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| Europe |
| Bosnian Muslim faces Hague trial |
| 2005-02-28 |
| A former commander of the Bosnian army has flown to The Hague to appear before the International War Crimes Tribunal. Rasim Delic, 56, has been indicted over war crimes said to have been carried out by foreign Islamic fighters during the Bosnian war in the 1990s. The alleged crimes include the murder and torture of Bosnian Serbs and Croats and the rape of female prisoners. Gen Delic said earlier that he had decided to surrender immediately after learning that he had been indicted by the Hague court. Prosecutors say Gen Delic "knew or had reason to know" that crimes were being committed by his subordinates, and that he had failed to take prevent such acts. The unit, called El Mujaheed, consisted of fighters from Islamic countries and fought with the Bosnian army for the independence of Bosnia-Hercegovina. Gen Delic has said he is happy to go to The Hague to defend his role in the war. Bosnian Prime Minister Adnan Terzic joined hundreds of war veterans to bid farewell to Gen Delic in Sarajevo on Monday. "My fellow fighters, thanks for coming and don't worry. Justice wins," the retired general told the crowd. The man he succeeded in 1993 - former Bosnian Army Cdr Sefer Halilovic - is already on trial in The Hague. He is charged with the massacre of 62 Bosnian Croat civilians in 1993. The two generals are the highest-ranking Bosnian Muslims to go on trial in The Hague. |
| Posted by:Bulldog |