BELGRADE, Feb 23 (Hina) - The trial of suspects in the murder of former head of the Serbian Presidency Ivan Stambolic and an attempt on the live of Serb Revival Movement leader Vuk Draskovic, held before the Special Court in Belgrade,
was adjourned 10 minutes after it started on Monday due to the defendants' request for the exemption of the presiding judge.
BELGRADE, Feb 23 (Hina) - The trial of suspects in the murder of former
head of the Serbian Presidency Ivan Stambolic and an attempt on the
live of Serb Revival Movement leader Vuk Draskovic, held before the
Special Court in Belgrade, was adjourned 10 minutes after it started
on Monday due to the defendants' request for the exemption of the
presiding judge.#L#
The trial will resume on Wednesday, February 25.
Stambolic was murdered on 25 August 2000 after being kidnapped, and
his body was found during the Sabre police operation, launched after
the assassination of Serb Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, when one of
the suspects confessed that Stambolic had been murdered and his body
buried in Fruska Gora in Vojvodina.
An attempt on Vuk Draskovic's life took place in Budva on 16 June
2000, but Draskovic sustained only light injuries after several shots
were fired at him at point blank range.
Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has been charged with
inciting the two crimes, while former Yugoslav Army Chief of Staff
Nebojsa Pavkovic and former state security head Radovan Markovic have
been charged as Milosevic's abettors.
Members of the disbanded Red Berets special units, including Milorad
Lukovic aka Legija who is at large, have been charged with organising
and executing the two murders.
A joint indictment has been issued for the two trials because the
majority of the defendants took part in the preparation and execution
of both crimes.
(Hina) it sb