Croatia war suspect flies to Hague

Strugar would be first Yugoslav citizen to surrender to U.N. court

PODGORICA, Yugoslavia -- A former Yugoslav general accused of bombing the ancient town of Dubrovnik during the Croatian war has flown to the Netherlands to answer to the U.N. war crimes court.

Retired Gen. Pavle Strugar, 68, and three other former Yugoslav army and naval officers are indicted for suspected murder, plunder and the destruction of nearly 70 percent of Dubrovnik in an attempt to incorporate the 17th century town into Serbia, the dominant Yugoslav republic.

The artillery siege began after Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, setting off a decade of wars in the Balkans.

Strugar, who would be the first Yugoslav citizen to voluntarily surrender to the Netherlands-based court, arrived in The Hague after flying from the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica on Sunday in a private jet.

Before leaving, Strugar told Montenegrin state television he was convinced he would prove his innocence in The Hague court.

"I am also convinced that it is as honorable court as it could be here in Yugoslavia. I was soldier for 42 years. I always have been working in dignified and human manner, towards people and my country," The Associated Press reported him as saying.

"I have been dignified and human in a war, too. I am not a criminal. I expect fair trial where I will prove my innocence," he said.

Strugar, who is unwell, was accompanied by family members and a nurse, as well as Rodic, who said that his client would be met on landing by Dutch doctors.

He said that Strugar's first tribunal session will depend on his health, but if possible, "his first appearance is expected in seven to 10 days."

Strugar's surrender comes a day before the scheduled visit of The Hague chief prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte to Yugoslavia. Del Ponte is expected to arrive in the capital Belgrade on Monday and travel to Podgorica on Tuesday. She is likely to demand that the authorities extradite the other suspects.

Adm. Miodrag Jokic, 66, Adm. Milan Zec, 58, and Capt. Vladimir Kovacevic, 40, are believed to be hiding in Serbia.

Strugar, 68, said earlier this month that he was ready to surrender. He was later taken to hospital with kidney problems and has so far spent 20 days in the hospital in Podgorica.

The Montenegrin government has said it would ask the court to allow Strugar to remain free during trial because of his ill health.

Strugar recently moved to Podgorica, the capital of the smaller Yugoslav republic of Montenegro, from Belgrade, where he lived since retiring from the Yugoslav army in August 1993.

During the siege that lasted until early December 1991, at least 43 civilians were killed and 563 buildings destroyed or damaged in the Old Town, formerly a U.N. World Heritage Site, the indictment said.