SFOR press conference

Drljaca and Milanovic released

Banjaluka, 12 July, 1997 (AIM) - Mr. Mike Right, SFOR Spokesman, confirmed yesterday in Banjaluka, that Sinisa Drljaca, son and Spiro Milanovic, wife's brother of Simo Drljaca, have been released. The reason for their arrest was because they "have been in the company of the person accused as war criminal, and, therefore they could be war criminal suspects too. SFOR did not identify them at the spot, and they were brought to the Hague Tribunal as a possible suspects. Immediately, after the Court identify them as non suspects, they have been brought back and released", said Mr.< Right, adding that, they have not been armed during the arrest, and two pistols were found in the nearby trailer.

He corrected his yesterday's statement: "SFOR soldiers were carrying a package with cross on it, similar to the one impressed on military and civil medical supply, but there was no intention to use it as the sign of the IRC", said he, pointing out that all other informations were correct. "As for incident at the lake, SFOR soldiers tried to capture the suspect alive, and they opend fire in self defense. It is totally incorrect that they shot the victim while he was down", stated he, adding that SFOR mandate has not been changed.(End)