International Warrant Issued for Bosnian War Crimes Suspect

A Bosnian court has issued an international arrest warrant for Milenko Samardžija. He is accused of war crimes committed in Bijeljina in 1992. Samardžija failed to appear at his trial on July 13. The court then ordered his detention.

Prosecutors stated that Samardžija took documents from his workplace and left Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also broke rules that the court had previously set for him. Court police could not find him at his registered home address.

Samardžija and nine other former police officers face charges. They are accused of taking and killing 22 Bosniak civilians. This incident happened in Bijeljina between September 24 and 25, 1992. Samardžija is also accused of shooting three men by the Drina river on September 11, 1992. These men had been brought in by the police.