War Crimes

Karadzic had his first appearance before ICTY today. Aside from asserting irregularities in his arrest, Karadzic reiterated allegations - published last year - that American diplomat (and chief architect of the Dayton accords) Richard Holbrooke had cut a deal with him to give him money and security in return for his forgoing participation in Bosnian Serb politics.

Holbrooke, for his part, gave an interview with Foreign Policy last week where he argued that it was the NATO command’s fault Karadzic hadn’t been captured immediately. He has consistently denied that there was any deal between him and Karadzic to let the genocidaire escape.

Aleksandar Hemon has this oped in Radovan Karadzic in the New York Times.

Meanwhile, Andre Gerolymatos argues that there are deeper geopolitical considerations behind Serbia’s decision to find Karadzic.

As we, and most of the world, continue to discuss and celebrate Karadzic’s arrest, he will appear before the ICTY tomorrow for an initial arraignment.

Zeinab Taleb-Jedi, a member of an Iranian rebel group called the Mujahedin-e Khalq, or Peoples’ Mohajedin Organization of Iran (MEK), faces charges in federal court for providing material support to a terrorist organization under 18 U.S.C. 2339.

Taleb-Jedi argues that the United States is cooperating with MEK in Iraq, and so it is inconsistent for the federal government to prosecute her for cooperating with the same group. A judge agreed last week to let the case go forwards, reasoning that the State Department has designated MEK a Foreign Terrorist Organization, as authorized by the Anti-Terrorism & Effective Death Penalty Act, that MEK is in fact a terrorist organization which has admitted responsibility in assassinations and other terrorist activity, and that the government had advanced sufficient evidence that Taleb-Jedi had provided material support to the organization, including evidence uncovered shortly after her capture at Camp Ashraf, an MEK community in Iraq.

As a matter of law, Taleb-Jedi may not challenge MEK’s designation by State. Nonetheless, the military’s cooperation with MEK will certainly be an issue at trial, and the case - perhaps the first one where a defendant is prosecuted for violating Section 2339 by aiding a group that the federal government is also, simultaneously, cooperating with - points up the difficulty in distinguishing between allies and enemies in Iraq.

There may be a good day in Darfur. And the ICC’s indictment of Sudanese Presidnet Omar Hassan al-Bashir may have a lot to do with it, the New York Times reports.

While al-Bashir’s government, and even the domestic political opposition, is rallying around him in defiance of the ICC indictment, the Times suggests that previously unthinkable concessions will be on the table to save Bashir - turning over two other Sudanese officials indicted for genocide, cabinet minister Ahmad Harun and janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb, and maybe even a resolution to the ongoing genocide.

There’s a long way to go, and the damage in Darfur is incalculable. But a ray of hope there, even a small one, is noteworthy.

Lawyers for Radovan Karadzic just before midnight Friday dispatched a letter via postal carrier to the U.N. tribunal at The Hague, lodging an appeal against his transfer to the international court.

Svetozar Vujacic, one of the defense members, said the letter was filed at the last possible minute in an effort to delay the extradition process.

Serbian officials captured Karadzic Monday following 13 years on the run for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Allegations surfaced recently he was actually arrested late last week and was interrogated at a secret location prior to the announcement of his arrest.  He, along with Ratko Mladic, who is still on the loose, are alleged to have committed atrocities during the 1992-93 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Karadzic could be sent to The Haque as early as next week should the transfer appeal fail.  The move, however, gives the former fugitive time to exchange papers with friends and family, his defense team said.

Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic expressed hope the chief U.N. war crimes prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, would praise Serbia for its cooperation in the matter.

“Serbia has, in every way, respected international law, both regarding cooperation with The Hague and activities against the unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence,” he said.

Serbia is lobbying to join the European Union.  Reconciliation regarding the Bosnia war is seen as integral to that effort.

Reuters reports that conditions in the Haguue war crimes prison are well above international standards, and Joshua Keating at Foreign Policy magazine calls it the Hague’s “Kumbaya Prison.”

Apparently, the detainees have put aside religious differences and bonded, going from fratricide to fraternity. A shame it didn’t happen a little bit earlier.

The legal team representing Bosnian war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic, said Thursday they filed a petition which could delay his extradition to the war crimes tribunal at The Hague.

Bosnian officials captured the former Bosnian leader Monday after 13 years on the run. He allegedly, with fellow cohort Ratko Mladic, coordinated, among other things, the massacre at Srebrenica.

Officials announced his detention Monday, though his lawyer, Svetozar Vujacic, said he was captured last week.

“Someone will have a lot of explaining to do about why they lied to us and the world public about the date of Radovan Karadzic’s arrest,” he said.

Vujacic said his client was arrested on a bus in Belgrade Friday afternoon, hooded, and transferred to a secret location for interrogation.

“We have evidence and three witnesses who were there on the 18th (of July),’ he said.

Former UN Ambassador Richard Holbrooke has this editorial in the Washington Post. The Post also reports on how Karadzic managed to avoid capture so long.

Meanwhile, Serbian radio reports that - like Milosevic - Karadzic will represent himself before the tribunal.

As Daniel noted, Radovan Karadzic was arrested yesterday by Serbian authorities. Karadzic, who PBS once described as the world’s most wanted man, was President of the Republika Srpska, and ICTY alleges that he is guilty of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Perhaps most importantly, Karadzic is accused of ordering the genocide at Srebrenica, and his arrest comes shortly after the thirteenth anniversary of the genocide.

Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, commanding general of the Army of the Republika Srpska, were the two highest-profile defendants indicted by ICTY who remained at large. With Karadzic’s arrest, one of the most significant barries to Balkan reconciliation - and European integration for Serbia - has been removed. With his eventual trial, his myriad victims may yet receive justice.

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Bosnian Serb wartime president Radovan Karadzic, one of the world’s most wanted men for his part in civilian massacres, was arrested on Monday, Serbian President Boris Tadic’s office said on Monday.