This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/6709693.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Aide to wanted Mladic is arrested Aide to wanted Mladic is arrested
(about 2 hours later)
A former Bosnian Serb general and close aide to top war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic has been arrested in Bosnia.A former Bosnian Serb general and close aide to top war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic has been arrested in Bosnia.
Zdravko Tolimir is one of the top fugitives sought by the UN's war crimes tribunal in The Hague for his alleged role in the Srebrenica massacre.Zdravko Tolimir is one of the top fugitives sought by the UN's war crimes tribunal in The Hague for his alleged role in the Srebrenica massacre.
Mr Tolimir was reportedly tracked down in the Bosnian Serb part of Bosnia. The Hague tribunal confirmed the arrest.Mr Tolimir was reportedly tracked down in the Bosnian Serb part of Bosnia. The Hague tribunal confirmed the arrest.
General Ratko Mladic has evaded arrest for years. He is wanted for war crimes against Muslim civilians in the 1990s.General Ratko Mladic has evaded arrest for years. He is wanted for war crimes against Muslim civilians in the 1990s.
Mr Tolimir was arrested in eastern Bosnia close to the border with Serbia and just a few kilometres from the town of Srebrenica.Mr Tolimir was arrested in eastern Bosnia close to the border with Serbia and just a few kilometres from the town of Srebrenica.
Up to 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed there in 1995. Up to 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed there in July 1995.
'New determination''New determination'
A Bosnian Serb spokeswoman said the arrest came as a result of a joint operation with Serbia.A Bosnian Serb spokeswoman said the arrest came as a result of a joint operation with Serbia.
Radovan Karadzic and Gen Mladic are still on the runRasim Ljajic, head of Serbia's office for cooperation with The Hague tribunal, said the detention showed a new determination on the part of Belgrade. This is the first time that not a single fugitive from the ICTY can sleep peacefully Rasim LjajicSerbian minister
Rasim Ljajic, head of Serbia's office for cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), said the detention showed a new determination on the part of Belgrade.
"This is the first time that not a single fugitive from the ICTY can sleep peacefully, because our civilian and military intelligence will work simultaneously on locating them," he said.
The EU has linked the resumption of talks on closer ties with Serbia to the arrest of war crimes suspects.The EU has linked the resumption of talks on closer ties with Serbia to the arrest of war crimes suspects.
Olga Kavran, spokeswoman for the chief UN war crimes prosecutor for former Yugoslavia, Carla Del Ponte, said they were informed of the arrest by the Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik.Olga Kavran, spokeswoman for the chief UN war crimes prosecutor for former Yugoslavia, Carla Del Ponte, said they were informed of the arrest by the Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik.
Preparations are being made for his transfer to the Hague. Preparations are being made for his transfer to The Hague.
"We understand [he] has some health issues and we will try to assess what these issues are in order to make arrangements for his transportation to The Hague," a tribunal spokesman told Reuters."We understand [he] has some health issues and we will try to assess what these issues are in order to make arrangements for his transportation to The Hague," a tribunal spokesman told Reuters.
Mr Tolimir was considered the third most wanted war crimes fugitive in the Balkans after Gen Mladic and his wartime political leader Radovan Karadzic. Important breakthrough
Both Mladic and Karadzic have been indicted for genocide over the killings in Srebrenica and the 43-month siege of Sarajevo, which claimed over 10,000 lives. The BBC's Nicholas Walton in Sarajevo says the arrest of Gen Tolimir is an important breakthrough for those hunting other fugitives wanted in connection with the Bosnian War of the early 1990s.
Mr Tolimir is suspected of being part of the network that has helped Ratko Mladic to escape capture. Radovan Karadzic and Gen Mladic are still on the run
He was considered the third most important person on the list of those indicted for war crimes by the ICTY, after Gen Mladic and his wartime political leader, Radovan Karadzic.
Both Gen Mladic and Mr Karadzic have been indicted for genocide over the killings in Srebrenica and the 43-month siege of Sarajevo, which claimed more than 10,000 lives.
Gen Tolimir was an intelligence officer and senior aide to Gen Mladic at the time of the massacre at Srebrenica, which was carried out by Bosnian Serb soldiers under Gen Mladic's command.
Gen Tolimir is accused of helping to plan and carry out the murders, which have since been internationally recognised as genocide.
With his arrest, only five of the 161 people indicted by the UN tribunal remain at large, including Gen Mladic and Mr Karadzic.
Gen Tolimir is thought to have been one of the key figures helping his former commander to evade capture.
If so, he may provide important information about where the most wanted war crimes suspect is now hiding, our correspondent says.