"Proof exists of ties between officials, Šarić clan"

BELGRADE Local and foreign intelligence services "learned about contacts between members of the drug ring headed by Darko Saric and high state officials". This is according to former coordinator of intelligence services and current deputy president of the opposition Democratic Party, Miodrag Rakic, who made the assertion in an interview for the Belgrade-based weekly Novi Nedeljnik. "Proof exists of ties between officials, Saric clan" "A few officials made the contacts with the clan on several occasions and these are all documented and all evidence is fixed," Rakic said, and added that the contacts "were not looked into at the time so as not to reveal to the clan all the information available to the services". Rakic refused to reveal the identity of the officials but he specified that the contacts were made in 2008 and 2009 and that the intelligence services did their job well. According to the DS official, "if revealed, the information have could cancelled out the possibility for locating and arresting Saric and prevent serious financial investigations". The data and evidence concerning connections with Saric "should be revealed after the financial investigations are closed and Saric is behind bars because the evidence should be presented before the Special Court". Asked to comment on these claims, First Deputy PM Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday that he "also learned certain things about that". "Despite our political and partisan differences I respect Mr. Rakic. I have learned certain things about that, and I cannot discuss the Saric case with him today - but anybody's ties that would mean a crime had been committed in any way will be investigated and procedures implemented, regardless of who it might be," Vucic told B92. In the meantime, the search for Saric continues. On Friday in Podgorica, the head of Montenegro's intelligence agency said they had no information that the fugitive might be hiding in that country. Miodrag Rakic (ds.org.rs, file) B92 Tanjug

"Proof exists of ties between officials, Šarić clan"

"A few officials made the contacts with the clan on several occasions and these are all documented and all evidence is fixed," Rakić said, and added that the contacts "were not looked into at the time so as not to reveal to the clan all the information available to the services".

Rakić refused to reveal the identity of the officials but he specified that the contacts were made in 2008 and 2009 and that the intelligence services did their job well.

According to the DS official, "if revealed, the information have could cancelled out the possibility for locating and arresting Šarić and prevent serious financial investigations".

The data and evidence concerning connections with Šarić "should be revealed after the financial investigations are closed and Šarić is behind bars because the evidence should be presented before the Special Court".

Asked to comment on these claims, First Deputy PM Aleksandar Vučić said on Wednesday that he "also learned certain things about that".

"Despite our political and partisan differences I respect Mr. Rakić. I have learned certain things about that, and I cannot discuss the Šarić case with him today - but anybody's ties that would mean a crime had been committed in any way will be investigated and procedures implemented, regardless of who it might be," Vučić told B92.

In the meantime, the search for Šarić continues. On Friday in Podgorica, the head of Montenegro's intelligence agency said they had no information that the fugitive might be hiding in that country.