SARAJEVO, March 8 (Hina) - Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina general Mehmed Alagic, who had been indicted for war crimes by the U.N. tribunal in The Hague, died of a heart attack on Friday evening, the Sarajevo media reported on
Saturday.
SARAJEVO, March 8 (Hina) - Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina general
Mehmed Alagic, who had been indicted for war crimes by the U.N.
tribunal in The Hague, died of a heart attack on Friday evening, the
Sarajevo media reported on Saturday. #L#
Alagic had voluntarily surrendered to the Hague tribunal last year
and been allowed to defend himself in freedom. The tribunal was to
decide about his case on Monday. He was waiting for the start of the
trial in his birth place, the village of Fajtovci near Sanski Most
in Bosnia's north-west, where he died.
The Hague tribunal's prosecution suspected him in connection with
crimes against civilians and prisoners-of-war committed in central
Bosnia, which used to be controlled by the Third Corps of the Army of
Bosnia and Herzegovina. This unit included the largest number of
Mujahedin active in the military who are believed to have committed
the crimes Alagic was suspected of on command responsibility.
In the winter of 1994 his units secured one of the greatest
victories against Bosnian Serb troops.
Commenting on Alagic's passing, Bosnia's Muslim officials
completely ignored the Hague trial, calling him an absolute hero.
Alija Izetbegovic, the Muslim political leader during the 1990s
war, told Dnevni avaz daily Alagic did not die of a heart condition
but of injustice.
Bosnian Presidency member Sulejman Tihic, too, said Alagic was a
victim of injustice and that his name would remain engraved on the
hearts of all patriots in Bosnia.
Prime Minister Adnan Terzic, who fought under Alagic's command,
said Alagic's condition had been aggravated by what was happening
in Bosnia and at The Hague.
(hina) ha