Serbian faces war crimes charge

Vukovar was the scene of fierce fighting in 1991

A UK-based Serbian man has been charged with taking part in the execution of 200 ethnic Croats, it has emerged.

Milorad Pejic, 39, was arrested in March on a visit to Belgrade and is accused of involvement in the deaths at a farm in Ovcara, near Vukovar in 1991.

Mr Pejic, who has a UK passport and is a locksmith, lives with his wife and two sons in Corby, Northamptonshire.

A statement by the Serbian war crimes prosecutor said he was a member of the Vukovar territorial defence force.

The group allegedly executed 200 prisoners of war in Grabovo, Ovcara.

The statement said: "The war crimes prosecutor has proposed that the case against [Mr] Pejic should be included in the joint proceedings currently conducted against 16 individuals before the Belgrade District Court's War Crimes Chamber."

Prosecutors said Mr Pejic was arrested at Nikola Tesla airport on 19 March under an international arrest warrant.

His family has previously protested his innocence.

'Good guy'

Last month his wife, Loubica Dokic, said her husband could not be guilty.

Speaking at their home in Corby through an interpreter, Ms Dokic, 38, said: "There is no chance of him being guilty of anything because he is such a good father, such a good husband and such a good guy."

In 1991, more than 1,000 civilians were killed in a three-month siege and bombardment of Vukovar.

As Serbian troops bombarded the city, prisoners of war sought refuge in a hospital.

Serbian troops seized prisoners when the city fell and at least 200 were taken to a pig farm in Ovcara, where they were beaten, tortured and killed.

The bodies of the victims were found in mass graves.

Serbian courts later sentenced 14 former militiamen to jail terms of up to 20 years for the killings.