ZAGREB, Croatia, March 14 (UPI) -- A retired Croatian general has been arrested in Austria on a Zagreb court warrant accusing him of the theft of $5 million in diamonds, police said Wednesday.
Interpol reported retired Gen. Vladimir Zagorec, former assistant Croatian defense minister, was in custody, the Croatian news agency Hina reported.
Vesna Dovranic, a spokeswoman for the Croatian Justice Ministry, said they have prepared an extradition warrant to be sent to Vienna in case Zagorec refuses to travel to Zagreb to appear before a court.
Zagorec has been living in Austria since 2000 after his retirement from the Croatian military.
Earlier this month, the Zagreb Country Court ordered Zagorec's arrest on suspicion he took the diamonds worth more than $5 million when he left his office as assistant defense minister.
Zagorec reportedly received two bags of diamonds in 1993, when he was in charge of purchasing weapons for the Croatian armed forces. A German arms dealer allegedly gave him the diamonds as a guarantee for $5 million earmarked for purchasing weapons, Hina said.
