Removal of a Muslim General - February 22, 2002

The commander of NATO-led peacekeeping forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina issued an order for the removal of a Muslim general, who is accused of participating in recent anti-American protests. 'Mijo Anic', the Minister of Defense of the Federation of Muslims and Croats in Bosnia, told reporters that the NATO commander ordered the suspension of General 'Suleiman Varanj' because he took part in demonstrations that endangered the peace process in the Balkans. The NATO commander's reference was to protests held by Bosnian Muslims in Sarajevo against the handover of six Arab terrorism suspects to U.S. authorities. Bosnian officials handed over these six individuals to U.S. forces because the country's Supreme Court had ordered their release due to lack of evidence. The arrests of these suspects in October were based on suspicions of planning an attack on the U.S. embassy in Sarajevo. These individuals were later transferred to the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which is known for holding Taliban and al-Qaeda prisoners.