WASHINGTON, Oct 17 (Hina) - Mitar Arambasic, convicted of war crimes committed during the war in Croatia, has been arrested in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the United States, it was announced on Thursday.
WASHINGTON, Oct 17 (Hina) - Mitar Arambasic, convicted of war
crimes committed during the war in Croatia, has been arrested in
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the United States, it was announced on
Thursday. #L#
Arambasic was sentenced in Croatia in absence to 20 years in prison
for war crimes against civilians, after which Interpol issued a
warrant for his arrest.
Arambasic's attorney Dusan Vucicevic said he would contest his
client's hand-over with the statement that he had been tortured in
Croatia.
The hand-over proceedings will be conducted before a special
immigration court and could last for months.
According to the US media, for the past 11 months Arambasic had
worked in the city transport company. He was arrested when he tried
to extend his work permit.
Arambasic had arrived in the USA as a refugee from former Yugoslavia
in 2000.
A local paper reported that Arambasic was arrested on September 5 by
the agents of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).
The paper quoted INS spokesman in Minneapolis Tim Counts as saying
that Arambasic was in custody because he failed to report that he
had been convicted of war crimes while submitting a visa
application.
Arambasic lived in Sioux Falls with his wife and two children.
Officials at the Croatian Embassy in Washington have said Croatia
requested the US authorities to arrest two more war crimes
suspects.
(hina) rml