“LEGIJA” MILORAD ULEMEK TESTIFIES IN COURT ALSO RECEIVES THREATS TO HIMSELF AND FAMILY !

In his first appearance as a key witness in the trial, Ulemek told the court in Belgrade on Monday that he was assigned two of the murder trial defendants in 1999 for an unnamed mission by Serbia’s state security service chief Radomir Markovic, who is also accused of involvement in the killing of opposition journalist and editor Slavko Curuvija.

“I was in Kosovo at the front line in 1999. I was summoned to Belgrade for some mission. When I received orders for the mission, Markovic told me that I will get help for it from those two men who killed Curuvija. In front of the door, after the meeting, [defendants] Ratko Romic and Miroslav Kurak were in front of the door,” said Ulemek.

Former state security officials Romic and Kurak are among the four men on trial for their alleged involvement in the murder of Curuvija.

However Ulemek declined to explain what the mission was because he could “compromise” himself and lay himself open to prosecution.

He also said that that Markovic did not tell him directly that the two men were responsible for the murder of Curuvija in April 1999.

The prosecution alleges that the killing of Curuvija was plotted by Markovic, Milan Radonjic, Romic and Kurak.

The journalist was shot dead in Belgrade in April 1999, allegedly because of his opposition to Slobodan Milosevic’s regime.

According to the indictment, prior to the murder, Curuvija was under surveillance by state security.

The prosecution believes an ‘unknown person’ ordered the killing and Markovic abetted the crime, while the three other defendants took part in the organisation and execution of the murder.

Three of the suspects have pleaded not guilty, while Kurak is on the run and is being tried in absentia.

Markovic is currently serving a 40-year sentence for the murder of former Serbian President Ivan Stambolic and other crimes, while Romic and Radonjic were acquitted in September of the attempted murder of opposition party leader Vuk Draskovic in 2000.

Ulemek meanwhile is currently serving a 40-year sentence for the murder of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic in 2003.

He is seen as a key witness in the Curuvija murder trial, whose testimony about his former colleagues’ alleged involvement is crucial to the prosecution.

Ulemek told the court on Monday that he has been receiving threats to himself and his family, but could not say who they came from.

Defendant Romic asked Ulemek in court if he, Romic, was responsible for the threats. Ulemek said he not know.

“You have not threatened me directly. Maybe you did indirectly, maybe you did not. Those who made the threats did not present themselves. But I will find out who sent who to deliver the message,” said Ulemek.

Curuvija was shot in the back 17 times in front of the building where he lived in Belgrade – a murder that his family and former colleagues believe was motivated by his opposition stance.

The journalist was outspoken in criticising Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, openly accusing him of war crimes and running an oppressive regime.

Several former senior state security officials have testified at so far at the trial. Despite their differing testimonies, most agreed that Curuvija was killed minutes after a surveillance team was ordered to stop following him.

They said that Curuvija was followed by State Security throughout 1999 as he was seen as an enemy of the Milosevic government.