SARAJEVO, July 3 (Hina) - The arrest and release of Mario Milicevic, who is wanted by the authorities of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina on suspicion of participating in the assassination of Federation Deputy Interior Minister
Jozo Leutar, could turn into a major scandal with political consequences for Croatia. The news that Milicevic was arrested only to be released shortly after that due to lack of legal grounds for his being placed in custody in a Cavtat prison has made headlines in the Sarajevo press but it also gave rise to scathing criticisms by some international organisations operating in Bosnia. The governments of some European countries will soon begin wondering why the authorities in Croatia are releasing terrorists suspected of killing senior state officials from neighbouring countries, U.N. Mission spokesman Douglas Coffman said in Sarajevo on Tuesday. Coffman told Hina there is no j
SARAJEVO, July 3 (Hina) - The arrest and release of Mario Milicevic,
who is wanted by the authorities of the Federation of Bosnia-
Herzegovina on suspicion of participating in the assassination of
Federation Deputy Interior Minister Jozo Leutar, could turn into a
major scandal with political consequences for Croatia.
The news that Milicevic was arrested only to be released shortly
after that due to lack of legal grounds for his being placed in
custody in a Cavtat prison has made headlines in the Sarajevo press
but it also gave rise to scathing criticisms by some international
organisations operating in Bosnia.
The governments of some European countries will soon begin
wondering why the authorities in Croatia are releasing terrorists
suspected of killing senior state officials from neighbouring
countries, U.N. Mission spokesman Douglas Coffman said in Sarajevo
on Tuesday.
Coffman told Hina there is no justification for the fact that the
Croatian police have released the person who participated in the
gravest political murder that has taken place in Bosnia since the
end of the war. Leutar's assassination was the most serious crime
which shook the very foundations of the Federation, Coffman said
adding the U.N. Mission was very disappointed with the conduct of
the Croatian police. The Mission believes Croatia's authorities
must find a way to put persons suspected of political terrorism on
trial regardless of the institute of dual citizenship.
The U.N. Mission entirely supports the request of the Federation
authorities that Milicevic and Andabak be tried in Bosnia, Coffman
said, adding Bosnia's judicial bodies acted timely on the Croatian
interior ministry's request to forward the indictment and arrest
warrant so that further steps could be taken.
The Federation Interior Ministry has also stated that the Croatian
police have released Milicevic "although they had relevant
information that he is a member of the group charged with the
assassination." According to Sarajevo's Oslobodjenje daily,
Sarajevo Canton Court president Amir Jaganjac has confirmed that a
member of Croatia's Interpol office, Damir Kukavica, has said
Milicevic referred to his dual citizenship immediately upon his
arrest and could therefore not be placed in custody or handed over.
Oslobodjenje also reports that the latest case with Milicevic has
caused downright fury in international circles in Sarajevo.
The international community is satisfied that Croatia has changed
its previous relationship toward Bosnia-Herzegovina but cases like
this call all that in question, Coffman said. The U.N. Mission does
not intend to give up its request that Milicevic, just like Andabak,
be tried for Leutar's murder in Bosnia and expects Croatia to help
create conditions for such a trial to take place.
The trial of the other four persons accused of Leutar's
assassination started at the Sarajevo Canton Court two weeks ago.
All indictees have refused accusations that the murder of the
federal deputy interior minister was politically motivated and
directed against the constitutional order of the Federation of
Bosnia-Herzegovina.
(hina) sb rml