Ex-Bosnia army chief 'not guilty'

He has been indicted over crimes said to have been carried out by foreign fighters, or Mujahideen, he commanded during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia.

The alleged crimes include the murder and torture of Bosnian Serbs and Croats and the rape of female prisoners.

General Delic, 56, is one of the two top Bosnian Muslims to go on trial.

The man he succeeded in 1993 - former Bosnian Army Commander Sefer Halilovic - is already on trial in The Hague.

Foreign fighters

"Your Honour, not guilty," Gen Delic said in a webcast of his initial appearance at the tribunal after he surrendered to The Hague on Monday.

He has repeatedly denied responsibility for the alleged crimes, saying there were three command levels between him and the foreign fighters.

Mujahideen began arriving in Bosnia-Hercegovina shortly after the war erupted.

The indictment against Gen Delic relates to two cases involving their activities:

• The killings of at least 24 captured Bosnian Croats in the central Bosnian region of Travnik municipality in 1993;

• The ill-treatment of Bosnian Serb prisoners, at least 14 of whom are listed as having died at the Kamenica camp in 1995. The charges also include the rape of three Bosnian Serb women.

The indictment is one of the last to be issued by the tribunal, which aims to wrap up its work by 2010.

Prosecutors say Gen Delic "knew or had reason to know" that crimes were being committed by his subordinates, and that he had failed to prevent such acts.

The unit, called El Mujaheed, consisted of fighters from Islamic countries and fought with the Bosnian army for the independence of Bosnia-Hercegovina.

Gen Delic said he was happy to go to The Hague to defend his role in the war.

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International War Crimes Tribunal
Bosnian foreign ministry
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