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Spain police arrest man convicted in Serb PM killing

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:02 GMT

Source: reuters // Reuters

MADRID, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Spanish police have arrested Vladimir Milisavljevic, who had been at large since his conviction for his part in the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic in 2003, the Interior Ministry said on Friday.

In a raid on a restaurant in the eastern city of Valencia on Thursday, police also detained Luka Bojovic, a major player in the Balkan criminal underworld, and Sinisa Petric, described by the ministry as Bojovic's "chief executor".

The ministry said the arrest of the suspected members of the so-called "Zemun Clan" followed an operation lasting 20 months in co-operation with authorities in Serbia and the Netherlands.

Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic told a news conference in Belgrade that Spanish police had arrested a fourth man, Vladimir Mijanovic.

"With the arrest of Vladimir Milisavljevic, practically all members of the Zemun clan have been arrested, except Milan Jurisic and Ninoslav Konstantinovic, of whom it's not known if they are alive," Dacic said.

Dacic added all four were using fake identification papers, and that Bojovic was carrying a Lithuanian passport.

Serbian authorities say Bojovic took over control of the Zemun Clan after a police operation against the group after Djindjic's assassination.

He is wanted in Serbia for murder and attempted murder, and also has an arrest warrant and extradition order pending from the Netherlands to face charges of murder and money laundering.

Milisavljevic was sentenced to 35 years in jail for his part in assassinating Djindjic and separately to another 40 for criminal activities with the Zemun Clan.

Zvezdan Jovanovic, Djindjic's killer, is already in jail as is the assassination's mastermind, Milorad Ulemek. (Reporting by Martin Roberts in Madrid and Matt Robinson in Belgrade)