Neither Zagorec nor his attorney Kresimir Krsnik appeared in court today for a scheduled hearing, prompting investigating judge Erna Drazinic to grant the prosecution's request for an investigation, detention and an international arrest warrant for the retired general.
Court spokesman Kresimir Devcic said Drazinic had set detention because of the risk of flight and tampering with evidence and witnesses, and the gravity of the crime Zagorec was suspected of.
Commenting on Zagorec's failure to appear at the hearing, Devcic said the court was returned its summons with a note indicating that Zagorec had been notified of the summons but did not collect it. Devcic added the very fact that his attorney had requested a postponement of the hearing indicated that Zagorec had known about it.
Zagorec, a former assistant defence minister in charge of purchasing arms and equipment, is suspected of abuse of office, specifically taking from a Defence Ministry safe in 2000 jewels which a German arms dealer had given him in 1993 as collateral for USD5 million from the ministry, which the dealer was supposed to use to buy an S-300 missile system for Croatia's defence.
According to Krsnik's statement and the media, Zagorec has been living in Vienna for some time. The media speculate that he has a number of passports in different names with which he may easily leave Austria.