(22 Mar 1996) Serbo-Croat/English
The International War crimes Tribunal in the Hague has issued its first indictment against a Bosnian Moslem officer for crimes allegedly committed against Serbs.
Zejnil Delacic is accused of committing the crimes in 1992 when he was in charge of the Celebici prison camp in central Bosnia.
An international tribunal issued the first indictments Friday for war crimes committed against Bosnian Serbs.
Zejnil Delacic, a former Bosnian government officer now imprisoned in Austria, is accused of committing war crimes.
The tribunal charges him with authorising Bosnian Muslim guards to kill, rape and torture Bosnian Serbs while he commanded the Bosnian prison camp Celebici, in Konjic, central Bosnia in 1992.
He was indicted along with other officials at the camp--- Zdravko Mucic, deputy commander Hazim Delic and Esad Landzo, a prison guard.
The indictments should go some way to silencing Serb criticism that the tribunal is biased against Serbs.
Of the 53 suspects indicted before Friday's announcement, 46 were Serbs and seven were Croats. No Bosnian Moslem had been indicted.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Well, it's an obvious sign that the tribunal wants to present itself as impartial or at least as less partial and I would say just about time. It's interesting that among those who are indicted - there are no generals or colonels.. especially those who were in charge of logistics. But actually people who performed were in charge of performing war crimes. Now, it will be very interesting to see what the procedure is going to be and whether it's going to be even- handed to all three sides."
SUPER CAPTION: Nikola Koljevic, Prime Minister of Serb territory in Bosnia
Bosnians in the town, especially Bosnian army soldiers,attacked the indictments.
SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat)
"I think that he shouldn't have been arrested. He is not guilty of war crimes."
SUPER CAPTION: Mirsad Sabanovic, Bosnian army soldier
But Bosnia's army commander says the tribunal must condemn war crimes on all sides.
SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat)
"All those who committed crimes should face the court. The command structure of the Bosnian army was organised to prevent any crimes such as those against humanity, culture or religion. If somebody disobeys these orders, then that person should be indicted."
SUPER CAPTION: Bosnian army commander, General Rasim Delic
The announcement raises to 55 the number of war crimes suspects indicted by the U.N. court. Only two are in tribunal custody: Bosnian Serbs Dusan Tadic and General Djordje Djukic are awaiting trial in the tribunal's Hague cell block in the Netherlands.
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