Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
03ZAGREB325 | 2003-02-12 10:36:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Zagreb |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000325 |
1. (C) THE CROATIAN POLICE ARE TRYING TO CONFIRM THE CREDIBILITY OF INFORMATION INDICATING THAT ICTY INDICTEE ANTE GOTOVINA WAS HIDING IN BOSNIA, NEAR THE CROATIAN BORDER, IN JANUARY 2003. THAT IS WHAT BORIS SPUDIC, ASSISTANT HEAD OF CROATIAN CRIMINAL POLICE TOLD RSO DURING AN MEETING -- HELD AT SPUDIC'S REQUEST -- LATE ON FEBRUARY 7. SPUDIC SAID THAT HE ALSO WAS PASSING THIS INFORMATION TO THE BRITISH AND OTHER WESTERN EUROPEAN CONTACTS. SPUDIC WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THE IDENTITY OR RELIABILITY OF THE SOURCE, BUT OFFERED TO RECONTACT HIM IF WE FOUND THE MATERIAL USEFUL AND ACCURATE. 2. (C) BEGIN TEXT OF CROATIAN POLICE INFORMATION (AS PROVIDED): CROATIAN POLICE HAS INFORMATION ON THE MOVEMENT OF ANTE GOTOVINA IN RELATION OF KUPRES AND LJUBUSKI, FEDERATION BOSNIA AND HERCEGOVINA. BY INFORMATION, GOTOVINA WAS DURING JANUARY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, TOGETHER WITH HIS ESCORT, SPOTTED IN CAFE BAR ON GAS STATION IN PLACE VELJACI, ON ROAD VRGORAC - VITINA, ON ROUTE TO VISIT RETIRED HVO GENERAL AND EX-PRESIDENT OF B&H HDZ PARTY ANTI JELAVIC, WHO POSSES THE HOUSE ON HERCEGOVINIAN SIDE OF THE STATE BORDER, IN DIRECTION TOWARDS PLACE PODPROLOG AND CROATIAN BORDER. BY INFORMATION PROVIDED BY SOURCE, GOTOVINA FREQUENTLY IS STAYING AT THE NEWLY OPENED HOTEL ABOVE KUPRES, WHOSE OWNERS ARE VINKO ZULJEVIC "KLICA", AND SLAVEN PETRICEVIC, EX MEMBERS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 00325 121256Z OF HVO SPECIAL FORCES. SOME MEMBERS OF THOSE EX SPECIAL FORCES (EX 22ND COMMANDO SQUAD) ARE SECURITY MEMBERS OF ANTE GOTOVINA. 3. (C) END TEXT. COMMENT -------------------------- 4. (C) THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE GOTOVINA'S DISAPPEARANCE 18 MONTHS AGO THAT THE CROATIAN INTERIOR MINISTRY HAS PASSED US INFORMATION ON THE ICTY FUGITIVE. IT COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE GOC FINDS ITSELF UNDER MOUNTING PRESSURE FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AT THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL TO DEMONSTRATE THAT IT IS TAKING ACTIVE MEASURES TO FIND GOTOVINA. 5. (C) WE DEFER TO EMBASSY SARAJEVO AND OTHERS TO ASSESS THE QUALITY OF THE GOC INFORMATION AND WOULD WELCOME ANY ANALYSIS THAT WE CAN PASS TO SPUDIC ON HIS LEAD. WE NOTE THAT VINKO ZULJEVIC "KLICA" IS IMPRISONED IN ZAGREB PENDING TRIAL FOR THE JUNE 2002 MURDER OF A ALLEGED CROATIAN INTELLIGENCE AGENCY INFORMANT, VESELIN MARINOV. "KLICA," A BOSNIAN CROAT, IS A WELL KNOWN CROATIAN MAFIA FIGURE, WHO REPORTEDLY SERVED IN THE NOTORIOUS "CONVICTS" BRIGADE OF ICTY INDICTEE MLADEN NALETILIC TUTA AND HVO GENERAL IVAN ANDABAK IN BOSNIA DURING THE WAR. ROSSIN CONFIDENTIAL > |