Serb commander to face war crimes tribunal

A Serbian military commander indicted for war crimes has been handed over to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.

There are calls for the government in Belgrade to follow up the handover of Miroslav Radic with those of all other war crimes indictees in Serbia and Montenegro, including the former Serb military chief Ratko Mladic.

Action to ensure that all suspects face the tribunal in the Netherlands would pave the way for closer European Union co-operation with Belgrade, he said.

Radic was a captain in the Yugoslav army and commanded a special infantry unit allegedly involved in atrocities near Vukovar in Croatia during the Balkan wars of the 1990s.

He has been in custody in Serbia since April 21 and was yesterday transferred to The Hague to face trial.

Britain's Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, said that the transfer was an important indication of the Serbia and Montenegro government’s determination to co-operate fully with the ICTY. He urged other indictees to surrender to the Belgrade authorities.

He said: “Miroslav Radic’s transfer to The Hague is a significant and welcome step forward by the new Serbia and Montenegro government. If the Serbia and Montenegro leadership actively fulfil all their obligations to ICTY, it would represent the turning point for Serbia and Montenegro’s co-operation.

“I look forward to the transfer to The Hague of all those ICTY indictees remaining on Serbia and Montenegro territory, including Mladic. I understand that two other indictees – (Jovica) Stanisic and (Franko) Simatovic – are currently in custody; they should be transferred without delay.

“Other indictees at large should surrender, as Miroslav Radic has done, to help the Serbia and Montenegro authorities fulfil their international obligations. If they do not, the Serbia and Montenegro authorities should take all steps necessary to ensure their rapid detention and transfer.

“Furthermore, I urge the Serbia and Montenegro government to allow the ICTY full access to the documents and witnesses requested. This will help us to achieve our joint aim of closer European integration for Serbia and Montenegro.”