SERBIA & MONTENEGRO: Belgrade has admitted that its army officers harboured war crimes suspect Gen Ratko Mladic until the middle of 2002, and then helped him evade capture.
Serbia-Montenegro's supreme defence council (VSO) however insisted it now had no idea where the former Bosnian Serb commander was hiding and refused to reveal the names of officers who helped him.
Quoting sources in Serbia's intelligence agency, the Glas Javnosti newspaper yesterday said security officials were preparing to arrest some of Gen Mladic's protectors to glean information on his whereabouts.
"The VSO has established that Ratko Mladic was periodically in military compounds until June 1st, 2002," the council said.
Gen Mladic is wanted on charges that include ordering the siege of Sarajevo and the Srebrenica massacre during Bosnia's 1992-1995 war.
Brussels is putting pressure on Serbia-Montenegro to hand over war crimes suspects or forfeit the chance of closer ties with the EU.
