THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Jan 27(Hina) - Pleading guilty to persecution as a crime against humanity, former Croatian Serb leader Milan Babic admitted that an ethnic cleansing campaign was carried out against Croats while he held relevant
offices, the spokeswoman for the Hague-based UN war crimes tribunal's prosecution said on Tuesday afternoon.
THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Jan 27(Hina) - Pleading guilty to persecution as a
crime against humanity, former Croatian Serb leader Milan Babic
admitted that an ethnic cleansing campaign was carried out against
Croats while he held relevant offices, the spokeswoman for the
Hague-based UN war crimes tribunal's prosecution said on Tuesday
afternoon. #L#
"He confessed to all that had happened, and that the ethnic cleansing
of Croats was carried out at the time when he held responsible posts,"
spokeswoman Florence Hartmann told Hina on the phone.
She described Babic's confession as "important for the prosecution" as
the facts reconstructed in the investigation and evidence were
confirmed by the person who was highly positioned at the time when the
crimes were committed.
The trial chamber on Tuesday did not make a decision on accepting the
plea agreement signed by Babic and the prosecution on 22 January.
Judge Alphonse Orie said the trial chamber would consider the
agreement and subsequently notify the parties of its decision.
He went on to say that the trial chamber had not accepted the initial
version of the plea bargain of 6 January as it decided that Babic's
guilt was described in a much milder tone than in the indictment.
Hartmann pointed out the significance of Babic's statement about his
deep "shame and remorse" over the crimes committed by the Serb forces
and his appeal for forgiveness and reconciliation.
(Hina) ms sb