War criminals in Moscow

From Sarajevo, Guardian correspondent Ed Vulliamy reports that Bosnian Serbs who allegedly took part in the Srebrenica massacre are being protected by Russia's secret services:

Russia's secret services are shielding Bosnian Serbs wanted by the war crimes tribunal in The Hague for atrocities committed during the Bosnian war, including the massacre at Srebrenica, where more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys were slaughtered.

Gojko Jankovic, a Bosnian Serb who gave himself up to the tribunal yesterday to face accusations of torture and multiple rape, was one of a group of fugitive alleged war criminals living in Russia under official protection.

According to sources at The Hague and other intelligence sources, those still on the run and enjoying protection from the Russian secret services are Vinko Pandurevic and Vujadin Popovic, two senior Bosnian Serb military figures accused of genocide over the massacre at Srebrenica in July 1995.

Mr Jankovic was flown to The Hague yesterday having given himself up in the Bosnian Serb capital of Banja Luka, after four years in Moscow.

There was no conclusive explanation last night as to why Mr Jankovic had turned himself in. A senior diplomat said: "Jankovic suddenly phoned from Moscow saying he wanted to come in."

His wife, Milica, suggested personal reasons: a phone call to their son, Boban, in Belgrade, and the belief that he may be able to serve a prison term in Bosnia. Mrs Jankovic wanted to convince her husband to "surrender ... for the family".

Sources at The Hague pointed to pressure from the Bosnian Serb republic, Republika Srpska, "who are beginning to realise that this is not going to go away".

The FSB, Russia's secret service, told the Guardian last night: "We know nothing about this, and we have no comment on it."

There is acute frustration in diplomatic circles with Russia's attitude, not least because it is a signatory to the Dayton accord, which ended the Bosnian war in December 1995.

"Why they are doing it is not clear. What is clear is that the Russians are helping these people, which is holding the process to ransom," one senior diplomat said.