Australian Police Searching For Accused Serbian War Criminal

Dragan Vasiljkovic

Police in Australia say they are searching for a Serbian war crimes suspect who has apparently gone missing after an Australian court approved his extradition to Croatia.

Officials say Dragan Vasiljkovic, an Australian citizen who is accused of involvement in torture and killings during the 1991-1995 Croatian war, failed to attend this week's hearing during which Australia's High Court upheld Croatia's appeal against a decision last year that had led to Vasiljkovic's release from prison after nearly four years in custody.

Croatia wants to put Vasiljkovic, who is also known as Daniel Snedden, on trial, but he has argued it would be impossible for him to receive a fair trial in Croatia.

Vasiljkovic, who was arrested by Australian authorities in 2006 after Croatia requested his extradition, was known as "Captain Dragan" during the war.

He has acknowledged serving as a commander of a paramilitary force with a Serbian rebel group opposed to Croatia's independence from the former Yugoslavia, but has denied committing war crimes.

compiled from agency reports