ZAGREB, April 20 (Hina) - The president of the cantonal court in Bihac (north-western Bosnia), Fikret Hodzic, on Friday confirmed that the documentation, sent to Croatia's judiciary, contained evidence that Fikret Abdic committed war
crimes against civilians and prisoners-of-war in the area of Velika Kladusa in 1994 and 1995. The cantonal court has gathered evidence and compiled it in a book with over hundred pages about crimes which Abdic perpetrated when he proclaimed the self-styled autonomous province of western Bosnia and set up concentration camps for political opponents and POWs, the judge Hodzic told Hina on the phone on Friday. A copy of the documentation was forwarded to Zagreb after Croatia refused to extradite Abdic who was given the Croatian citizenship. The competent bodies in Croatia could decide whether to instigate the criminal proceedings against Abdic on the grounds of the doc
ZAGREB, April 20 (Hina) - The president of the cantonal court in
Bihac (north-western Bosnia), Fikret Hodzic, on Friday confirmed
that the documentation, sent to Croatia's judiciary, contained
evidence that Fikret Abdic committed war crimes against civilians
and prisoners-of-war in the area of Velika Kladusa in 1994 and
1995.
The cantonal court has gathered evidence and compiled it in a book
with over hundred pages about crimes which Abdic perpetrated when
he proclaimed the self-styled autonomous province of western
Bosnia and set up concentration camps for political opponents and
POWs, the judge Hodzic told Hina on the phone on Friday.
A copy of the documentation was forwarded to Zagreb after Croatia
refused to extradite Abdic who was given the Croatian citizenship.
The competent bodies in Croatia could decide whether to instigate
the criminal proceedings against Abdic on the grounds of the
documentation, Hodzic explained.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) was informed of the entire case. Upon gaining insight into
evidence the Tribunal assessed that there was a basis for
initiating the procedure against Abdic. The Tribunal, however,
recommended that Abdic should be processed by Croatia's courts.
The Croatian Justice Ministry received the documentation on
Thursday, and on Friday the ministry forwarded it to the State
Prosecutor's local office in the coastal city of Rijeka where Abdic
has been living for several years.
Sarajevo forwarded its first request for Abdic's hand-over in April
1999, but Croatia's Supreme Court refused the request explaining
that Croatia did not extradite its citizens.
Abdic, a manager and businessman in food-processing industry, used
to be the helm of the "Agrokomerc" company in Velika Kladusa
(western Bosnia). Prior to the war, he became a member and leader of
the (Muslim) Party of Democratic Action (SDA). In the war he fell
out with the SDA leadership, and established the self-proclaimed
autonomous province in western Bosnia. Later on he moved into
Croatia, when his 'mini-state' collapsed.
(hina) ms