES INCLUDE MURDER, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY,
TORTURE, PLUNDER AND CRUEL TREATMENT.
// END ACT //
PROSECUTORS CHARGE HIS VICTIMS INCLUDE COUNTLESS MUSLIM PRISONERS
WHO WERE BURIED IN MASS GRAVES AND WHOSE IDENTITIES ARE STILL
UNKNOWN. WHILE HE IS THE THIRD ACCUSED WAR CRIMINAL CAUGHT BY
THE ALLIED PEACE FORCE, OR S-FOR, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
U-STROOPS HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD IN THE OPERATION. HOWEVER, CAPTAIN
DOUBLEDAY DENIES SUGGESTIONS OF A SHIFT IN POLICY.
// DOUBLEDAY ACT //
WAR CRIMINALS ALL ALONG HAVE KNOWN THAT IF THEY ARE
ENCOUNTERED BY S-FOR TROOPS, AND THE SITUATION IS SUCH
THAT THEY CAN BE DETAINED WITHOUT UNDUE RISK TO THE
S-FOR TROOPS, THEY WILL BE DETAINED.
// END ACT //
HOWEVER, S-FOR HAS ALSO BEEN ACCUSED OF ALLOWING WAR CRIMINALS TO
RUN FREE. U-S OFFICIALS ARE HOPING THE LATEST INCIDENT SENDS A
MESSAGE TO OTHER SUSPECTS -- 54 OF WHOM, MOSTLY BOSNIAN SERBS,
ARE STILL AT LARGE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DS/PT
22-Jan-98 3:19 PM EST (2019 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
