'Justice for the World at Large'

Leaders from around the world today hailed the capture of Radovan Karadzic, one of the world's most wanted men, as a great day for international justice.

Karadzic, 63, is accused of being responsible for more than 20,000 deaths including Europe's worst atrocity for 60 years, the slaughter of 8,000 Muslims in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica.His arrest by security services last night was described by the former EU high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Paddy Ashdown as an "extremely important piece of justice for the world at large".Lord Ashdown, who said he spent a great deal of time chasing Karadzic, said he was involved in the most "terrible and black period of crime" since world war two.

"Karadzic was accused of being the architect of the worst war crimes that have been perpetrated in Europe since the Nazis."It will mean a major breakthrough for the Balkans region. It is a major credit to Serbia and at last brings the prospect of justice for Bosnia."

The British foreign secretary, David Miliband, said: "This is good news. I am glad that the Serbian authorities have successfully captured Karadzic, who has evaded arrest for over 10 years.

"This arrest will help close the region's decades of conflict, and pave the way for a brighter, European future for Serbia and the region."

Still at large is Karadzic's ally, Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb army commander who has also been indicted for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. UN prosecutors claim he enjoys political protection and, until 2002, was paid an army pension.

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague also welcomed the news of Karadzic's arrest.

"It is important that the world shows that no war criminal will ever be safe or indefinitely be able to escape," he said.

"Bosnia needs justice and closure and this is an important milestone in this journey. We hope that Ratko Mladic will now also be swiftly apprehended."

A spokeswoman for the International Criminal Tribunal said that the tribunal had been told about the arrest by Serbia but it was too early to say when Karadzic would be transferred to The Hague for trial."The tribunal has been informed by the Serbian authorities that they have apprehended this fugitive and of course the tribunal is very, very pleased with the news," Nerma Jelacic told BBC Radio 4's Today program.

"This, for us, is one of the biggest milestones and a huge contribution to the fulfillment of our mandate, which we have been trying to complete in the 13 years since the tribunal was established by the United Nations."

The UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, praised Serbian authorities for taking a "decisive step toward ending impunity" of those indicted for crimes in Balkan conflicts."This is a historic moment for the victims, who have waited 13 years for Mr Karadzic to be brought to justice," he said in a statement released by the United Nations.

The White House released a statement which read: "There is no better tribute to the victims of the war's atrocities than bringing their perpetrators to justice.''

A statement from the EU presidency, currently held by France, said the arrest was "an important step on the path to the rapprochement of Serbia with the European Union."

"This news gives us immense satisfaction. The new government in Belgrade stands for a new Serbia, for a new quality of relations with the EU," the EU foreign affairs chief, Javier Solana, said.

"Radovan Karadzic will be facing a tribunal, having a fair trial, responding for many crimes. This is a good day for justice in the Balkans."

Human rights groups also welcomed news of the arrest. New York-based Human Rights Watch called Karadzic's arrest "a major blow against impunity for the egregious crimes committed in the Balkans."

"Radovan Karadzic personified impunity for more than a decade, but his efforts to run the clock on justice have failed," said Richard Dicker, director of Human Rights Watch's international justice program.

Dr James Smith, chief executive of the Aegis Trust, a British charity that works to prevent genocide, said: "This is a great day for international justice and sends a warning to genocide suspects everywhere that their future lies in the courtroom."

Munira Subasic, head of a Srebrenica widow's association said Radovan Karadzic's arrest was proof that every criminal will eventually face justice.

"I hope that people who had to keep quiet because of Karadzic will start revealing the locations of mass graves and let us find the truth about our beloved ones," she said.

Richard Holbrooke, the US diplomat who brokered the Dayton deal that ended the war, said Karadzic was responsible for the deaths of 300,000 people and his arrest marked "a historic day".

"A man who has been on the run for 12 years, who Nato should have captured, has been captured and by the Serb government themselves," Holbrooke told CNN."This guy was a kind of a Robin Hood to the Bosnian Serbs, evading capture for 12 years, fomenting dissent. His removal from the scene will help enormously to create stability."