VIENNA, Oct 2, 2008 (AFP) - Austria on Thursday extradited former Croat general Vladimir Zagorec, wanted for embezzling more than five million dollars (3.25 million euros), back to Croatia, APA news agency reported.

Zagorec, 44, who is accused of stealing more than five million dollars while he was Croatia's deputy minister of defence between 1993 and 2000, is expected in Zagreb around 0900 GMT, a judicial source told the news agency.

He unsuccessfully fought extradition for months through the Austrian courts. Zagorec has an estimated fortune of 26 million euros and had been working as a property developer in Austria.