June 8, 2010
As "Vreme" learns from sources in the MUP of Croatia and the MUP of Serbia, on Tuesday there was a confrontation with firearms in Rakitje, near the lake, near Samobor. On that occasion, a person who introduced himself to the Croatian MUP police as Sretko Kalinić (1974) was seriously wounded (two gunshot wounds to the chest). In an informative interview with the police officers of the MUP of Croatia, Kalinić asserted that he was shot by Miloš Simović. According to our sources, the showdown was over the division of the loot. Some purses and firearms were found at the scene. At this moment (Tuesday evening) it is not completely clear what is happening with Miloš Simović, nor what is the state of health of Sretko Kalinić, who is recovering under heavy guard in one of Zagreb's hospitals.
"We can probably link this event to the recent murder of Cvetko Simić in Croatia." This is a broader story, a broader action that will likely result in new arrests. I am not sure that this story does not also touch the Šarić clan itself," said police director Milorad Veljović.
Kalinić and Simović are members of the Zemun clan, sentenced in absentia to drastic prison sentences for the murder of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić and other crimes committed by the Zemun clan. Both are on record as extremely violent, cold-blooded killers and very skilled at hiding. Miloš Simović's younger brother, Dušan, was also arrested and sentenced. Sretko Kalinić and Miloš Simović have been on the run since March 12, 2003, when they were publicly labeled as conspirators in the murder of Prime Minister Đinđić.
Special prosecutor for the fight against organized crime, Miljko Radisavljević, as reported by B92, confirmed that Kalinic has two wounds - in the abdomen and chest.
"According to information from Croatia, an operation was performed on Kalinić in the afternoon and he has serious physical injuries," said Radisavljević and added
that he received a notification from the Croatian judicial authorities that no one was arrested for wounding Kalinić. Radisavljević added that the judicial authorities of Serbia will file a request for his extradition.
According to information from Croatian Radio Television, the spokesman of the Croatian Ministry of Interior, Krunoslav Borovec, said that "we can speak with almost 100 percent certainty about the crackdown on the Serbian underground in the Croatian metropolis." He confirmed that the police suspect that he was wounded by Simović and called on all Croatian citizens to contact them if they have information about this case.
Kalinic was transported to the Vinograd Hospital. He had no personal documents with him. HRT also states that Kalinić, who was seriously injured, was spotted by a 39-year-old man from Zagreb who was walking along the shore of the lake. A wounded man came to meet him, asked for help and fell unconscious.
RSV
If Kalinić survives and if Simović is deprived of his liberty, they should be extradited to the Republic of Serbia based on international warrants. Here they will have the right to be tried again for the same criminal offenses for which they were convicted in absentia. In addition, an investigation by the MUP of Croatia into their movements and the circumstances under which this event took place could greatly clarify the ways of hiding and dealing with both them and other fugitives from justice in the region.
Read more on Thursday, in the new issue of "Vremena"
