The former commander of a rebel Serb paramilitary unit in Croatia is accused of ordering the torture, killing or expulsion of Croatian prisoners of war and civilians in the early 1990s during the bloody break-up of the former Yugoslavia. The 51-year-old Australian citizen, also known by the pseudonym "Captain Dragan", has been held in a Sydney jail since Jan. 20 pending extradition on the
charges, which carry a maximum 20-year prison sentence.
Vasiljkovic had sought to challenge his extradition to Croatia before Australia's High Court, on the grounds that Australia does not share an extradition treaty with Croatia, the AP said . He claimed his detention by Australian authorities was illegal, on the same grounds.
The High Court upheld the government's decision to extradite Vasiljkovic under the Commonwealth Extradition Treaty as valid. Extradition proceedings will resume against Vasiljkovic in Sydney's Central Local Court on July 12, the AP reported.