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Srebrenica Muslim chief cleared Srebrenica Muslim chief cleared
(about 1 hour later)
The commander of Bosnian Muslim forces in Srebrenica, Naser Oric, has had his conviction for war crimes overturned by the UN tribunal in The Hague.The commander of Bosnian Muslim forces in Srebrenica, Naser Oric, has had his conviction for war crimes overturned by the UN tribunal in The Hague.
Mr Oric was convicted of failing to prevent men under his command killing and mistreating Bosnian Serb prisoners. He was convicted of failing to prevent men under his command killing and mistreating six Bosnian Serb prisoners.
Between 1992 and 1993 he commanded troops who allegedly destroyed 50 Serb villages, causing thousands of Bosnian Serbs to flee. His alleged crimes took place well before the 1995 Bosnian Serb massacre of nearly 8,000 Srebrenica Muslims.
But judges ruled the first trial failed to prove he had control over the men. Between 1992 and 1993 he commanded troops who allegedly destroyed 50 Serb villages, causing thousands to flee.
Mr Oric's crimes took place well before the 1995 Bosnian Serb massacre of nearly 8,000 Srebrenica Muslims. But judges at The Hague ruled the first trial had failed to prove he had control over the men.
Former bodyguard
"The appeals chamber [...] reverses Naser Oric's conviction," said Judge Wolfgang Schomburg of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
The 41-year-old ex-bodyguard to former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was convicted two years ago but given a two-year sentence - much less than that demanded by the prosecution.The 41-year-old ex-bodyguard to former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was convicted two years ago but given a two-year sentence - much less than that demanded by the prosecution.
He was ordered to be immediately release because of time he had already spent in custody.He was ordered to be immediately release because of time he had already spent in custody.
Many Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) regarded him as a hero, and believe the decision to prosecute him was made to counter complaints by Serbs that the tribunal was biased against them, correspondents say. Many Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) regard him as a hero, and believe the decision to prosecute him was made to counter complaints by Serbs that the tribunal was biased against them, correspondents say.
Mr Oric was commander of the Bosnian Muslim forces in the town of Srebrenica from May 1992 to August 1995, four weeks after the killing of thousands of Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb troops despite the presence of Dutch UN peacekeepers.