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Standoff after police storm Milosevic compound

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (CNN) -- A standoff is under way at the home of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic after security forces stormed the compound early Saturday amid a flurry of flash grenades and gunfire.

As police stood guard inside the fence, outside the gates hundreds of riot police kept watch on about 1,000 bystanders. An armored personnel carrier was parked nearby.

Police officials presented Milosovic with an arrest warrant, according to an Interior Ministry source quoted by The Associated Press.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Milosevic rejected the document and refused to "recognize these police and these authorities, all of them being NATO servants."

VIDEO

CNN's Jonathan Mann speaks with Florence Hartmann of the War Crimes Tribunal about the reported arrest of Milosevic

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AUDIO

CNN producer Zoran Maric recounts the gunshot incident outside Milosevic's home

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TRANSCRIPT

CNN's Joie Chen talks to Andrea Koppel about the U.S. stance on Milosevic

ALSO

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Milosevic: The world reacts

The standoff began earlier in the night after police rammed the gates in a white van. Carrying military assault rifles, police jumped out of the vehicle and shouted at journalists to get out of the way. Two more vans followed, carrying more of the hooded police inside.

Concussion grenade flashes and gunfire enveloped the villa grounds. Smoke was seen rising into the air. Some of the special forces smashed through windows as riot police held Milosevic supporters outside the gates.

CNN producer Zoran Maric described the tense scene as it unfolded. As he recounted the events in an on-air telephone interview, more gunshots could be heard. He said one ambulance was on the scene.

The raid came shortly after Milosevic defiantly emerged from his house, to the cheers of supporters, following reports of his arrest for corruption on the eve of a U.S. deadline for Yugoslavia to cooperate with the International War Crimes Tribunal.

Journalist Bratislav Grubacic told CNN that one of Milosevic's political allies had been placed inside a vehicle on the grounds, but there were no reports that the person had left the former president's property.

Police met resistance from Milosevic supporters at his home.

"We won't let them inside. We won't let them arrest him," Milosevic aide Zivorad Igic told The Associated Press by mobile phone, before police hauled him away.

Video of the scene showed one news photographer bleeding from a wound in his hand. The Yugoslav state Tanjug news agency reported the photographer had been shot.

CNN Senior International Correspondent Walter Rodgers said police pushed the crowd -- made up of both Milosevic supporters and detractors -- back toward a wooded area across the street from the home on a hillside in suburban Belgrade.

"They're still in riot gear and they are keeping everyone back," Rodgers said.

Before the latest outbreak of gunfire, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright told CNN, "What the Serb people really want to do is to be able to hold up their heads again and be a part of the new Europe. And this (Milosevic's arrest) is a step that needs to be taken to accomplish that."

There was still no official government statement about the flurry of developments in Belgrade that began hours earlier with a high-ranking Milosevic ally telling Parliament that police were planning to arrest the former president. Milosevic supporters then began gathering outside the home.

Contacted in the early hours Saturday, Milosevic aide Sinisa Vucinic refused to comment on the news of the arrest and would not allow CNN to speak with Milosevic -- but confirmed he was currently at the Belgrade home.

Milosevic, 59, ruled Yugoslavia for 13 years and pushed the country's military and militias into a succession of brutal wars with neighboring republics and finally against NATO until he was toppled last October in a popular uprising.

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Zarko Kovac told CNN that Milosevic had turned himself over peacefully after negotiations at his home in which the former president was shown an arrest warrant issued by the minister of the interior.

The reported arrest came on the eve of a U.S. deadline calling for Belgrade to cooperate with the International War Crimes Tribunal.

Kovac said the timing of the arrest had nothing to do with that deadline, but he added, "We are aware of the realities of this world." He said the government had been compiling a case against Milosevic on embezzlement and other charges, and waited until they had enough evidence to seek trial.

"We just simply want justice to be served," Kovac said.

The United States had given Yugoslavia a deadline of March 31 to demonstrate compliance with the International War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague or face a cut-off of U.S. funds, about $50 million in assistance.

The deadline is not contingent on the arrest of Milosevic, but the United States has repeatedly said it wants the former Yugoslav president brought to justice.

Florence Hartman with International War Crimes Tribunal at the Hague said Belgrade was fully aware that the tribunal wants him for trial on alleged war crimes.


Milosevic, seen among supporters outside his home early Saturday

"We are expecting immediately a commitment of the Yugoslav state that they will transfer him," she told CNN. "We are ready for a trial."

"It is a trial on crimes against humanity. It is a very important charge against him."

Riot police had sealed off the area around the home to cars, but allowed pedestrians in. At the front gate, more than 200 Milosevic supporters gathered, chanting "Slobo, Slobo!", "Serbia, Serbia!" and "We will not let them arrest you."

Earlier, a high-ranking official of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), Milosevic's party, announced to parliament that police were en route to arrest the former Yugoslav president. He called for Milosevic supporters to gather in front of the home to prevent the arrest, and Milosevic allies then left the parliament building to demonstrate.

In Washington, President Bush said, "We've always said Mr. Milosevic should be brought to justice."

Bush met with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell earlier in the day about the situation, which Powell said they are closely monitoring.

The U.N. tribunal in May 1999 formally indicted then-Yugoslav president Milosevic for alleged war crimes, accusing him of authorizing a military campaign against civilians in the Serb province of Kosovo.

The indictment marked the first time a sitting head of state had been charged with war crimes. Milosevic, along with four subordinates, were charged with murder, deportation and persecution in violation of the laws and customs of war.

"I welcome any move which helps bring Milosevic to justice," said British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook. "It is vital that Milosevic answers these charges."

Milosovic led his country through wars bloody wars against the neighboring republics of Bosnia, Croatia and, briefly against Slovenia, as well as the province of Kosovo pitting Serbs against Albanians. This brought on his final conflict against the NATO alliance, ending in defeat.

Carl Bildt, U.N. special envoy to the Balkans, said the arrest shows Yugoslavia is "playing by the rules."

"They know that he was evil. They know that he was bad," Bildt said. "But they find it difficult to accept that the international community is not, in the same way, dealing with what they consider crimes against Serbs during these horrible wars over the last 10 years."