Israel’s Supreme Court approves Serb’s extradition to Bosnia

JERUSALEM (JTA) — A Bosnian Serb with Israeli citizenship will be extradited to Bosnia to stand trial on charges of genocide, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled.

Aleksandar Cvetkovic, 43, who is married to a Jewish woman and made aliyah with her in 2006, is accused of involvement in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre in which 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed by Serbian troops.

Thursday’s ruling upheld a similar ruling by the Jerusalem District Court in August 2011, which Cvetkovic appealed. Israel’s Justice Ministry must approve the extradition.

He was arrested in January 2011 following an extradition request from Bosnia. He is alleged to have been part of an eight-man firing squad that executed Bosnian Muslim males at the Branjevo Farm as part of the massacre.

Cvetkovic said he served as an army driver in Srebrenica during Bosnia’s civil war between 1992 and 1995, and did not participate in the massacre.

 

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