[ALBSA-Info] Milosevic Trial Could Rouse Backers

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Milosevic Trial Could Rouse Backers

Feb 27 2001 1:39PM

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) - A spate of attacks targeting opponents of Slobodan Milosevic has Yugoslavia's new leaders worried that any legal move against the former president will bring retaliation.

Fearing arrest and trial, Milosevic has been rallying supporters for a campaign of unrest, Serbian Interior Minister Dusan Mihajlovic said. He said Milosevic has been demanding funds to support the planned unrest from directors of wealthy Serbian companies.

The ousted president may even hope to return to power, Mihajlovic said - although this is considered unlikely due to his lack of popular support.

On Tuesday, Milosevic's party urged his supporters to oppose any move to arrest him. In a statement, the Socialist Party said the recent arrests of Milosevic's top aides were politically motivated, and that Yugoslavs should ``rise to protect law and justice.''

Last week, authorities arrested Milosevic's former secret service chief, Rade Markovic, who is suspected of involvement in assassinations and other crimes allegedly ordered by the former Yugoslav leader.

Markovic was fired in January when the new Serbian government was elected. Some believe his testimony could implicate Milosevic in unsolved murders during his 13-year reign.

Journalist Slavko Curuvija, a Milosevic critic, was shot and killed during NATO airstrikes against Yugoslavia in 1999. Ivan Stambolic, whom Milosevic toppled as Serbian president in 1988, disappeared before last year's elections and is presumed dead. Serbian warlord, Zeljko Raznjatovic-Arkan - a potentially dangerous witness against Milosevic- was gunned down in January 2000.

The end of Milosevic's reign in October did not bring an end to suspicious attacks. Milosevic's opponents say he still holds sway over members of the security forces and organized crime - people who might oppose his arrest, fearing it could lead to their own.

The former president and his allies strenuously deny responsibility for the attacks, and say the new leaders are incapable of imposing order.

Among the attacks:

On Jan. 28, a masked gunman shot the driver of Serbia's new head of state security - Markovic's replacement - in both arms.

Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, who played a key role in toppling Milosevic, said the attack was a ``clear message'' to the new government.

On Feb. 6, fire gutted a van belonging to Cedomir Jovanovic, a spokesman for the governing alliance. Djindjic's party said the blaze was a ``cowardly act ordered by remnants of the former system ... scared that they will have to account to the people for all their wrongdoing of the past decade.''

Interior Minister Mihajlovic said he and other pro-democracy leaders have received death threats from ``the so-called patriots, who warned that all of us who want to put the former president on trial will be sentenced to death.''

Milosevic's associates cast the attacks in another light.

``It shows that the so-called democrats, despite their pledges, are incapable of maintaining law and order in the country,'' said Branislav Ivkovic, a Milosevic ally.

Bozidar Spasic, a former secret police officer, is a supporter of democracy but says the new government has failed to rein in Milosevic.

``The new authorities have still not placed (Milosevic's) state and police apparatus under their control,'' Spasic said. ``The inefficiency of the new authorities will encourage the terrorists to undertake more radical actions.''

While the new government opposes Milosevic's extradition for trial before a U.N. war crimes tribunal, it has said he would have to stand trial at home on charges that could range from fraud and corruption to war crimes. Milosevic is living in Belgrade under police surveillance.

Milosevic has been coordinating efforts to prevent his arrest, sources close to him said. His plan includes riots by supporters and other actions to destabilize the new government if Milosevic is jailed, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Milosevic's supporters have warned against Milosevic's arrest.

``Milosevic's arrest would mark the start of a civil war,'' said Sinisa Vucinic, an organizer of protests in support of the former president.