Mladic, now 68, is accused of masterminding the 44-month siege of Sarajevo that left 10,000 people dead in 1995 and the massacre in July of the same year of around 8,000 Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica.
He was the most prominent Bosnian war crimes suspect at large since the arrest of Radovan Karadzic in 2008.
Mladic had managed to evade capture for sixteen years
Serbian President Boris Tadic confirmed that Mladic had been arrested and said that "all war criminals must face justice."
He said: "This is the result of cooperation of Serbia with the Hague Tribunal.
"I have always believed in our strategy and the work of everyone involved in this process.
"Today we close one chapter of our recent history that will bring us one step closer to full reconciliation in the region.
DAVID CAMERON REACTION TO RATKO MLADIC ARREST
"I believe that all countries must be responsible for closing their own chapters.
"All crimes have to be fully investigated and all war criminals must face justice."
Sky's Alex Rossi said the question in many people's minds is why it has taken so long to arrest Mladic - who went on the run in 1995.
"He has managed to evade capture for sixteen years. Serbia, where he was arrested, is not a large place.
"How did he hide? Who was sponsoring him? Who was helping him? Where parts of the state's apparatus shielding him from justice?
MOST WANTED: PROFILE OF GENERAL RATKO MLADIC
"Those questions remain unanswered but nevertheless this is a major step from the Serbian government in its rehabilitation."
Speaking at the G8 Summit in Deauville, France, Prime Minister David Cameron said we must not forget the crimes Mladic is alleged to have carried out.
"He (Mladic) is accussed of the most appalling war crimes - both in terms of what happened not only in Srebrenica but also in Sarajevo.
All crimes have to be fully investigated and all war criminals must face justice.
Serbian President Boris Tadic
0 comments:
Post a Comment