Dutchmen accused of plot to kill Milosevic death charge
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Four Dutchmen have been arrested in Yugoslavia on suspicion of conspiring to assassinate the Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. The Information Minister Goran Matic claimed they had been trained by the SAS.
Four Dutchmen have been arrested in Yugoslavia on suspicion of conspiring to assassinate the Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. The Information Minister Goran Matic claimed they had been trained by the SAS.
"They were no adventurers or weekend warriors, but people deeply involved in the military and security structures of Nato," he said.
Mr Matic said the men were arrested in July by Yugoslav security officials in Mehov Krs, close to the Montenegro-Serbian border. He said they had tried to enter Kosovo from Montenegro "to join the Dutch battalion there, and then enter Yugoslavia to kill President Slobodan Milosevic or carry out other terrorist acts".
The minister presented video footage showing the Dutchmen in uniform being interrogated and one confessing their mission was to kill Mr Milosevic or the indicted war criminal and former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic "if we came across them".
The unidentified captive said on the tape: "We would put them in a ski box (on top of a car) and transport them to the embassy or out of the country."
Mr Matic, a close ally of Mr Milosevic, accused America of "recruiting terrorist groups".
Many observers see the timing as a pre-election ploy to blame the country's poor economic performance and isolation on foreign conspiracy. Mr Milosevic's regime faces presidential, federal and local elections on 24 September.
Serbian opinion polls show the moderate nationalist leader Vojislav Kostunica, the most likely opposition presidential candidate, would get 42 per cent of votes. Mr Milosevic would win 28 per cent. The opposition chooses its candidate this week. The survey also shows 50 per cent of Serbs think the only chance of recovery for Yugoslavia is to co-operate with western Europe.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments