SIPA ARRESTS 3 GENOCIDE SUSPECTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE EXECUTION-STYLE KILLINGS OF SREBRENICA VICTIMS

PHOTO: The third suspect is Stanko Savanovic (aka: Stanko Kojic) who participated in the execution-style killings of more than 1000 victims of 1995 Srebrenica genocide. The massacre of Bosniak victims occurred on Branjevo and Pilica, two mass grave locations see photos. Photo is courtesy of Bosnian daily Oslobodjenje.

Three Bosnian Serbs have been arrested by the Bosnia-Herzegovina's State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) in connection to their direct involvement in the 1995 Srebrenica genocide.

Vlastimir Golijan, Zoran Goronja and Stanko Savanovic were arrested on Friday on suspicion that they actively participated in the genocide. The three were members of the 10th Reconnaissance Squad with the Bosnian Serb Army (Republika Srpska Army or VRS). After the Srebrenica massacre, the third suspect - Stanko Savanovic - changed his name to Stanko Kojic to avoid arrest. The fourth suspect, Franc Kos, somehow avoided the capture.

The Prosecutor alleges that Golijan, Goronja, and Savanovic "were direct executors of the shooting and killing of Bosniak men and boys." They are suspected of directly participating in the murder of more than 1,000 victims after the fall of Srebrenica in July 1995.

Srebrenica 1992-95, how it all started?

In April 1992 (more than three years before the Srebrenica massacre), Serb forces -- with logistical and military help from Serbia -- began a widespread campaign of brutal "ethnic cleansing" of the Bosniak [Bosnian Muslim] population of Eastern Bosnia. Thousands of Bosniak refugees flocked to Srebrenica. They were forced to live in the besieged enclave with little or no means of survival and under brutal Serb attacks. Many starved to death. 

Serb Army stationed around Srebrenica never demilitarized, even though they were required to do so under the 1993 demilitarization agreement. In 1992 alone, approximately 100,000 Bosniaks had been expelled from their homes and at least 11,391 Bosniaks were killed by Serb forces in eastern Bosnia (source: Research & Documentation Centre in Sarajevo), while hundreds of Bosnian Muslim villages were destroyed around Srebrenica.

Serb forces stationed around Srebrenica constantly attacked neighbouring Bosniak villages and Srebrenica itself. They also bombarded Srebrenica from air with Serbian airplanes.

In July 1995 the Bosnian Serb army staged a brutal takeover of Srebrenica and its surrounding area, where they proceeded to perpetrate genocide. Bosnian Serb soldiers -- with military and logistical help from Serbia -- separated families, committed brutal rapes of many women and girls, and then forcibly expelled at least 20,000, while summarily executing 8,372 Bosniak men and teenage boys. Srebrenica genocide is remembered the worst atrocity in Europe since World War II.