BELGRADE, Feb 26 (Hina) - After the apprehension of a former head of Serbia's secret service, Rade Markovic, who should remain in custody one month, several another former high-ranking police officers, loyal to the ex-Yugoslav
President Slobodan Milosevic, were arrested over last weekend, the Belgrade press reported on Monday.
BELGRADE, Feb 26 (Hina) - After the apprehension of a former head of
Serbia's secret service, Rade Markovic, who should remain in
custody one month, several another former high-ranking police
officers, loyal to the ex-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic,
were arrested over last weekend, the Belgrade press reported on
Monday.#L#
According to a few sources, Milosevic, wanted also by the UN war
crimes tribunal, is likely to be arrested this week.
According to reports published on Monday by the Belgrade press, 15
senior police officials, including a former Belgrade police
superintendent, Branko Djuric, were caught last weekend.
They were nabbed under suspicion of committing murder and forgery
of documents in relation to a "road accident" at the Ibar highway in
October 1999 when four senior officials of the opposition party -
the Serb Renewal Movement (SPO) - lost their lives. The SPO leader,
Vuk Draskovic, believed to have been the main target of that
assassination attempt, survived the 'traffic accident' with no
injury.
Rade Markovic pleaded not guilty while being questioned by an
investigating judge.
The incumbent Serbian justice minister, Vladan Batic, have said
that a circle around Milosevic has been narrowed by Markovic's
arrest.
Some sources have said that the entire storey of the central prison
in the Yugoslav capital is ready for Milosevic. Besides, there are
more frequent speculations about the arrest of Milosevic's wife
Mira Markovic and other aides to this former autocratic ruler of
Yugoslavia.
(hina) sb ms