Perisic denies ICTY war crimes charges; Oric arrested in Sarajevo

05/10/2008

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Former Yugoslav National Army (JNA) Chief of Staff Momcilo Perisic pleaded not guilty Friday (October 3rd) to charges of failing to prevent or punish crimes committed by his subordinates during the 1992-1995 conflict. Perisic is the highest-ranking former JNA officer to be tried at the UN war crimes tribunal for crimes committed during that conflict. He allegedly allowed murder and persecution of and attacks on civilians in Croatia and Bosnia.

In other news Friday, police in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) arrested former Bosniak military commander Naser Oric, who was acquitted by the UN tribunal in July. He and local businessman Damir Fazlic were detained in Sarajevo on suspicion of racketeering. Fazlic had been previously questioned in connection with the murder of former Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic. (Reuters, ICTY website, B92, Emportal, Blic, Beta, AP - 03/10/08)