THE HAGUE, July 25 (Hina) - Croatian general Rahim Ademi surrendered to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), ICTY spokesman Jim Landale said. I can confirm that Ademi surrendered to the tribunal,
Landale said at the beginning of a regular news conference in the ICTY headquarters Wednesday. He added the Croatian General was indicted for crimes against humanity and the violation of war laws and customs. According to the indictment, which was made public immediately after the news conference, Ademi is facing five counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes for an attack launched by the Croatian forces in the so-called Medak Pocket held by rebel Serbs during the 1991-95 Croatian War of Independence against Yugoslavia. In line with the indictment, Ademi is responsible, based on his commanding and personal responsibility, for the murder and persecution of Serb civilians. The indictment read that the attack of
THE HAGUE, July 25 (Hina) - Croatian general Rahim Ademi
surrendered to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia (ICTY), ICTY spokesman Jim Landale said.
I can confirm that Ademi surrendered to the tribunal, Landale said
at the beginning of a regular news conference in the ICTY
headquarters Wednesday. He added the Croatian General was indicted
for crimes against humanity and the violation of war laws and
customs.
According to the indictment, which was made public immediately
after the news conference, Ademi is facing five counts of crimes
against humanity and war crimes for an attack launched by the
Croatian forces in the so-called Medak Pocket held by rebel Serbs
during the 1991-95 Croatian War of Independence against
Yugoslavia.
In line with the indictment, Ademi is responsible, based on his
commanding and personal responsibility, for the murder and
persecution of Serb civilians.
The indictment read that the attack of the Croatian armed forces,
consisting of the 9th guard brigade ad the 118th regiment as well as
the special Croatian Interior Ministry unit, started early morning
on September 9 and lasted for two days. Ademi was then the commander
of the Gospic (central Croatia) operative zone. During the
operation, at least 38 Serb residents were killed, the indictment
read, and at least two Serb military prisoners were killed. The
majority of houses in the Medak pocket had been destroyed, mostly by
planting fires and explosives, after the Croatian forces gained
control in the region.
According to the ICTY Prosecutor's Office, a great part of the
demolishion took place after a cease-fire, established on
September 15, and before the Croatian forces completely retreated
from the Medak Pocket on September 17,1993.
Ademi played the central role in the planning, commanding and/or
conducting the Croatian military operation in the Medak Pocket
which resulted in harsh violations of the international
humanitarian law, including the persecution and murder of Serb
civilians and soldiers who surrendered, as well as robbery and the
demolishion of buildings and property of Serb civilians in the
Medak pocket, the indictment read.
The prosecutors claim Ademi knew about the crimes because
representatives of international organisation had warned him about
it.
The 14-pages indictment was confirmed by judge Fuad Riad on June 8,
2001.
According to Landale, Ademi is expected to make his first
appearance before the U.N. court on Thursday. He was taken into
custody in the Netherlands after arriving on a flight from Zagreb.
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