A former Bosnian Croat military policeman pleaded not guilty at the UN war crimes tribunal today to charges of murdering and persecuting Muslims during the 1992-95 Bosnian war.
Mr Pasko Ljubicic was charged with 11 counts of crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war over his alleged role in atrocities against Muslims in central Bosnia in 1993 while commanding a military police battalion.
Dressed in a grey suit, blue shirt and tie, Mr Ljubicic pleaded not guilty to the charges during a brief initial appearance in court. He was handed over to the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) by Croatia last week.
The main charge against Mr Ljubicic, who turned himself in to Croatian police this month after a year in hiding, relates to a brutal raid on the village of Ahmici in April 1993, during which more than 100 civilians were murdered and their houses were burned down.