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Gen. Mladic Suffers Stroke,
Reported in Grave Danger
The Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic has suffered a stroke and is said to be in a serious condition, the independent Belgrade news agency Beta reported on Friday. Beta quoted "well-informed sources close to Bosnian Serb authorities" as saying the general, who is wanted in The Hague to face war-crimes charges, suffered the stroke last week and his life was in danger.
The Belgrade weekly Vreme (Time) also carried a similar report on Friday, and said Mladic was being treated in the Belgrade Military Hospital. Vreme quoted reliable sources close to the Bosnian Serb leadership as saying the stroke happened on June 20, and has affected his ability to speak. Other senior sources in the Yugoslav capital told Reuterss the Bosnian Serb general was "in a serious condition," although they refused to reveal any further details. The United States, however, has "seen nothing to substantiate" a reports that Mladic had suffered a life-threatening stroke and a U.S. official urged caution on Friday over the report from Belgrade. "I would encourage you to exercise caution in evaluating the report since his demise has been reported prematurely in the past," the U.S. official, who declined to be identified, told Reuterss. The official said he had "seen nothing to substantiate it." Mladic, along with the Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, tops the list of war crimes suspects wanted by the international tribunal in The Hague. He was absent from a Bosnian Serb generals' meeting two days ago, although the military said Mladic was avoiding NATO peacekeepers who have been asked to arrest him. |
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