ZAGREB, April 10 (Hina) - The Croatian Interior Ministry on Thursday denied claims that Split police had hidden a war crimes suspect, Ivica Rajic, for the past three years and that they had helped him to avoid an international warrant
for the arrest in that period.
ZAGREB, April 10 (Hina) - The Croatian Interior Ministry on
Thursday denied claims that Split police had hidden a war crimes
suspect, Ivica Rajic, for the past three years and that they had
helped him to avoid an international warrant for the arrest in that
period. #L#
Thursday's issue of the 'Slobodna Dalmacija' daily noted that
Rajic's arrest was conducted secretly and the Split police had for
years been harbouring this former HVO commander for the Kiseljak
area in central Bosnia who has been charged with war crimes
committed in the village of Stupni Do.
The daily wrote that Split police had earlier this year issued new
documents to Rajic under the alias of Viktor Andric which Rajic has
been using since 1993.
"We resolutely deny these allegations as totally false and
groundless," the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
The statement reiterates that the Croatian police acted in line
with an international warrant issued by the Hague-based UN Tribunal
for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and arrested Ivica Rajic.
The ministry added that an investigation was under way in regard to
the suspect's whereabouts while in hiding.
The ICTY has indicted Ivica Rajic, on the basis of his
responsibility as the commander of the Second Operative Group of
the HVO from Kiseljak, for the killing of at least 16 Bosniak
villagers in Stupni Do in October 1993.
(hina) sp ms