Serbia announces arrest of Goran Hadzic, last major war crimes fugitive

Goran Hadzic was known to be a key figure in the breakaway Krajina Serb republic in Croatia, and after the arrest of wartime General Ratko Mladic earlier this year, he was Serbia's last remaining figure sought by the United Nations war crime tribunal in The Hague.

Hadzic faces charges for ordering the murder of hundreds and the deportation of thousands of Croats and other non-Serbs from the area.

The European Union, which hailed Belgrade for arresting Mladic last May, has continued to insist on the arrest of Hadzic in a bid for Serbia to make progress towards European Union membership.

Hadzic lived openly in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad until July 13, 2004, when The Hague sent an indictment and arrest warrant to Belgrade.

He fled immediately, tipped off by nationalist hardliners in Serbia's security services.

His escape was reportedly kept secret for days, while relatives said he was at home and police denied having orders to arrest him. The Hague later made public surveillance pictures showing him leaving his house with a bag on the afternoon of July 13.