YUGOSLAVIA: COURT FREES FOUR DUTCHMEN DETAINED IN PRISON SINCE JULY ON SUSPICION OF PLOTTING TO ASSASSINATE FORMER PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC

Record ID: 648718

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: COURT FREES FOUR DUTCHMEN DETAINED IN PRISON SINCE JULY ON SUSPICION OF PLOTTING TO ASSASSINATE FORMER PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC
  • Date: 10th October 2000
  • Summary: BELGRADE, SERBIA, YUGOSLAVIA (OCTOBER 9, 2000)(REUTERS) 1. SLV EXTERIOR BUILDING; CAR PULLING UP OUTSIDE GATES' MV ARRIVAL OF LAWYER FOR DUTCHMEN, ZORAN JOVANOVIC WALKING (3 SHOTS) 0.17 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOVANOVIC SAYING "The judge decided there was no evidence to indict them. They let them go and this was obviously connected to the political situation here." 0.47 3. MV CARS DRIVING AWAY; MV SECRETARY OF INVESTIGATING JUDGE ARRIVES WITH RELEASE PAPERS; MEDIA SURROUNDING HER 1.06 4. SLV PRISONERS WALK OUT OF PRISON WITH PERSONAL BELONGINGS WHICH THEY PLACE IN CAR 1.35 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) RELEASED DUTCHMAN JEROEN VAN IERSEL: "I still cannot believe it. We are still alive. I hope our health is OK. We were treated well under the circumstances." (TURN AND WALK AWAY) 2.20 6. SCU POLICE OFFICER STANDING NEXT TO CAR; MV DUTCHMEN PLACED CAR; CAR DRIVES AWAY (3 SHOTS) 2.44 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 25th October 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BELGRADE, SERBIA, YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVABAUZBRX1UOJRM1TE2TB6SJ5VT
  • Story Text: A Yugoslav court on Monday freed four Dutchmen detained
    in prison since July on suspicion of plotting to assassinate
    former President Slobodan Milosevic.

    The four men walked out of a Belgrade court and were
    escorted into a police van before heading for the Dutch
    embassy. They were expected to fly to the Netherlands on
    Tuesday (October 10).

    "I still cannot believe it. We are still alive," said one
    of the released men, Jeroen van Iersel. "I hope our health is
    OK. We were treated well under the circumstances."
    The four self-styled amateur weekend warriors had denied
    accusations they were sent by Western intelligence agencies to
    murder Milosevic.

    Milosevic resigned last week in the face of massive street
    protests following disputed September 24 presidential
    elections. Constitutional lawyer Vojislav Kostunica assumed
    office on Saturday.

    Mondays decision comes after the Dutch charge d'affaires
    in Belgrade held talks with Kostunica on Friday over the
    release of the four Dutchmen.

    "The judge decided there was no evidence to indict them,"
    said Zoran Jovanovic, one of the men's lawyers. "They let them
    go and this was obviously connected to the political situation
    here."
    The four men had been videotaped by the Serb authorities
    in July after they were detained.


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