Serbian PM's murder resolved

2003-04-07 12:14

Belgrade - Police have solved last month's murder of Serbian prime minister Zoran Djindjic, Interior Minister Dusan Mihajlovic said in a television interview.

"Everything about the assassination has been elucidated. Most of perpetrators of the assassination are in prison, most of them have confessed their participation in the killing, including the man suspected to have pulled the trigger," Mihajlovic told television channel Studio B late on Sunday.

Zvezdan Jovanovic, deputy commander of the now-disbanded elite police Unit for Specital Operations (JSO), was arrested on March 25 on suspicion of shooting the prime minister on March 12 outside the main government building.

About 30 JSO members, including its commander, were also arrested on suspicion of involvement in the assassination of Djindjic or other political murders in last 10 years.

However, the man suspected of masterminding the prime minister's murder - former JSO commander Milorad Lukovic, better known as Legija (Legionnaire) - was still in hiding.

"The arrest of the others who took part in the assassination is a matter of days, but the fact they are in hiding is not crucial for resolving the murder," the minister said, adding that police was aware of their names.

Police have accused the so-called Zemun gang, named after a Belgrade suburb and led by Lukovic and two other leaders, of being behind the murder of Djindjic.

The two - Dusan Spasojevic (known as Siptar) and Milan Lukovic (known as Kum or Godfather) - were killed in a shootout with the police last month.

About 2 000 people have been detained since Serbia declared a state of emergency following the March 12 assassination, allowing police to arrest suspects without a warrant and keep them in detention for up to 30 days without charges. - Sapa-AFP

- SAPA