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DATE=4/22/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=NATO/ARREST (S & L)
NUMBER=2-261624
BYLINE=STEFAN BOS
DATELINE=BUDAPEST
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  NATO officials say a Bosnian Serb, the first 
war crimes suspect indicted by a United Nations 
tribunal, has been arrested for alleged atrocities 
committed during the Bosnian conflict.  Stefan Bos 
reports from Budapest that former prison camp 
commander Dragan Nikolic was arrested in the American 
sector of Serb-controlled northern Bosnia.
TEXT: U-N officials say peacekeepers arrested Mr. 
Nikolic late Friday and that he was later transported 
to the U-N War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague.
In a statement, NATO Secretary-General George 
Robertson said the arrest shows that, in his words, 
"those indicted war criminals who remain at large have 
no permanent hiding place."
Mr. Nikolic had already been indicted in November 1994 
by the War Crimes Tribunal for alleged atrocities 
during the Bosnian war.  During part of that conflict, 
he commanded the feared Susica prison camp for Bosnian 
Muslims, near Vlasenica, after it was taken over by 
Serb fighters in April 1992.
U-N prosecutors suspect Mr. Nikolic of killing eight 
Muslim detainees and torturing or mistreating seven 
others.  He is also accused of illegally imprisoning 
500 Bosnians and of orchestrating illegal 
deportations.
            /// REST OPT FOR LONG ///
U-N officials told reporters that Mr. Nikolic was 
arrested under what they described as "the longest 
outstanding arrest warrant at the tribunal."  They say 
the arrest of the former prison commander is the 
latest in a series of high-profile suspects arrested 
by NATO forces following years of complaints that the 
peacekeepers were not aggressive enough in bringing 
alleged war criminals to justice.
The former first chief prosecutor of the U-N Tribunal 
in The Hague, Richard Goldstone, told V-O-A in a 
recent interview that there were indications that NATO 
might soon arrest the man described as suspect number 
one - former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic.
He also referred to last month's arrest of Momcilo 
Krajisnik, a one-time senior aid to the former Serb 
leader.
            /// GOLDSTONE ACT ///
      I think it is significant that it was French 
      troops that arrested Mr. Krajisnik.  It's an 
      indication that hopefully [Mr.] Karadzic won't 
      be too far away when he joins Mr. Krasjnik in a 
      trial.
            /// END ACT ///
Mr. Goldstone says he believes that NATO and the 
United Nations are increasingly focusing their 
attention on the military and political leaders they 
hold responsible for the nationalist conflicts that 
have plagued the region.
Meanwhile, Radovan Karadzic and his former military 
chief, General Ratko Mladic, remain at large.  Mr. 
Karadzic is believed to be in Bosnia while the general 
is said to be living in the Yugoslav capital, 
Belgrade, under the protection of Yugoslav President 
Slobodan Milosevic.  (Signed)
NEB/SB/ALW/JP
22-Apr-2000 18:27 PM EDT (22-Apr-2000 2227 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.