Sarajevo - The former Bosnian Muslim army commander in Srebrenica, Naser Oric, returned Friday to Sarajevo as a hero, greeted by some 300 people at Sarajevo airport.

The Appeals Chamber of The Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) had released Oric Thursday, overturning a conviction for involvement in war crimes against Bosnian Serbs during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The ICTY sentenced Oric to two years in jail in 2006 for his responsibility of command over Bosnian Muslim troops who committed crimes against the Bosnian Serb population in the eastern area of Srebrenica during the 1992-95 war.

One of his former fellow-fighters who had gathered at the airport to great him said the justice "was finally served" with the decision to release Oric from responsibility for atrocities against Serbs.

Thursday's decision was welcomed by some Muslim officials and former Bosnian Muslim soldiers from Srebrenica, but angered Bosnian Serbs, who condemned the decision, accusing the ICTY of being a political and not a judicial institution. (dpa)