Ratko Mladic arrested

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Mladic arrested. The most appalling mass-murdering war criminal of modern times is finally arrested having been successfully hidden by his supporters for 16 years. Suspiciously well-timed to coincide with Serbia's ambitions to join the EU... but still good news for humanity.

[meditrina]

Is there yet a list anywhere if the exact charges he will face?

In particular, are their any charges relating to systematic use of rape, as both a tool of war and a way to further ethic cleansing?

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

I think the plan is to prosecute him for the worst/biggest crime that they have the best direct evidence for and convict him on that. He's accused of so many atrocities unfortunately that if they set about prosecuting him for all of them the trial will go on for years - and he doesn't look in good shape. Having heard yesterday the testimony of a man who survived a massacre and who, together with another survivor, can place him exactly at the scene of the crime giving orders to shoot, I think that one sounds like a good candidate.

[meditrina]

I don't disagree.

But has anyone been held to account in any ICTY trials for the rape camps?

[Guitargirl]

I heard on the news that they are trying to find enough evidence to directly link him to ordering the Srebrenica massacre.

[meditrina]

I found thus indictment on the ICTY website. It's being amended, so may not be the final set of charges.

It covers 5 main areas:

a) genocide and ethnic cleansing (in which sexual abuse is listed as one of the very many horrors)
b) the siege of Sarajevo
c) taking UNMOs and peacekeepers hostage
d) the atrocities at Srebrenica
e) aiding and abetting further crimes by failing to investigate or punish his subordinates.

They've been gathering evidence for well over a decade, so they should know the case they are going to put. But such trials seem inevitably to be protracted.

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

I too am a cynical old bat. It seems strange that he was found just as Serbia want to join the EU. I'd like to know who was hiding him.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

I've even heard that he gave himself up as part of said aim to integrate Serbia into the EU. Promised an easy ride, apparently. Will believe that when I see it.