BOSNIAN STATE COURT EXTENDED CUSTODY FOR SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL NOVAK DJUKIC

SARAJEVO, Bosnia ( December 7,2007) - The Bosnian State Court accepted request by the Bosnian State Prosecutor for one-month extension of custody for Serbian war criminal Novak Djukic, who is suspected of having committed crimes against Bosnian civilians in the eastern Bosnian city of Tuzla,during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor considers that it has enough evidence to support the grounded suspicion that Djukic, former member of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia (VRS), was responsible for the shelling of Tuzla centre, which killed 71 and wounded 150 Bosnian civilians on May 25, 1995.

"By the end of the year we shall be able to complete the investigation and file an indictment," said Bosnian State Prosecutor Mirsad Strika. He defended the custody extension request by arguing that the suspect might try to escape, destroy or conceal evidence, and influence the witnesses.

Strika said that, in addition to the plans to examine a few more witnesses, the Prosecution expects to receive court expert's findings, which will "deny the allegations that one grenade could not have killed so many people".

Nebojsa Pantic, Defence attorney of Serbian war criminal Novak Djukic, said that the Bosnian State Prosecutor had failed to prove that there are reasons for custody extension, adding that Serbian war criminal's actions and behaviour do not indicate that he intends to avoid criminal responsibility.