Serbian War Crimes Suspect Arrested In Australia

Dragan Vasiljkovic in 1991

A Serbian war crimes suspect has been recaptured in Australia and is now facing extradition to Croatia to contest torture and murder charges.

The Australian Federal Police said in a statement that Dragan Vasiljkovic, 55, had been detained on May 12 in the state of New South Wales after a tip-off from Dutch police.

Vasiljkovic, who is also known as Daniel Snedden, disappeared in March after he lost a legal appeal and Australia's highest court approved his extradition to Croatia.

Croatian authorities accuse Vasiljkovic of involvement in the torture and killing of Croatian soldiers and civilians when he commanded a rebel Serbian paramilitary unit during Croatia's 1991-95 war of independence from the former Yugoslavia.

Vasiljkovic, who is an Australian citizen, was first arrested in Australia in 2006 after Croatia requested his extradition. He has denied any involvement in war crimes.

compiled from agency reports