War crimes indictment against former mayor

A wartime Bosnian Serb mayor of Trebinje, in Bosnia, is facing a war crimes indictment issued by a Croatian court. State Prosecution in Dubrovnik is charging Bozidar Vucurovic with expulsions of Croats, annexation of Croatian territory, and of planning, encouraging, ordering and in other ways helping the implementation of the so-called Greater Serbia idea. War crimes indictment against former mayor This Croatian prosecution also specified that it believes Vucurevic did this individually, and in cooperation with Radovan Karadzic, the former political leader of the Bosnian Serbs. In September 1991, the indictment further reads, Vucurevic ordered a mobilization of Trebinje's territorial defense and formation of a special police unit, that was used as reinforcement for the JNA, "which attacked Croatia from Herzegovina and Montenegro, and occupied the area from Prevlaka to Ston Oct. 1-26 that year". The same forces held Dubrovnik under siege and acted contrary to international conventions when they shelled the UNESCO protected town, when 91 were killed and 200 injured, all civilians, the Croatian prosecution says. Vucurevic is also charged with responsibility for looting incidents in the region, and for ordering further attacks on Dubrovnik after the JNA troops withdrew, when seven civilians died, while 11 others were wounded. Based on all this, a judge with Dubrovnik's District Court has order the 72-year-old's imprisonment, and issued an arrest warrant against him. Vucurevic reacted today by telling the Republika Srpska Radio that accusations that he shelled non-Serb targets are false, describing the indictment raised as "nebulous". He told the radio that he had no command duties or responsibilities at the time stated in the charges against him, and denied he had any artillery that he could have used to attack Dubrovnik. "Therefore, it's nonsense. Six years ago, on two occasions, I was called to the Hague Tribunal office in Belgrade over this," Vucurevic said. The former Trebinje mayor also said he has kept all the wartime documents at his disposal, including the passes he issued to the non-Serbs of the area, who wished to leave the town and take their mobile property with them. "They can only strengthen me, they cannot kill me, and they will not judge me, since this is not my court and I do not care for all this," Vucurevic concluded.

War crimes indictment against former mayor

This Croatian prosecution also specified that it believes Vučurević did this individually, and in cooperation with Radovan Karadžić, the former political leader of the Bosnian Serbs.

In September 1991, the indictment further reads, Vučurević ordered a mobilization of Trebinje's territorial defense and formation of a special police unit, that was used as reinforcement for the JNA, "which attacked Croatia from Herzegovina and Montenegro, and occupied the area from Prevlaka to Ston Oct. 1-26 that year".

The same forces held Dubrovnik under siege and acted contrary to international conventions when they shelled the UNESCO protected town, when 91 were killed and 200 injured, all civilians, the Croatian prosecution says.

Vučurević is also charged with responsibility for looting incidents in the region, and for ordering further attacks on Dubrovnik after the JNA troops withdrew, when seven civilians died, while 11 others were wounded.

Based on all this, a judge with Dubrovnik's District Court has order the 72-year-old's imprisonment, and issued an arrest warrant against him.

Vučurević reacted today by telling the Republika Srpska Radio that accusations that he shelled non-Serb targets are false, describing the indictment raised as "nebulous".

He told the radio that he had no command duties or responsibilities at the time stated in the charges against him, and denied he had any artillery that he could have used to attack Dubrovnik.

"Therefore, it's nonsense. Six years ago, on two occasions, I was called to the Hague Tribunal office in Belgrade over this," Vučurević said.

The former Trebinje mayor also said he has kept all the wartime documents at his disposal, including the passes he issued to the non-Serbs of the area, who wished to leave the town and take their mobile property with them.

"They can only strengthen me, they cannot kill me, and they will not judge me, since this is not my court and I do not care for all this," Vučurević concluded.