Hadzic extradited to Hague tribunal

The last Balkan war-crimes suspect has been extradited to the UN tribunal for prosecution yesterday after being allowed last-minute visits with relatives, including his sick mother.

Goran Hadzic, 53, is accused of atrocities stemming from Croatia’s 1991-95 war, including the levelling of Vukovar and the massacre of some 200 Croat prisoners of war after the devastation of the town on the Danube.

A convoy of jeeps and police cars left the detention unit of the Serbian war crimes court yesterday morning with Mr Hadzic, taking him first to his family home in Novi Sad, about an hour from Belgrade, then delivering him to Belgrade’s international airport.

Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said she signed the extradition order for the former Croatian Serb leader, who is wanted for atrocities stemming from the 1991-95 war in Croatia.

The convoy stopped in the northern city of Novi Sad and a heavy police presence blocked the streets near the family home, as Mr Hadzic went in to see his 86-year-old mother Milena, who is said to be bedridden and suffering from dementia.

Other relatives visited Mr Hadzic in his prison cell yesterday morning.

Mr Hadzic was arrested on Wednesday after seven years on the run, discovered by Serbian agents who had followed a money trail that began in December when Mr Hadzic’s aides tried to sell a Modigliani painting.

Mr Hadzic’s arrest followed that of former Bosnian Serb Gen. Ratko Mladic on genocide charges nearly two months ago. The top war crimes suspect was allowed to visit his daughter’s grave only hours before he was sent to the Hague.