ZAGREB, Feb 9 (Hina) - Ten Bosnian Serbs, including a former member of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mirko Sarovic, are suspected of harbouring Radovan Karadzic and will face penalties, High Representative Paddy Ashdown said
in Sarajevo on Monday.
ZAGREB, Feb 9 (Hina) - Ten Bosnian Serbs, including a former member of
the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mirko Sarovic, are suspected of
harbouring Radovan Karadzic and will face penalties, High
Representative Paddy Ashdown said in Sarajevo on Monday.#L#
Speaking at a news conference with the Stabilisation Force commander,
General Virgil Packett, and US Ambassador Clifford Bond, Ashdown said
that the issuing of a list with the names of ten people was the latest
joint effort by the US authorities and the European Union to prevent
the harbouring of war crimes suspects.
Radovan Karadzic is not a lone brigand but the leader of a major
organised crime group, Ashdown said, adding that the years-long hiding
of the former Bosnian Serb leader was financed through extortion,
smuggling and money-laundering.
One of the reasons why such criminal activities are possible is a
gangster law of silence, which is successfully implemented in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ashdown said.
Sarovic was forced to resign to his post in the Bosnian state
presidency last year because of a scandal caused by military
cooperation between the Bosnian Serb entity and Iraq. Apart from
Sarovic, three other police officials have been found to be part of
the network harbouring Karadzic and their dismissal has been
announced.
In line with Ashdown's decision, Sarovic will be removed from his post
of vice-president of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS).
US Ambassador Bond said that all the people suspected of harbouring
war criminals were on the USA's "black" list as of today.
This means that their property in the USA will be frozen, they will be
denied entry in the United States, and doing business with them will
be forbidden.
Under a special decision passed by the High Representative, the bank
accounts of Karadzic's helpers in Bosnian banks will be frozen. The
same recommendation was forwarded to European Union countries.
Previously the US authorities issued a "black" list with the names of
150 people, 26 of whom are from Bosnia-Herzegovina.
SFOR commander Packett said his soldiers would continue aggressive
operations with the aim of destroying the network supporting war
criminals.
He confirmed that the three-day operation that had taken place in Pale
outside Sarajevo in early January was useful and that the noose around
Karadzic's neck was tightening every day.
US Ambassador Bond said the US government remained determined to do
all so that war crimes suspects were brought to justice.
(Hina) rml sb