2006-02-21

Nobody knows the Ratko they haven't seen

Ratko Mladić may have been arrested in Belgrade. Or he may not have been. Or maybe there is an action to arrest him going on in Bosnia, perhaps near Tuzla. Or perhaps not. Maybe we will know something by the end of the day. Or maybe we will not.

Update: For a not particularly representative sample of responses to the news (which may be false) that the suspect was raspamećen, it's always fun to follow the comments on B92.

Update: Still no reliable signs that the report is true. In the meantime, however, Mirko Marjanović died.

Another update: Nezavisne novine is reporting that the recent stories are untrue, but that PM Koštunica has issued a warrant for Mladić's arrest. Is the implication that there was no legal basis for his arrest up until now?

Morning update: Still nothing solid. The government and ICTY are either denying everything or saying nothing, media are tending to converge around the story that he has been "located but not arrested" on Cer, and Toma Nikolić chose the moment to remind everyone that he is a necrophiliac.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

According to Glas Javnosti he is in Belgrade this morning:
http://www.glas-javnosti.co.yu/danas/srpski/vest-dana.shtml

Katja R. said...

yeah I know and B92 is standing by their story too, but then again everyone else is busy denying it all, so Bogznais

Anonymous said...

Eric,

Will you blog more on the mysterious anonymous man who knew more about the Mittal Steel story? I'm very curious what was going on there.

Eric Gordy said...

I would, but I don't know anything more than what he sends. But I'll see what I can find about Mittal and Omarska generally.

Anonymous said...

The only thing that seems clear to me is that we've finally entered the closing phase of the Mladic saga.

When last nights reports came out I didnt feel as if he was arrested but as if something was brewing.

Can well imagine a scenrio where he refuses to give himself up and gets surrounded.

Some in Belgrade are speculating that the talks on Kosovo had something to do with the latest movement. Hmmm.

Katja R. said...

annonymous, that's an interesting thought, it really should not have to do with Kosovo, but well, maybe.

Eric Gordy said...

I hope that this is the closing phase! It is still not clear to me whether thw whole business is an ongoing operation that people are keeping silent about, a failed operation that is being denied, or a fake operation promoted through the media. Time will tell, I suppose.