bert
31-03-10, 01:31
Australian Serb Vasiljkovic faces extradition
Dragan Vasiljkovic has mounted legal challenges against his extradition
Australia's High Court has ruled that a former Serb paramilitary leader should be extradited to Croatia, where he is wanted for war crimes.
Dragan Vasiljkovic was arrested in Perth in 2006 after Zagreb requested his extradition for atrocities during its 1991-1995 war of independence.
Croatia accuses him of ordering the killing of Croatian civilians.
Mr Vasiljkovic mounted several legal challenges after being found eligible for extradition in April 2007.
Croatia claims he was involved in the torture and killing of local people and prisoners of war in the rebel Serb stronghold of Knin in 1991 and the southern village of Bruska in 1993.
He has denied committing war crimes but has admitted in media interviews to training Serbian recruits, killing people in combat and interrogating enemy troops.
Mr Vasiljkovic is an Australian citizen also known as Daniel Snedden.
He came to Australia when he was 15, but returned to his homeland to train Croatian Serb rebels in 1991, when Serbs took up arms against Croatia's secession from the former Yugoslav federation.
Australian authorities will now take charge of deporting Mr Vasiljkovic.
Dragan Vasiljkovic has mounted legal challenges against his extradition
Australia's High Court has ruled that a former Serb paramilitary leader should be extradited to Croatia, where he is wanted for war crimes.
Dragan Vasiljkovic was arrested in Perth in 2006 after Zagreb requested his extradition for atrocities during its 1991-1995 war of independence.
Croatia accuses him of ordering the killing of Croatian civilians.
Mr Vasiljkovic mounted several legal challenges after being found eligible for extradition in April 2007.
Croatia claims he was involved in the torture and killing of local people and prisoners of war in the rebel Serb stronghold of Knin in 1991 and the southern village of Bruska in 1993.
He has denied committing war crimes but has admitted in media interviews to training Serbian recruits, killing people in combat and interrogating enemy troops.
Mr Vasiljkovic is an Australian citizen also known as Daniel Snedden.
He came to Australia when he was 15, but returned to his homeland to train Croatian Serb rebels in 1991, when Serbs took up arms against Croatia's secession from the former Yugoslav federation.
Australian authorities will now take charge of deporting Mr Vasiljkovic.