Arrest of Karadzic is 'Justice'

Zubair · #1 (**permalink**) 22-07-2008, 08:05 AM

Lord Ashdown who was the former EU High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, said the arrest was "a great breakthrough for Serbia".

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said it meant a brighter future for Serbia.

The Bosnian Serb wartime leader disappeared in 1996 and had been indicted for war crimes and genocide.

Zubair · #2 (**permalink**) 22-07-2008, 08:06 AM

Lord Ashdown said Mr Karadzic, who was arrested by Serbian security services, was involved in the most "terrible and black period of crime" since World War II.

He added: "I want to see this properly. I mean, I've heard so many rumours in the past he was in this cafe, he was on this hilltop, he was in this farm, he was in this bit of forest.

"But if they have got him then that is a very significant breakthrough for Serbia, for the Balkans and for justice.

"If this is true it's a great breakthrough for Serbia, it's a great piece of justice for Bosnia and it will be an extremely important piece of justice for the world at large."

Foreign Secretary David Miliband hailed Mr Karadzic's arrest, and said it would lead to a brighter future for Serbia.

Mr Miliband said: "This is good news. I am glad that the Serbian authorities have successfully captured Karadzic, who has evaded arrest for over 10 years.

Zubair · #3 (**permalink**) 22-07-2008, 08:08 AM

Karadzic was wanted on genocide charges for allegedly organising the 1995 massacre of 8,000 Muslims in Srebrenica and other atrocities of the Bosnian war.

“I was informed by our colleagues in Belgrade about the successful operation which resulted in the arrest of Radovan Karadzic,” the tribunal’s head prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, said.

“On behalf of the Office of the Prosecutor, I would like to congratulate the Serbian authorities, especially the National Security Council, Serbia’s Action Team in charge of tracking fugitives and the Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor, on achieving this milestone in co-operation with the ICTY.”

“This is a very important day for the victims who have waited for this arrest for over a decade. It is also an important day for international justice because it clearly demonstrates that nobody is beyond the reach of the law and that sooner or later all fugitives will be brought to justice.”

Karadzic was a fugitive from justice for almost 13 years. The first indictment against him was confirmed on July 24 1995.