Reports say Slobodan Milosevic under arrest in Belgrade

BELGRADE - Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was arrested today, a source close to the Serbian Government said.

The source told Reuters Milosevic was to be transferred to a justice administration building in central Belgrade.

"He has been arrested and he should be brought to the palace of justice," the source said. Belgrade's B92 radio station also reported the arrest, citing well-informed sources.

Speculation that the former Yugoslav leader's arrest was imminent soared earlier this morning after a police van, an ambulance and several unmarked cars showed up near the former Yugoslav president's home.

The development came on the eve of a deadline set by United States legislation for President George W Bush to declare Yugoslavia is co-operating with the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal, which has indicted Milosevic, or impose economic sanctions on Belgrade.

Deputies of Milosevic's Socialist party rushed to their leader's home in the exclusive Dedinje district of Belgrade to join a band of his supporters after they were informed of developments in a dramatic announcement to parliament.

Reporters saw a blue police van of the sort normally used to transfer arrested suspects, an ambulance and around half a dozen other plain cars or jeeps in streets near Milosevic's home.

Both Serbia's Justice Minister Vladan Batic, a leader in the reformist alliance which ousted the authoritarian Milosevic in a mass uprising last October, and the Socialists said no one had been arrested.

But Serbia's private BK television, citing its own sources, said a warrant for Milosevic's arrest had been issued and police were inside the house negotiating for him to surrender.

Citing a police source, BK said police had tried to replace some of Milosevic's bodyguards, a move that had been resisted by both the guards and the former president.

The Socialists' parliamentary leader Banislav Ivkovic said he was sure that police had tried to seize Milosevic.

"Why would seven vehicles with men armed to the teeth in black uniforms be here? They didn't come for a walk, did they?" he told reporters after going inside the official residence still occupied by Milosevic despite his ouster from power.

Yugoslavia's new reformist rulers have said the former leader will not be arrested on war crimes charges before the US deadline. But they have left open the possibility that local justice authorities might order his arrest for alleged offences such as corruption.

Reporters at the scene saw some men in the jeeps dressed in dark clothing, but no sign of any weapons. The men hid their faces and would not speak to the flood of reporters who arrived.

Members of a round-the-clock "people's guard" of Milosevic supporters outside the house said they had seen rifles and hand guns when the vehicles were in front of the residence before reporters arrived.

US officials have accepted it is unlikely Milosevic himself will be handed over to the tribunal by the deadline. But they have said it would boost Belgrade's chances of making the grade if Milosevic is behind bars for any offence.

"We've always said Mr Milosevic ought to be brought to justice," President Bush said in Washington, adding that the White House was closely monitoring the latest developments.

"We're watching it very carefully, we will co-operate in any way we are asked to do so," he said.

US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said later on Friday that the Bush administration would not announce a decision on whether Yugoslavia has met the conditions until Monday at the earliest.

Ivkovic said he thought the quick reaction of Milosevic's supporters meant there would not be another arrest attempt.

"Thanks to the media and these people, there will not and we will stay here," he said.

The tribunal in The Hague has charged Milosevic with crimes against humanity over atrocities allegedly committed by forces under his command against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo in 1999.

- REUTERS

Herald Online feature: Yugoslavia

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

Serbian Ministry of Information

Serbian Radio - Free B92

Otpor: Serbian Student Resistance Movement