The Kosovo police arrested today three persons of Serbian nationality, who are suspected of war crimes against the civilian population during the war in Kosovo in 1998-99.

In the announcement of the Special Prosecutor's Office of Kosovo, it is stated that the three arrested have been detained for 48 hours.

The three arrested are charged with the crime of "War crimes against the civilian population", actions which are sanctioned under Articles 142 and 22 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR, currently punishable under... the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo... according to local laws, military customs and the Geneva International Conventions and additional protocols, the announcement states.

Official Belgrade, as reported by the media, reacts through the Office for Kosovo, which functions within the Government of Serbia, and which announced that the arrested in Zvečan, D.M., is a former policeman, while the arrested I.E. claims to be in serious health condition.

"They have been sent to an unknown direction south of the (River) Ibar." The office for Kosovo immediately provided lawyers for the arrested Serbs, who are trying to find out where they have been sent, because their families do not have detailed information about their loved ones," said a statement from Belgrade.