Tens of thousands of Croatian veterans rally for Ante Gotovina

The retired general, indicted in 2001 by the U.N war crimes tribunal in connection with atrocities against minority Serbs in 1995, was captured Wednesday at a hotel in Tenerife on Spain’s Canary Islands.

Gotovina, revered by many Croats as a war hero, was extradited Saturday to the U.N. court in The Hague, Netherlands. He faces a seven-count indictment for the killings of at least 150 Serbs by troops under his command, the expulsion of tens of thousands of others and the destruction and pillaging of at least 11 Serb villages.

Gotovina’s former war comrades are waging a legal battle to clear his name

“We are gathered here as one. We need to help Gotovina to prove his innocence and remove the stain put on Croatia’s fight for independence,” said Gen. Ante Kotromanovic.

“If we can’t help Gotovina with this rally, at least we can bring him some pride with these pictures of support,” said retired Gen. Zeljko Sacic.

Most of the masses were clad in black, waving national flags and portraits of Gotovina. “A hero, not a war criminal,” was the message on several posters.

Gotovina’s arrest has triggered enraged protests across the country over the past few days. Police reported minor incidents.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the coastal city of Zadar on Saturday to proclaim Gotovina’s innocence and demand that the government stop at nothing to help build his defense before the U.N. tribunal.

Thousands also gathered in cities across neighboring Bosnia, where Gotovina also fought during the Balkan wars.

The government on Sunday ordered authorities to remove a freeze on Gotovina’s assets — including his pension, stopped as part of efforts to limit his financial support base while he was a fugitive.

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