Military

DATE=10/24/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-268358

TITLE=WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL / BOSNIA (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=LAUREN COMITEAU

DATELINE=THE HAGUE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Judges at the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague have, for the first time ever, ordered the NATO-led stabilization force in Bosnia (known as S-FOR) to hand over information. The order is related to a case that began two years ago, when a Bosnian Serb was brought to The Hague and charged with war crimes. Lauren Comiteau has more on this legal battle.

TEXT: Stephan Todorovic is charged with crimes against humanity for orchestrating a campaign of terror and ethnic cleansing against Muslims and Croats in the Bosnian town of Bosanski Samac in 1992.

He was arrested in 1998, but Mr. Todorovic has challenged his capture. He says he was illegally kidnapped in Serbia by bounty hunters, who then handed him over to S-FOR troops in Bosnia. His lawyers have been trying to get the stabilization force to release documents they say will prove that, but S-FOR has refused to disclose them.

The stabilization force, which is responsible for arresting war-crimes suspects, says releasing that kind of information would compromise its security and make it more difficult to apprehend people in the future. But in a ruling that could have important implications in future cases, judges ruled last week not only against S-FOR, but also the countries that make up the peacekeeping force, including the United States.

They ordered the production of all S-FOR reports and tapes relating to Mr. Todorovic's arrest, and they want to know who arrested him. Judges also said they plan to subpoena the U-S Army general (Eric Shinseki) who commanded S-FOR at the time.

Prosecutors are appealing the ruling, and S-FOR says it won't comment while that legal process is going on. S-FOR has nine days in which to contest the judges' orders. (Signed)

NEB/LC/KL/WTW