Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect in detention in Croatia

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A Zagreb Court has ordered 30 days pre-trial detention for a former Bosnian Serb colonel, suspected of having committed war crimes in Bosnia, after he was arrested by Croatian authorities the day before.

Dane Lukajic, 62, was a colonel in the now-defunct Army of Republika Srpska, which fought against Bosniaks and Croats in Bosnia during the 1992-1995 war. He was arrested on Saturday after he crossed the border into Croatia.

He is suspected of having on several occasions ordered the Serb guards of the Manjaca concentration camp near Banja Luka to “treat the war prisoners inhumanely” in 1992. Lukajic’s wife, Ruzica, said that her husband’s lawyer announced he would appeal the decision, but also that she is unaware of what her husband was exactly accused of.

Bosnia’s Foreign Minister, Igor Crnadak, said on Sunday that he expects an official note from Croatia concerning Lukajic’s arrest. Croatian authorities have notified the Bosnian embassy in Zagreb about the arrest by phone and Minister Igor Crnadak said he requested that Croatia allows Bosnian representatives to contact Lukajic and visit him.