17 December 1999
(Del Ponte suggests espionage "officially sanctioned") (420) The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Carla Del Ponte, issued a comment December 17 on the announcement by the international peacekeeping force in Bosnia-Herzegovina (SFOR) that Tribunal staff have been under surveillance by Bosnian Croats. SFOR's announcement came as no surprise, Del Ponte said. "It is clear that the Tribunal has been targeted for espionage for some time and it appears that this espionage has been officially sanctioned." "This activity," she continued, "demonstrates the lengths to which political and government leaders throughout the former Yugoslavia are prepared to go to avoid investigation by this Tribunal." Del Ponte went on to condemn such espionage as "outrageous" and indicative of "blatant contempt of the Tribunal's work and its jurisdiction," as well as in violation of the UN Charter and the UN Convention on Privileges and Immunities. Following is the text of the Prosecutor's statement: (begin text) International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia The Hague 17 December 1999 STATEMENT BY THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR The Prosecutor, Madame Carla Del Ponte, is not surprised by SFOR's announcement today that the Bosnian Croats have been attempting to carry out surveillance of Tribunal staff operating in Bosnia. It is clear that the Tribunal has been targeted for espionage for some time and it appears that this espionage has been officially sanctioned. This activity demonstrates the lengths to which political and government leaders throughout the former Yugoslavia are prepared to go to avoid investigation by this Tribunal. Without going into any details about the Tribunal's security arrangements, the Prosecutor notes that procedures do exist to protect our staff and information. And with regard to the so-called Operation Puma, the Prosecutor is satisfied that her investigations were not compromised in any way. The Prosecutor condemns this outrageous behavior which represents a blatant contempt of the Tribunal's work and its jurisdiction, as well as being in breach of the UN Charter and the UN Convention on Privileges and Immunities. All parties in Bosnia must work with the Tribunal in bringing perpetrators of war crimes to justice, otherwise achieving true and long term reconciliation will remain only a dream. The Prosecutor commends SFOR for its work in exposing the unlawful and contemptuous behavior of the Bosnian Croats. (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State)