ZAGREB, July 25 (Hina) - Croatian General Rahim Ademi, indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), left for The Netherlands on a regular flight on Wednesday morning to surrender to
the tribunal as he had earlier promised. Ademi was escorted to the plane by his wife Anita and defence attorney Cedo Prodanovic shortly before 9AM. The plane is scheduled to arrive in the Schiphol airport at 11AM. Before departing, Ademi told reporters he decided to go to The Hague voluntarily without any pressure. "I am going to The Hague voluntarily and with a clear conscience, because I did not order any atrocities during the Homeland War," Ademi told reporters, referring to Croatia's 1991-95 war for independence from Yugoslavia. "I took care of civilians and military prisoners and I am going to The Hague with a clear conscience," Ademi stressed. Asked to comment on Nenad Ivankovic's claims tha
ZAGREB, July 25 (Hina) - Croatian General Rahim Ademi, indicted for
war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia (ICTY), left for The Netherlands on a regular flight on
Wednesday morning to surrender to the tribunal as he had earlier
promised.
Ademi was escorted to the plane by his wife Anita and defence
attorney Cedo Prodanovic shortly before 9AM. The plane is scheduled
to arrive in the Schiphol airport at 11AM.
Before departing, Ademi told reporters he decided to go to The Hague
voluntarily without any pressure.
"I am going to The Hague voluntarily and with a clear conscience,
because I did not order any atrocities during the Homeland War,"
Ademi told reporters, referring to Croatia's 1991-95 war for
independence from Yugoslavia. "I took care of civilians and
military prisoners and I am going to The Hague with a clear
conscience," Ademi stressed.
Asked to comment on Nenad Ivankovic's claims that he had been forced
to surrender, Ademi stressed nobody had been pressuring him, adding
it was his decision to surrender.
"When a general decides, nobody can change his decision," Ademi
stressed, adding he had been receiving various offers to hide which
he categorically rejected, because he is convinced of his
innocence.
Ademi's attorney Cedo Prodanovic briefly addressed reporters only
saying that for now he could not say what the defence was based on.
Ademi, the highest-ranking ethnic Albanian in the Croatian army,
was dressed in his uniform.
The details of two indictments the Croatian government received on
June 8 are kept secret, but Croatian media have speculated that
Ademi stands accused of atrocities against Serb civilians during a
1993 operation in the so called Medak Pocket.
The other indictee is believed to be retired General Ante Gotovina,
allegedly indicted of crimes committed during and after the
Croatian military and police operation of "Storm" in August 1995.
Croatian police put the suspect on the wanted list on Monday after
failing to track him down.
After the standard procedure, the ICTY will set the date when
General Ademi is to make his initial appearance before the
tribunal. Prodanovic said yesterday Ademi's initial appearance
could take place on Thursday. He will then be informed of the
indictment after which he is to take plea.
Prodanovic said earlier his client would plead not guilty in his
first appearance at the tribunal.
Ademi will be the first ICTY indictee to appear before the tribunal
in his uniform, which was allowed by the Croatian Defence
Ministry.
Media speculates the ICTY will allow Ademi to defend himself in
freedom because of his surrender.
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