Ante Gotovina
Ante Gotovina is a former Croatian general, currently on trial in the International Criminal Court for the alleged sanctioning of war crimes.
Fast Facts:
- Born: October 12, 1955
- Birthplace: Pasman Island, Croatian Republic
- Spouse: Ximena Gotovina
- Fled Croatia in 1973; returned in 1991
- Served as a general during the Croatian War
- Indicted on several war crimes charges in 2001
- Remained at large for four years following the indictment
- Arrested in 2005 in Spain
- Has become a hero among right-wing and nationalist groups
Brief Biography
Born in Croatia in 1955, Gotovina fled Yugoslavia in 1973 and joined the French Foreign Legion. In 1979, he became a citizen of France. In the 1980s, Gotovina was indicted for crimes such as extortion and robbery, and served a short prison sentence. After the outbreak of hostilities as Yugoslavia splintered, Gotovina made his way back to his native Croatia to fight and was soon made Major-General in the Croatian Army. His exploits during the war made him a national hero.
War Crimes
In 2001, the International Criminal Court handed down an indictment on war crimes charges for Gotovina. The Court alleged that Gotovina directly participated in and commanded forces that participated in war crimes against Croatian Serbs. The charges created an uproar in Croatia, and Gotovina fled. In December, 2005, Gotovina was arrested on the island of Tenerife by Spanish police and the former general was flown to The Hague and imprisoned three days later. His trial began on March 11, 2008.
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