NATO TROOPS ARREST TWO BOSNIAN CROAT WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS

( Editorial: --> 9269 ) BRUSSELS, Dec 18 (Hina) - NATO-led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) troops have arrested two Bosnian Croats indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague, NATO said in a statement on Thursday. Vlatko Kupreskic and Anto Furundzija were apprehended in the central Bosnian town of Vitez during the night of 17/18 December, the statement said. French AFP news agency reported that Furundzija, who was not on a public list of indictees, had already been sent to The Hague. Kupreskic, who had been publicly indicted, was wounded in the chest, leg and arm. Dutch Defence Minister Joris Voorhoeve told a news conference in The Hague on Thursday that Kupreskic had opened fire on SFOR troops, who fired back and wounded him. Kupreskic was taken to a Sarajevo hospital and his condition was "satisfactory", the minister said. Voorhoeve said that SFOR troops from several countries had participated in the operation. (hina) vm jn 181212 MET dec 97