Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SARAJEVO1774
2006-08-07 08:26:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Sarajevo
Cable title:
CROAT COMMANDER SURRENDERS SELF TO FACE WAR CRIMES
how-toVZCZCXRO2113 PP RUEHAST DE RUEHVJ #1774 2190826 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 070826Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4112 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 0238 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 0103 RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB PRIORITY 0224 RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC PRIORITY RUFOAOA/USNIC SARAJEVO PRIORITY RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SARAJEVO 001774
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR (DICARLO),EUR/SCE (FOOKS, MITCHELL),L/EUR
(K. JOHNSON),D (SMITH),P (BAME),S/WCI (WILLIAMSON,
BERG),INR (BRAUM),USUN (WILLSON),THE HAGUE (SCHLIDGE, C.
JOHNSON),ZAGREB (SELINGER),BELGRADE (CAMPBELL),NSC FOR
BRAUN, USNIC FOR BOALS, OSD FOR FLORY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ICTY KAWC PHUM PREL PGOV BG
SUBJECT: CROAT COMMANDER SURRENDERS SELF TO FACE WAR CRIMES
CHARGES
On August 3 war crimes suspect Zdravko Mihaljevic (aka
"Pijuk") voluntarily surrendered to the BiH State
Prosecutor's Office. He is suspected of committing murder,
rape, looting and arson in Kiseljak and Kresevo (central
Bosnia),while he was commander of the HVO (Croat Council of
Defense) special unit "Maturice" during the 1992-95 conflict.
The BiH State Court will review the case August 4, and will
likely rule to hold Mahaljevic in custody. Mihaljevic's
lawyer Dusko Tomic confirmed there was an outstanding
INTERPOL warrant for Mihaljevic,s arrest, but claimed his
client, who has been living in Croatia, was unaware of it
until recently. Mihaljevic can be held up to two years while
the case is under investigation.
MCELHANEY