Croatian general ‘travelled widely’ on the run
Mark Mulligan
Financial Times, UK
_______________
Madrid (Spain):
The arrested former Croatian general, Ante Gotovina, had visited at least eight countries, covering three continents, since going on the run after his indictment in 2001 by an international war crimes tribunal in the Hague, it emerged on Friday.
He faces war crimes charges in connection with the murder of 150 civilians and the expulsion of thousands of Serbs from Croatia.
José Antonio Alonso, Spain’s Interior minister, said a false Croatian passport seized by police during Gen Gotovina’s detention on Wednesday night contained visa stamps from Argentina, Chile, China, Mauritius, Tahiti, the Czech Republic, Russia and Spain.
Police also found a laptop computer, a second false passport, and €12,000 ($14,100) in cash, according to officials.Interpol alerted Spanish authorities to his possible presence in the Canary Islands, a popular destination for northern European tourists, in October.
The Bitácora Hotel on a quiet beach on the southern side of Tenerife last weekend alerted police to his reappearance there. The Croat general had checked in on Saturday under the name Kristian Horuat.
After three days’ surveillance, Spanish Interpol officers, with local and specialist police squads, swooped on the alleged war criminal as he dined with his bodyguard. There was no resistance, and a police video showed the fugitive with a look of resignation on his face as he was handcuffed.
Dec 09, 2005
Mark Mulligan
Financial Times, UK
_______________
Madrid (Spain):
The arrested former Croatian general, Ante Gotovina, had visited at least eight countries, covering three continents, since going on the run after his indictment in 2001 by an international war crimes tribunal in the Hague, it emerged on Friday.
He faces war crimes charges in connection with the murder of 150 civilians and the expulsion of thousands of Serbs from Croatia.
José Antonio Alonso, Spain’s Interior minister, said a false Croatian passport seized by police during Gen Gotovina’s detention on Wednesday night contained visa stamps from Argentina, Chile, China, Mauritius, Tahiti, the Czech Republic, Russia and Spain.
Police also found a laptop computer, a second false passport, and €12,000 ($14,100) in cash, according to officials.Interpol alerted Spanish authorities to his possible presence in the Canary Islands, a popular destination for northern European tourists, in October.
The Bitácora Hotel on a quiet beach on the southern side of Tenerife last weekend alerted police to his reappearance there. The Croat general had checked in on Saturday under the name Kristian Horuat.
After three days’ surveillance, Spanish Interpol officers, with local and specialist police squads, swooped on the alleged war criminal as he dined with his bodyguard. There was no resistance, and a police video showed the fugitive with a look of resignation on his face as he was handcuffed.
Dec 09, 2005
