EKB News

{Kentucky}...Patrick Nash, an attorney for 52 year old Azra Basic (pronounced bah'-sich), a Croatian woman accused of committing war crimes in Bosnia, told a federal judge Friday in Lexington that she should be allowed to stay in the U.S. instead of facing charges in Europe. U.S. officials want Basic, who is accused of torturing prisoners after the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, extradited to Bosnia to face charges of murder and torture. Nash argues a long list of international issues stand in the way of extradition, including the absence of a treaty between Bosnia and the U.S., whether the statute of limitations has expired on the alleged crimes and Basic is a naturalized U.S. citizen. Known locally as "Issabella" in Stanton, Kentucky, Basic worked at a nursing home and a food factory. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Weir said he would rule on the arguments at a later date. Basic's extradition hearing is set for August 22nd.