Divjak released on EUR 500,000 bail

Ex-Bosnian Army General Jovan Divjak has been released from extradition prison in Austria on a EUR 500,000 bail. A spokesperson for the court that made the decision said today that Divjak will not be able to leave Austria and that he has had to surrender his passport to the authorities. Divjak released on EUR 500,000 bail It has also been announced that the extradition court will take "at least a month" to decide on whether to send Divjak to Serbia. On Monday, Austria's Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger said it was "unthinkable" for his country to extradite the suspect. Earlier on Tuesday, reports from Vienna said that Austrian President Heinz Fischer met with member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina three-man presidency Zeljko Komsic and Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj. They arrived in Vienna to visit former Jovan Divjak, who had been arrested on a war crimes indictment and warrant issued by Serbia. The two presidents did not wish to give any statements to the media after the meeting. However, Fischer did say that they had a good and constructive dialogue and that he explained Austria's legal point of view to his guest. Komsic left the 45-minute meeting visibly tense. He was accompanied by Alkalaj and gave no comments to reporters. Alkalaj noted that he would stay in Vienna for a few days and that he had confidence in the Austrian legal system. According to him, Divjak's arrest was politically motivated. Divjak was arrested at the Vienna airport March 3 based on a warrant issued by Serbia. The Serbian authorities have indicted him of war crimes. The former general - an ethnic Serb who joined the Muslim wartime Bosnian Army - is believed to have been involved in an attack on a Yugoslav Army (JNA) convoy in Sarajevo May 1992. The convoy was leaving the city peacefully according to an agreement with the Bosnian authorities, when it was ambushed in Dobrovoljacka St., resulting in 42 dead and 73 wounded soldiers and civilians. Jovan Divjak (slobodnaevropa.org)

Divjak released on EUR 500,000 bail

It has also been announced that the extradition court will take "at least a month" to decide on whether to send Divjak to Serbia.

On Monday, Austria's Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger said it was "unthinkable" for his country to extradite the suspect.

Earlier on Tuesday, reports from Vienna said that Austrian President Heinz Fischer met with member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina three-man presidency Željko Komšić and Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj.

They arrived in Vienna to visit former Jovan Divjak, who had been arrested on a war crimes indictment and warrant issued by Serbia.

The two presidents did not wish to give any statements to the media after the meeting. However, Fischer did say that they had a good and constructive dialogue and that he explained Austria's legal point of view to his guest.

Komšić left the 45-minute meeting visibly tense. He was accompanied by Alkalaj and gave no comments to reporters.

Alkalaj noted that he would stay in Vienna for a few days and that he had confidence in the Austrian legal system. According to him, Divjak's arrest was politically motivated.

Divjak was arrested at the Vienna airport March 3 based on a warrant issued by Serbia. The Serbian authorities have indicted him of war crimes. The former general - an ethnic Serb who joined the Muslim wartime Bosnian Army - is believed to have been involved in an attack on a Yugoslav Army (JNA) convoy in Sarajevo May 1992.

The convoy was leaving the city peacefully according to an agreement with the Bosnian authorities, when it was ambushed in Dobrovoljačka St., resulting in 42 dead and 73 wounded soldiers and civilians.