Political backdrop of Djindjic's killing remains murky

Mar 12, 2009, 7:38 GMT

Belgrade - Although the killers of Serbian prime minister Zoran Djindjic have been convicted, the political motivation behind the assassination six years ago remains murky, the Belgrade daily Press said Thursday.

A pro-western reformist, Djindjic was killed on March 12, 2003 by a sniper in a conspiracy of rogue policemen and organized crime.

Most of the conspirators, including the shooter and the main organizer, were caught and sentenced to maximum, 40-year prison sentences. But doubts remain whether the killers received a nod from Djindjic's political opponents.

The slain premier made enemies when he masterminded the toppling of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, then had him arrested and sent to stand before a United Nations war crimes trial. He also made enemies with his energetic drive to Westernize Serbia.

Though Djindjic's close allies insist that he was killed at least with tacit approval of nationalist politicians, there 'is not enough quality information' to probe the possible political component of the assassination, special prosecutor Miljko Radosavljevic told Press.

Djindjic was fatally shot from a window overlooking the backyard of the Serbian government building. His cabinet declared a state of emergency and named the suspects - mostly police commandos and organized crime heads - within a few hours.

The same group was convicted of dozens of other murders and attempts, including some political hits carried out on Milosevic's orders.

However, none of the prosecutors, policemen and judges who were also brought in at the time were tried and none of the alleged links of the killers with politicians was proved in courts.