Yugoslavia

Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 19:55:46 +0100 From: FreeB92 News Subject: FreeB92 News for 01/16/2000 Arkan murdered in Belgrade's Intercontinental hotel BELGRADE, Sunday -- Zelko Raznjatovic, better known as Arkan, commander of the paramilitary Serbian Volunteer Guard active during the wars in Bosnia and Croatia, was shot in the lobby of Belgrade's Hotel Intercontinental sometime around five o' clock yesterday afternoon. Arkan, who was shot in the head, was rushed to hospital where doctors confirmed him dead. One of his body guards, identified as Momcilo Mandic, was also killed at the scene, while Dragan Garic whose involvement in the incident is not clear, was also rushed to hospital where he later died. The group had been sitting in a sectioned-off part of the lobby and were on their way to the hotel exit when they were hit by at least one round from a Heckler and Koch submachine gun that apparently hit Arkan in the eye. The Serbian police have released no details regarding the incident. All local media in Belgrade have today reported Arkan's death with contradictory versions of the events leading to his death. There has been considerable speculation as to how many assailants there were, whether they were hiding inside the hotel, whether they were masked as well as to the motives for such a murder. The Hague Tribunal indicted 47-year-old Arkan in 1997 for war crimes carried out by his paramilitaries in Bosnia and Croatia, but the indictment was kept under wraps until 31st of March last year when the tribunal made his indictment public. Arkan and his paramilitary forces have also been accused by the western media of involvement in apparent atrocities in Kosovo during the NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia, but Arkan denied any involvement in war crimes. In 1992 Arkan was an MP in the Serbian Parliament as independent candidate. The following year he founded the Party of Serbian Unity which did not manage to win a single seat in the 1993 elections. For the past several years his name has been connected with the football club Obilic which progressed from being a second division club to Yugoslav champion straight after Arkan purchased it. All opposition parties in Serbia stated that this murder symbolised the current state of affairs in the country. The Serbian Renewal Movement linked this murder to living with state terrorism. President of the Democratic Party Zoran Djindjic said that Belgrade had become a dangerous city in which to live, while Goran Svilanovic of the Civic Alliance party said that Arkan was someone who knew too much and was too deeply involved. There has so far been no public reaction to Arkan's murder from the regime. Albright and Cook: no satisfaction from Arkan's murder US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright and British Foreign Minister Robin Cook reacted to Arkan's death by stating that they took no satisfaction from his murder. Albright said that the US would have preferred him to stand trial in The Hague War Crimes Tribunal. Cook agreed with such sentiments saying he would have preferred to see Arkan taking responsibility for his crimes. The Sunday Times: Arkan cooperating with the Hague Tribunal LONDON, Sunday - A source close to Arkan has revealed that he was supplying the Hague Tribunal with material which could be crucial to the eventual trial of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, London's Sunday Times writes today. The same source said that Arkan had believed that if he cooperated with the tribunal, the case against him would be dropped. Details of Arkan's indictment soon to be made public THE HAGUE, Sunday - The details of the indictment against Arkan regarding his involvement in war crimes in Croatia and Bosnia could soon be made public, Hague Tribunal spokesman Paul Risley told Reuters today. American KFOR soldier charged with murder and indecent assault of Albanian minor KOSOVO, Sunday - An American KFOR soldier, first sergeant Frank J. Rodey was arrested today and charged with the murder and indecent assault of a minor after the body of an eleven year old Albanian girl was found in Vitina two days ago, KFOR headquarters in Pristina confirmed today. Rodey is being held in custody in the American base in Urosevac awaiting transfer to an American prison in Meinham. Associated Press quotes UNMIK sources as stating that the girl was raped before being murdered. KFOR Commander Klaus Reinhardt said he was shocked and dismayed by the incident and expressed his regret that the actions of one individual could bring the reputation of all KFOR forces into question. Trajkovic proposes exchange of Tomanovic for Brovina KOSOVO, Sunday -- Member of the Serbian National Council for Kosovo Rada Trajkovic today proposed the exchange of abducted Serbian doctor Andrija Tomanovic for Albanian aid worker Flora Brovina who has been sentenced to twelve years imprisonment by the regime in Serbia. Trajkovic said that she hoped her proposal would be supported by the international community who she hoped would attempt to persuade the Albanians to accept this exchange. ==================================================================== freeb92-e is an open mailing list for distribution of news by Radio B2-92. News bulletins are updated at 19.00 CET Monday to Friday and at 23.00 CET on Saturday and Sunday. For more information on FreeB92 and Radio B2-92, visit: http://www.freeb92.net/

Reports: Accomplice to Killing of Arkan Found BELGRADE (Reuters) - Police have found a wounded accomplice to the assassination of Serb paramilitary leader Arkan and will interview him once he regains consciousness, two dailies close to the Yugoslav authorities said Tuesday. The two papers quoted 'reliable sources' in their reports, which follow allegations by opposition politicians that the killers are in some way linked to Serbia's ruling elite. Fighting Rages in Grozny As Russians Advance MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian troops broke through rebel lines in Grozny Tuesday and reached the city center on a second day of concerted attacks to flush Islamic rebels out of the Chechen capital, Itar-Tass news agency said. Tass quoted Russian military headquarters in the region as saying troops, advancing from the east and the southwest, had reached the city center after a night of heavy artillery and aerial bombardment.