EULEX drops probe into murder of Serbs

The EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, has notified one of the survivors of the deadly attack in a Serb enclave that they had halted the investigation into the case. The attack happened on August 13, 2003, when a group of children and teenagers were bathing in the River Bistrica in the Serb enclave of Gorazdevac, in western Kosovo, which is surrounded by ethnic Albanian villages. EULEX drops probe into murder of Serbs The perpetrators attacked from an ambush, spraying their victims with bullets from automatic weapons, killing 12-year-old Pantelija Dakic, and 19-year-old Ivan Jovovic. Among the four children that survived was Bogdan Bukumiric, then a 15-year-old. Bukumiric, who suffered serious wounds in 2003, told the media in Belgrade on Tuesday that he received a letter from the EULEX prosecutor in the town of Pec informing him that the investigation had been dropped. "I am shocked. I had tears in my eyes while I was reading that, seven years later, they are not capable of finding any proof that would bring the perpetrators of that monstrous crime to justice," he said. He also announced that the families of the victims would meet with EULEX Prosecutor Alenka Sagmeister Ranzinger, who had sent the letter. Bukumiric said it was "terrible that the prosecution was unable to collect a single piece of evidence about who shot innocent children bathing in the river". He also announced he would now seek legal aid, and asked the prosecution in Belgrade to take part in the case. "I would not wish to see our state and prosecution keep silent about this case," said Bukumiric, adding that the state should react by demanding that the EU mission in Kosovo reopens its investigation. He said he believed that had EULEX investigators done their job properly, they would have found some information about the perpetrators. The material that has been collected suggests that "at least one person, possibly several, opened fire on a group of young persons with intent of killing as many as possible", and that their crime constituted premeditated murder. It is also said that "local and international police conducted an extensive investigation, but did not manage to find any suspects". They also searched nearby villages and found arms, "but none of the weapons were those used to commit the crime". They questioned 62 witnesses, "but none of them could provide leads for a continued investigation". EULEX concluded by saying that the killer or killers were still on the run, "and remain unidentified to this day". Bogdan Bukumiric in Belgrade in 2009 (Tanjug)

EULEX drops probe into murder of Serbs

The perpetrators attacked from an ambush, spraying their victims with bullets from automatic weapons, killing 12-year-old Pantelija Dakić, and 19-year-old Ivan Jovović.

Among the four children that survived was Bogdan Bukumirić, then a 15-year-old.

Bukumirić, who suffered serious wounds in 2003, told the media in Belgrade on Tuesday that he received a letter from the EULEX prosecutor in the town of Peć informing him that the investigation had been dropped.

"I am shocked. I had tears in my eyes while I was reading that, seven years later, they are not capable of finding any proof that would bring the perpetrators of that monstrous crime to justice," he said.

He also announced that the families of the victims would meet with EULEX Prosecutor Alenka Sagmeister Ranzinger, who had sent the letter.

Bukumirić said it was "terrible that the prosecution was unable to collect a single piece of evidence about who shot innocent children bathing in the river".

He also announced he would now seek legal aid, and asked the prosecution in Belgrade to take part in the case.

"I would not wish to see our state and prosecution keep silent about this case," said Bukumirić, adding that the state should react by demanding that the EU mission in Kosovo reopens its investigation.

He said he believed that had EULEX investigators done their job properly, they would have found some information about the perpetrators.

The material that has been collected suggests that "at least one person, possibly several, opened fire on a group of young persons with intent of killing as many as possible", and that their crime constituted premeditated murder.

It is also said that "local and international police conducted an extensive investigation, but did not manage to find any suspects".

They also searched nearby villages and found arms, "but none of the weapons were those used to commit the crime".

They questioned 62 witnesses, "but none of them could provide leads for a continued investigation".

EULEX concluded by saying that the killer or killers were still on the run, "and remain unidentified to this day".