UN investigators arrest Bosnian Serb army officer

United Nations investigators working with US troops have arrested a Bosnian Serb army officer suspected of war crimes in Europe’s biggest massacre since the Second World War.

Dragan Obrenovic, former chief of staff of a Bosnian Serb unit, was indicted by a UN war crimes tribunal on charges that he participated in the July 1995 attack against Muslims in the eastern enclave of Srebrenica during Bosnia’s 1992-1995 war.

Details of his arrest yesterday were unclear, but Bosnian Serb Television said he was detained by three men and one woman in the Bosnian town of Zvornik and was rushed away in a car.

Police were notified by witnesses and stopped the car, then let it go after they realised who the officials were, the station said.

The arrest was confirmed by the White House, which called such arrests an ‘‘essential step in consolidating the peace and promoting the rule of law in Bosnia’’.

The White House said Obrenovic would be transferred to the tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. Another Bosnian commander, General Radislav Krstic, is already on trial for his alleged role at Srebrenica after having been apprehended in December 1998.

Obrenovic’s lawyer, Krstan Simic, told Bosnian Serb Television his indictment was kept secret. Obrenovic had previously co-operated with the investigators, the lawyer said.

‘‘I am shocked by this arrest,’’ Simic said.

Simic said he was ‘‘appalled’’ by the fact the indictment against Obrenovic was kept secret. He said Obrenovic had previously said he was ready to surrender if the court issued an indictment against him.

Srebrenica was a so-called safe zone protected by the United Nations. During the war, Serb forces overran the town, killing up to 7,500 Muslims and Croats and expelling the rest of the Muslim population.

The White House statement said blame should also be borne by Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb political leader during the war, and military leader General Ratko Mladic.

‘‘Srebrenica represents one of the darkest episodes in the recent tragedy that befell Bosnia,’’ it said. ‘‘This barbaric operation was conducted under the overall command of Radovan Karadzic and General Ratko Mladic, who are also indicted by the US and who also deserve to face justice in The Hague.’’