THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - Dragan Vasiljkovic, better known as "Captain Dragan", a collaborator of the Serbian State Security Service (SDB), who in the early 1990s had trained Croatian Serb rebels, on Wednesday started his
testimony in the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic before the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - Dragan Vasiljkovic, better known
as "Captain Dragan", a collaborator of the Serbian State Security
Service (SDB), who in the early 1990s had trained Croatian Serb
rebels, on Wednesday started his testimony in the trial of former
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic before the U.N. war crimes
tribunal in The Hague. #L#
Introducing the new witness for the prosecution, who ahead of the
trial waived measures of protection, the chief prosecutor in the
case, Geoffrey Nice, said the main piece of evidence to be
introduced during Vasiljkovic's testimony was a 40-minute video
recording of an event marking the 6th anniversary of the SDB's
Special Operations Unit, the so-called "Red Berets", held at the
unit's barracks in Kula, Vojvodina, on May 4, 1997.
Vasiljkovic said that "absolutely all members of the Serbian
intelligence" attended the event, which he described as "a
curiosity of international dimensions".
The prosecutor said the recording had been provided by an anonymous
source and was originally to be shown at a closed court session.
The witness, who said one of the reasons for testifying was his fear
of being indicted by the tribunal, confirmed the authenticity of
the recording, which shows him receiving a high SDB award. He helped
the prosecution correct the transcript and name correctly all
people shown in the recording.
The footage shows Milosevic reviewing the "Red Berets" and war
veterans, the unit's commander reporting to him, Milosevic
listening to a speech on the unit's war path and organisation and
visiting an exhibition, including war trophies such as the Croatian
and the Bosniak flag.
Milosevic is also shown viewing weapons and equipment put on
display, demonstrating a vivid interest in the destructive power of
each weapon, visiting the unit's shooting range and attending a
lunch.
Milosevic watched the recording with a grim face.
At the beginning of the testimony, Vasiljkovic confirmed that he
knew and was even friends with the highest officials of the SDB and
the Croatian Serb intelligence, and spoke about his return from the
United State to Belgrade in May 1990 and his first visits to Knin in
the autumn of the same year.
(hina) rml