Serbia plan for Mladic capture prompts calls for details from ICTY, EU News
Serbia plan for Mladic capture prompts calls for details from ICTY, EU

[JURIST] ICTY chief prosecutor Carla Del Ponte [official profile] and EU diplomats have criticized a new Serbian plan to arrest war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic [ICTY case backgrounder; JURIST news archive] as too vague, although they acknowledged "positive elements." The six-point document [FT report], which Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica [official profile] discussed with EU diplomats Monday in Brussels, emphasizes improved coordination between Serb authorities and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) [official website; JURIST news archive], greater involvement of Serbian intelligence agencies and a better understanding of the arrest effort among the public, promoted through the media. Serbia hopes the plan can jump-start its EU membership talks [EU accession materials], which were suspended [JURIST report] in May because of Serbia's failure to capture and deliver Mladic. One diplomat who participated, Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot, expressed skepticism about Serbia's ability to carry through on the plan, saying, "I will believe it when I see it."

Mladic, who is believed to be hiding in Serbia [JURIST report], and Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic [JURIST news archive] are wanted by the ICTY for alleged crimes committed during Bosnia's 1992-95 war, including organizing the 1995 slaughter of 8,000 Muslims in Srebrenica [JURIST news archive]. The US has cut off financial aid to Serbia [JURIST report] because of its failure to arrest Mladic. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 signed into law

US President Millard Filmore signed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 on September 18 of that year, obliging law enforcement to arrest escaped slaves in all US states, including those where slavery was not legal. Free black men and women were endangered by the act's passage as they were at risk of being falsely identified as escaped slaves. The act heightened tensions between abolitionists in the North and slaveholders in the South, contributing to what would become the Civil War eleven years later. Learn more about the Fugitive Slave Act from the National Constitution Center.

Jurist Joseph Story born

On September 18, 1797, future US Supreme Court Justice, Harvard law professor, and legal author Joseph Story was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts. West Virginia University law professor James Elkins notes that Story was also a poet; learn more about Story and read a couple of his poems here.

Anti-Corn Law League created in UK

On September 18, 1838, the Anti-Corn Law League was created in the United Kingdom. As the name suggests, the purpose of the association was to press for the abolition of British Corn Laws, which were indeed repealed in 1846. After the repeal, the organization worked to oppose other protectionist measures in the UK. The weekly news publication, The Economist, was founded as part of the anti-corn law movement.

Jurist Joseph Story born

On September 18, 1797, future US Supreme Court Justice, Harvard law professor, and legal author Joseph Story was born at Marblehead, Massachusetts.

West Virginiia University law professor James Elkins notes that Story was also a poet - learn more about Story and read a couple of his poems here.