SARAJEVO CONFIRMS HALILOVIC IS INDICTED BY UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

SARAJEVO, Sept 24 (Hina) - The government of Bosnia-Herzegovina's Federation on Monday confirmed that a Bosnian army war-time commander, Sefer Halilovic, was indicted by the UN war crimes tribunal (ICTY) and had decided to turn himself to the Tribunal at The Hague voluntarily. At its closed-doors session on Monday morning, the Croat-Muslim entity's government discussed the indictment served by the ICTY, and confirmed that Halilovic, the incumbent federal minister in charge of refugees and social welfare, was accused by the ICTY of war crimes. According to a statement issued after the session, the federal government praised Halilovic for his readiness to surrender voluntarily and travel to The Hague. The government also agreed this was the best path towards the establishment of possible individual guilt and responsibility for war crimes. The government expressed its thanks to Halilovic for successfully performing his task as refugee minister. The statement, however, gave no explanation as to whether Halilovic offered his resignation or his present status in this government. The UN mission in Sarajevo has declined to confirm or deny media speculation that Halilovic will fly to the Netherlands aboard a special UN plane on Monday or Tuesday. The content of the indictment has not been made public either. But Halilovic is believed to be charged with war crimes committed against local villagers and Croat Defence Council (HVO) units in the Croat village of Grabovica, southern Bosnia-Herzegovina, in 1993. (hina) ms