Ex-police officer testifies at Ibarska trial

Former police officer Ljubisa Milanovic testified at the Ibarska murder trial yesterday. It was Milanovic's Poskok group that uncovered the incident on the Ibar Highway, and it was he himself who drafted the charges for the crime. Ex-police officer testifies at Ibarska trial The police were not permitted to interrogate members of the Special Operations Unit (JSO), or indeed anyone from the state security services (DB), he said, adding that the then DB chief had not been interested in who had committed the crime, but only the political background involving Radomir Markovic and Slobodan Milosevic. For security reasons, the trial is being held in the Special Court building. The witness gave the Supreme Court the same testimony he had earlier given to the District Court. He explained that work on the Ibar case had been started by Interior Minister Dusan Mihajlovic, who had called for an intensification of the investigations into that case, as well as those involving former Serbian President Ivan Stambolic and journalist Slavko Curuvija. Dragan Karleusa assumed responsibility for the Curuvija murder case, Inspector Gvozden Gagic worked on the Stambolic kidnap, and Mihajlovic led the Ibar case. Milanovic recalled the antagonism that existed between the DB and MUP’s public security department, which came to a head during work on the case. According to the witness, the DB bosses, Petrovic and Mijatovic, were in a quandary, as, on the one hand they were afraid of JSO commander Milorad Ulemek, and on the other, were under pressure from the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) to solve the case. The DB did not even expect the police to make so much progress on the Ibar Highway case. But, when it happened, that was when the rift opened up, he recalled. It was decided that the DB would speak to its own operatives, and that the police would stick to matters in the public security domain. Nonetheless, a compromise was reached, and Milanovic was permitted to sit in on questioning of DB employees, but not to ask questions. The witness repeated that even after talks with Aleksandar Nikic, former head of the JSO depot in Lipovica, he had compiled a report. Nikic told him that a lorry had been driven out of the JSO base on October 3, 1999. He knew that the lorry had been loaded with sand and that certain individuals had been driving it around the base, but he did not know who had been driving that particular day. Public security passed all the information on to the DB, but received nothing in return, Milanovic told the court. The witness stressed that then Deputy DB Chief Zoran Mijatovic had been in charge of this case, and that the driver had been of no interest to him, only the political background involving Radomir Markovic and Slobodan Milosevic. After an argument with DB officials, Milanovic said that public security had virtually been sidelined from the case. Nevertheless, the witness compiled a criminal complaint against Radomir Markovic, Nenad Ilic and Nenad Bujosevic for the Ibar Highway murders. He now works as an adviser at the Serbian embassy in Zagreb. The court does not know the address of Milorad Bracanovic. Bracanovic, JSO head of security and later deputy chief, did not attend proceedings yesterday at the Supreme Court. According to information submitted to the court, he does not live at the address the court has listed as his place of residence. Bracanovic has been sentenced to two years behind bars for covering up the murder of Ivan Stambolic. Prior to Bracanovic, the Supreme Court also had difficulty locating Petrovic, Mijatovic, and even Dusan Mihjalovic, in order to summon them as witnesses.

Ex-police officer testifies at Ibarska trial

The police were not permitted to interrogate members of the Special Operations Unit (JSO), or indeed anyone from the state security services (DB), he said, adding that the then DB chief had not been interested in who had committed the crime, but only the political background involving Radomir Marković and Slobodan Milošević.

For security reasons, the trial is being held in the Special Court building.

The witness gave the Supreme Court the same testimony he had earlier given to the District Court.

He explained that work on the Ibar case had been started by Interior Minister Dušan Mihajlović, who had called for an intensification of the investigations into that case, as well as those involving former Serbian President Ivan Stambolić and journalist Slavko Ćuruvija.

Dragan Karleuša assumed responsibility for the Ćuruvija murder case, Inspector Gvozden Gagić worked on the Stambolić kidnap, and Mihajlović led the Ibar case.

Milanović recalled the antagonism that existed between the DB and MUP’s public security department, which came to a head during work on the case.

According to the witness, the DB bosses, Petrović and Mijatović, were in a quandary, as, on the one hand they were afraid of JSO commander Milorad Ulemek, and on the other, were under pressure from the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) to solve the case.

The DB did not even expect the police to make so much progress on the Ibar Highway case.

But, when it happened, that was when the rift opened up, he recalled.

It was decided that the DB would speak to its own operatives, and that the police would stick to matters in the public security domain.

Nonetheless, a compromise was reached, and Milanović was permitted to sit in on questioning of DB employees, but not to ask questions.

The witness repeated that even after talks with Aleksandar Nikić, former head of the JSO depot in Lipovica, he had compiled a report.

Nikić told him that a lorry had been driven out of the JSO base on October 3, 1999.

He knew that the lorry had been loaded with sand and that certain individuals had been driving it around the base, but he did not know who had been driving that particular day.

Public security passed all the information on to the DB, but received nothing in return, Milanović told the court.

The witness stressed that then Deputy DB Chief Zoran Mijatović had been in charge of this case, and that the driver had been of no interest to him, only the political background involving Radomir Marković and Slobodan Milošević.

After an argument with DB officials, Milanović said that public security had virtually been sidelined from the case.

Nevertheless, the witness compiled a criminal complaint against Radomir Marković, Nenad Ilić and Nenad Bujošević for the Ibar Highway murders.

He now works as an adviser at the Serbian embassy in Zagreb.

The court does not know the address of Milorad Bracanović.

Bracanović, JSO head of security and later deputy chief, did not attend proceedings yesterday at the Supreme Court.

According to information submitted to the court, he does not live at the address the court has listed as his place of residence.

Bracanović has been sentenced to two years behind bars for covering up the murder of Ivan Stambolić.

Prior to Bracanović, the Supreme Court also had difficulty locating Petrović, Mijatović, and even Dušan Mihjalović, in order to summon them as witnesses.