Zemun Clan gangster accuses "colleagues"

Aleksandar Simovic says Zemun Clan leader Dusan Spasojevic organized the assassination of Police General Bosko Buha. Simovic, himself a clan member, accused protected witness Ljubisa Buha, aka Cume, of a string of murders today at the Special Court. Zemun Clan gangster accuses "colleagues" At the resumption of the Zemun Clan’s trial, the defendant claimed that another protected witness, Dejan Milenkovic, and another of the group’s leaders, Mile Lukovic, were directly involved in the murder. He said that Milenkovic had “arrested” Nebojsa Maljkovic, a member of a rival gang accused of Buha’s murder, and that the operation had been led by Cedomir Jovanovic, with the help of Belgrade Chief of Police Milan Obradovic. Bosko Buha was killed in early 2002, while Spasojevic and Lukovic perished while resisting arrest in March 2003, during a police operation codenamed Sword, launched in the aftermath of the assassination of the late Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic. Simovic said that Buha was the main ringleader of criminal groups in Serbia, and that the group’s activities were financed by businessmen such as Predrag Rankovic, aka Peconi, Milan Nerandzic, aka Lemon, and Zvonko Plecic, aka Pleca. The accused added that “Cume was the only boss” of the group, whose members included Spasojevic, Lukovic, Markovic and Loran Milic, aka Locko, a certain Sale Dzukac and Vladimir Jovanovic, aka Japanese. He said that Buha had sanctioned and organized the murders of Zeljko Bodis, Todor Gardasevic, Srdjan Ljujic, Zoran Uskokovic, aka Skole, and Branislav Lainovic, in whose killing another protected witness, Miladin Suvajdzic, also took part. Presiding Judge Milimir Lukic asked Simovic, “How do you know?” to which the defendant replied that he had stolen cars that had later been used in the killings, and that at Spasojevic’s apartment in Siler Street, the gang leaders could be heard “boasting of their misdeeds.” He said that Buha had been the biggest heroin dealer in Serbia and that the protected witness had had a number of international “links” when it came to the drug. Moreover, over the last decade, Buha had been illegally trading in arms in both Bosnia-Hercegovina and Kosovo. “Dusan accused Cume of financing the Kosovo Liberation Army,” said Simovic. The Court turned down a number of defense proposals today, including one for a joint cross-examination of protected witnesses, Buha, Milenkovic and Suvajdzic. The trial continues.

Zemun Clan gangster accuses "colleagues"

At the resumption of the Zemun Clan’s trial, the defendant claimed that another protected witness, Dejan Milenković, and another of the group’s leaders, Mile Luković, were directly involved in the murder.

He said that Milenković had “arrested” Nebojša Maljković, a member of a rival gang accused of Buha’s murder, and that the operation had been led by Čedomir Jovanović, with the help of Belgrade Chief of Police Milan Obradović.

Boško Buha was killed in early 2002, while Spasojević and Luković perished while resisting arrest in March 2003, during a police operation codenamed Sword, launched in the aftermath of the assassination of the late Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić.

Simović said that Buha was the main ringleader of criminal groups in Serbia, and that the group’s activities were financed by businessmen such as Predrag Ranković, aka Peconi, Milan Nerandžić, aka Lemon, and Zvonko Plećić, aka Pleća.

The accused added that “Čume was the only boss” of the group, whose members included Spasojević, Luković, Marković and Loran Milić, aka Locko, a certain Sale Džukac and Vladimir Jovanović, aka Japanese.

He said that Buha had sanctioned and organized the murders of Željko Bodiš, Todor Gardašević, Srđan Ljujić, Zoran Uskoković, aka Skole, and Branislav Lainović, in whose killing another protected witness, Miladin Suvajdžić, also took part.

Presiding Judge Milimir Lukić asked Simović, “How do you know?” to which the defendant replied that he had stolen cars that had later been used in the killings, and that at Spasojević’s apartment in Šiler Street, the gang leaders could be heard “boasting of their misdeeds.”

He said that Buha had been the biggest heroin dealer in Serbia and that the protected witness had had a number of international “links” when it came to the drug. Moreover, over the last decade, Buha had been illegally trading in arms in both Bosnia-Hercegovina and Kosovo.

“Dušan accused Čume of financing the Kosovo Liberation Army,” said Simović.

The Court turned down a number of defense proposals today, including one for a joint cross-examination of protected witnesses, Buha, Milenković and Suvajdžić.

The trial continues.