Posted on 03/13/2003 1:27:42 AM PST by hotpotato
Thursday, March 13, 2003
Snipers assassinate Serb prime minister
By Free Press news services
BELGRADE -- Snipers lurking near government headquarters yesterday ambushed and assassinated Serbia's prime minister, a pro-western leader who helped topple Slobodan Milosevic and declared war on organized crime.
The slaying of Zoran Djindjic at midday in downtown Belgrade prompted the government to impose a nationwide state of emergency amid fears the volatile Balkan country could plunge into violence in a power struggle for his successor.
Djindjic, 50, died in hospital after being shot in the abdomen and back, said Nebojsa Covic, a deputy prime minister.
It was the first assassination of a sitting European head of government since Swedish prime minister Olof Palme was gunned down in Stockholm in 1986.
Police sources said two snipers firing from a building across from government headquarters shot Djindjic as he left his car on crutches after suffering a soccer injury to his foot. A high-powered bullet left a dent on his armoured car.
Two suspects were arrested. But police, unsure they were the shooters, launched a nationwide search, setting up roadblocks in Belgrade and halting bus, rail and plane traffic from the capital.
Citing danger to "constitutional order," acting President Natasa Micic imposed a state of emergency, giving the military the same powers as police to investigate and detain suspects without a warrant.
"The state will use all means at its disposal until the perpetrators of this crime . . . are brought to justice," Micic said. Under the constitution, Micic must nominate a successor to be approved by a majority vote of the Serbian parliament.
The government blamed Milorad Lukovic, a warlord loyal to Milosevic, and several other top underworld figures for organizing the killing. "Their aim was to trigger fear and chaos in the country," a government statement said.
Djindjic had many enemies because of his pro-reformist and western stands.
He was despised by some for arranging the extradition of Milosevic to the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague in 2001 and for urging more arrests of war crimes suspects.
He was targeted by Serbian crime bosses and warlords allied to the former president.
When Milosevic was toppled in October 2000 in a popular revolt, Djindjic admitted luring key mob figures into changing sides. But later he turned against them, declaring an open war on the rampant smuggling of contraband goods and drugs.
Another world war approaches...
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