Dragan Vasiljkovic 2010, Dragan Vasiljković arrested
Dragan Vasiljković (Serbian: Драган Васиљковић, born December 12, 1954 in Belgrade) nicknamed Captain Dragan (Serbian: Капетан Драган) was a founder and captain of the Serbian paramilitary unit called the Knindže (Knin ninjas, Red berets). Currently residing in Australia, he is accused of war crimes by the Republic of Croatia, wanted by Interpol. In March 2010, the High Court of Australia ordered him to prison in order to extradite him to Croatia to face prosecution for his alleged crimes. Dragan Vasiljković was arrested in Australia on May 12, 2010.
News :
A Balkans war crimes suspect on the run in Australia for 43 days has been recaptured and faces extradition to Croatia, police said on Thursday.
Former Serb commander Dragan Vasiljkovic, 55, an Australian who also has Serbian citizenship, had been on the run since losing a four-year legal battle on March 30, when Australia's High Court approved his extradition and reinstated a 2006 warrant for his arrest.
Vasiljkovic, whose Australian name is Daniel Snedden, is accused of torturing and killing Croat soldiers and civilians, as well as a foreign journalist, when he commanded a Serb paramilitary unit during Croatia's 1991-95 independence war. Australian Federal Police said in a statement on Thursday that Vasiljkovic had been detained in New South Wales, but gave no further details.
Vasiljkovic was arrested in January 2006 and jailed pending extradition. He lost an appeal in 2007, won a second appeal in 2009 and was released, but lost a third extradition case in March 2010 and went on the run.
Under Australia's laws Vasiljkovic can argue against his extradition to Crotia, but it is up to the Minister for Home Affairs to decide whether to had him over.
Vasiljkovic, known as "Captain Dragan" during the war in Croatia, won an earlier appeal against extradition when a lower court found he had grounds for believing he could be punished or imprisoned because of his nationality or political opinions.
Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, but its Serb minority, backed by Belgrade, rebelled and seized a third of the country by force. Croatia crushed the rebellion in two offensives in 1995.
News :
A Balkans war crimes suspect on the run in Australia for 43 days has been recaptured and faces extradition to Croatia, police said on Thursday.
Former Serb commander Dragan Vasiljkovic, 55, an Australian who also has Serbian citizenship, had been on the run since losing a four-year legal battle on March 30, when Australia's High Court approved his extradition and reinstated a 2006 warrant for his arrest.
Vasiljkovic, whose Australian name is Daniel Snedden, is accused of torturing and killing Croat soldiers and civilians, as well as a foreign journalist, when he commanded a Serb paramilitary unit during Croatia's 1991-95 independence war. Australian Federal Police said in a statement on Thursday that Vasiljkovic had been detained in New South Wales, but gave no further details.
Vasiljkovic was arrested in January 2006 and jailed pending extradition. He lost an appeal in 2007, won a second appeal in 2009 and was released, but lost a third extradition case in March 2010 and went on the run.
Under Australia's laws Vasiljkovic can argue against his extradition to Crotia, but it is up to the Minister for Home Affairs to decide whether to had him over.
Vasiljkovic, known as "Captain Dragan" during the war in Croatia, won an earlier appeal against extradition when a lower court found he had grounds for believing he could be punished or imprisoned because of his nationality or political opinions.
Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, but its Serb minority, backed by Belgrade, rebelled and seized a third of the country by force. Croatia crushed the rebellion in two offensives in 1995.
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