Serbian Government will continue the fight against organised crime

Belgrade, March 12, 2003 - A months-long action of the Serbian government in the fight campaign organised crime has been brought to an end through the appointment of a special prosecutor and the collection of evidence from protected witnesses.

Today a warrant was to be issued for the arrest of members of the largest organised crime syndicate in the former Yugoslavia. Among the dozens of crimes that they are alleged to have committed are:

1. The kidnapping and murder of a former Serbian president, Ivan Stambolic
2. The murder of three opposition party members in October 1999 - the Ibarska magistrala case
3. The attempted assassination of Vuk Draskovic in Budva, Montenegro
4. Several dozen kidnappings over the past few years
5. More than 50 murders in Belgrade and other cities
6. Organised drug trafficking and creation of a drug trafficking network on the territory of the former Yugoslavia and Europe
7. Employment of terrorist methods and means in inter-gang wars, jeopardising the safety of all citizens (the bomb attack on the Defence Road enterprise from Zemun Polje
8. The attempted assassination of the Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic on a motorway outside Belgrade on Feb 21, 2003
9. The assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic outside the government building on March 12, 2003

This organised crime syndicate, better known as 'Zemunski Klan' ('The Zemun Gang'), is made up of around 200 criminals, against whom the police have so far brought over 300 charges for criminal acts.

The leaders of the gang are:

1. Milorad Lukovic, aka 'Legija'
2. Dusan Spasojevic, aka 'Siptar'
3. Mile Lukovic, aka 'Kum'
4. Vladimir Milisavljevic, aka 'Budala'
5. Milos Simovic
6. Aleksandar Simovic
7. Miladin Suvajdzic
8. Dusan Krsmanovic
9. Milan Jurisic, aka 'Jure'
10. Sasa Petrovic
11. Zoran Vukojevic, aka Vuk
12. Dejan Milenkovic, 'Bagzi'
13. Nikola Bajic
14. Dragan Vujicic, aka 'Bego'
15. Mladjan Micic, aka 'Pacov'
16. Srdjan Mijailovic
17. Djordje Krsmanovic
18. Loran Milic
19. Dragan Ninkovic, aka 'Prevara'
20. 'Leo' or 'Leka'
21. Darko Djordjevic
22. Vladan Mladenovic
23. Sretko Kalinic

The assassination of the Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, represents an attempt to halt the government's fight against organised crime and for members of the crime syndicate to avoid arrest.

Hiding behind the shawl of patriotism, attempts to influence politics, establishing connections with certain state structures, bribing journalists and political analysts, public attacks on the Serbian government - first and foremost the Prime Minister - represent the methods this group has used since the discovery and arrest of those responsible for the Ibarska magistrala assassinations.

The assassination of the Serbian Prime Minister represents an attempt by this group to create chaos, anarchy and fear; all things that create a favourable environment for this group to operate. If such an environment were created, they would try - by hiding behind the shawl of patriotism - to gain the support of certain state structures and avoid responsibility for the crimes they have committed.

Regardless of the enormous loss that the government and citizens of Serbia have suffered today, the Serbian government will carry on the fight against organised crime with the same level of resolve and finish what it has started.

The state's response will be clear and unambiguous.

The declaration of a state of emergency is a necessary measure which will bring the criminals to justice and defend the state from this group or any other group which dares to attack the democratic institutions of Serbia.

Belgrade, March 12, 2003