Croatian Serb convicted for war crimes

Judges said Spanovic was part of a Serb paramilitary group that attacked villages and pillaged homes.

A Croatian court on Friday jailed a former Serb parliamilitary to more than three years in jail for war crimes during the 1992-1995 Balkans war, reports said.

A court in Sisak, central Croatia found Milan Spanovic guilty of involvement in attacks on two villages, 70 kilometres (40 miles) from Zagreb in the early stages of the conflict, state television reported. Spanovic later fled to Britain where he was detained.

Judges said Spanovic was part of a Serb paramilitary group that attacked villages and pillaged homes.

They sentenced him to three years and five months in prison but he was immediately released for time served in custody in Britain and Croatia while awaiting trial.

At the trial, Spanovic admitted he had taken part in the attacks but claimed he had committed no crime, the Jutarnji List newspaper reported on its website.

In 1998, Spanovic fled to Britain and authorities granted him permit residence there in 2004.

He was arrested in June 2006 and was held in custody before being extradited to Croatia in August this year.

In 1993, a Croatian court sentenced Spanovic to 20 years in prison for war crimes after a trial in absentia.

Croatia's 1991 declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia was opposed by Belgrade-backed rebel Serbs, sparking a four-year war that claimed an estimated 20,000 lives.