Croatian 'hero' general indicted

Norac is already serving a prison sentence in Croatia

A former Croatian general already serving a prison sentence for war crimes has now been indicted by the international tribunal in The Hague.

Mirko Norac is accused by the tribunal of crimes against humanity in 1993.

His earlier arrest in Croatia on other charges sparked protests by members of the public who see him as a war hero.

Moves to extradite him would attract strong opposition, but it is believed he may be tried in Croatia, in a break with normal tribunal procedure.

The tribunal has accused the ex-general of committing war crimes during an operation in the Medak pocket in central Croatia.

Burnt alive

A brigade headed by General Norac allegedly committed a string of murders and other attacks, including burning a woman alive while soldiers mocked her, prosecutors say.

"Mirko Norac, acting individually and/or in concert with others... planned, instigated, ordered, committed or otherwise aided and abetted in the planning, preparation or execution of persecutions of Serb civilians of the Medak Pocket on racial, political or religious grounds," the indictment says.

It said soldiers under his command were guilty of "shooting, stabbing, cutting of fingers, severe beatings with rifle butts, burning with cigarettes, jumping on bodies, tying bodies to a car and dragging them along the road, mutilation and other forms of mistreatment."

Other generals

Two other generals have already been charged over the same operation - Rahim Ademi, who is on bail pending his trial, and Janko Bobetko who has died.

The offences for which General Norac has already been jailed took place in 1991, when more than 50 Croatian Serb civilians were killed around the town of Gospic. He is serving a 12-year sentence.

Prosecution spokeswoman Florence Hartmann said prosecutors were likely to file a motion later this week to have the new case remanded to a Croatian court - the first move of its kind.