BELGRADE: 'RED BERETS' LEAVE BASE AT KULA

BELGRADE, March 26 (Hina) - Several dozen members of the disbanded Special Operations Units (JSO) or "Red Berets" on Wednesday afternoon left their base in Kula, a town in Vojvodina in northern Serbia, the Beta agency reported. #L# Members of the JSO, about 40 of them, were in civilian clothing and did not wish to make any comments. Journalists were not permitted to ask for any statements nor to take photographs. A little earlier during the day, Beta sources in the Serb government reported that all the members had handed over their weapons, uniforms, badges and equipment. The unit was disbanded following a decision by the Serb government after certain members were linked directly or indirectly to the murder of Serbia's Premier Zoran Djindjic on March 12. A smaller number of the unit's members, suspected of being connected to a criminal gang responsible for the assassination of Premier Djindjic, were taken into custody. (hina) sp/ha sb