Germany extradites Serb war crimes suspect to Croatia

Germany has extradited Zeljko Vrljanovic to Croatia Saturday. Vrljanovic is suspected of committing war crimes in the Novska region in western Slavonia in March 1993. Germany extradites Serb war crimes suspect to Croatia Vrljanovic is an American citizen of Serbian origin. He was met at Zagreb airport by Croatian police and taken to a prison in Sisak. The war crimes suspect was apprehended in Munich on December 12 on a Croatian international arrest warrant, as he was returning to the U.S. with his family from a visit to Belgrade. After his arrest in Germany, he was held in custody before being transferred to Croatia. Vrljanovic is one of several members of a Serb army reconnaissance group under the command of Jura Sajatovic, accused of taking part in the murder of the Grgic family from Novska, including Croatian Army officer, Stjepan Grgic, his wife Tomislava, and their children Ivan and Anamarija in March 1993. After the murders, the group took Grgic’s car and drove to a region of western Slavonia under the command of Serb authorities. After the Croatian Army’s Blaze Operation in May 1995, Vrljanovic moved to Banja Luka, and nine years ago he and his family left for the U.S. where he lived until his arrest. Besides Vrljanovic, one other unidentified suspect in the case has also been extradited. He was extradited from Serbia on November 14 on an international arrest warrant, since when he has been in prison in Pozega. Zeljko Vrljanovic, in brown jacket, escorted by police officers (Beta)

Germany extradites Serb war crimes suspect to Croatia

Vrljanović is an American citizen of Serbian origin. He was met at Zagreb airport by Croatian police and taken to a prison in Sisak.

The war crimes suspect was apprehended in Munich on December 12 on a Croatian international arrest warrant, as he was returning to the U.S. with his family from a visit to Belgrade.

After his arrest in Germany, he was held in custody before being transferred to Croatia.

Vrljanović is one of several members of a Serb army reconnaissance group under the command of Jura Šajatović, accused of taking part in the murder of the Grgić family from Novska, including Croatian Army officer, Stjepan Grgić, his wife Tomislava, and their children Ivan and Anamarija in March 1993.

After the murders, the group took Grgić’s car and drove to a region of western Slavonia under the command of Serb authorities.

After the Croatian Army’s Blaze Operation in May 1995, Vrljanović moved to Banja Luka, and nine years ago he and his family left for the U.S. where he lived until his arrest.

Besides Vrljanović, one other unidentified suspect in the case has also been extradited.

He was extradited from Serbia on November 14 on an international arrest warrant, since when he has been in prison in Požega.