Nato claims success in Karadzic raid

Nato says it has seized evidence showing chief war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic is financed by activities in Bosnia's criminal underworld.

The ring is tightening around Karadzic and his support network

Scott Lundy
S-For spokesman

Troops from the Nato-led peacekeeping force S-For carried out a thorough search of Mr Karadzic's home in Pale earlier this week, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

It was at the time suggested that the raid was an exercise to show that S-For remains active and important at a time when its future is in doubt, rather than a mission with real purpose.

But S-For spokesman Scott Lundy said that officers had raided the house to find evidence of Mr Karadzic's clandestine activities, and had been successful.

"The hunt for Karadzic involves tracking down his illegal support network and diminishing his remaining influence through illegal activities," he said.

The spokesman said the troops took away a small number of firearms and forged documents from the house, which is reported to have been empty for five years.

'Intimidating' tactics

The troops forced open the gate of the 15-room house, blew one door open, shot through a glass door and ripped up parquet flooring. They tied up the 66-year-old guard they found on the premises.

Mrs Karadzic, who has met S-For officers on a number of occasions, said they could have asked for the keys to the house. She accused the troops of intimidation.

Nato has launched a number of unsuccessful missions to capture Mr Karadzic, who has been indicted by the United Nations tribunal for genocide and war crimes committed during Bosnia's 1992-1995 war.

He is believed to move between remote areas of eastern Bosnia and the Yugoslav republic of Montenegro, where he was born, in the company of several bodyguards.