VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBW #1212/01 2130919
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 010919Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9083
INFO RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 3504

C O N F I D E N T I A L BELGRADE 001212 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SWCI AND EUR/SCE 
DOJ FOR ALEXANDRE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2016 
TAGS: ICTY KCRM PHUM PGOV PREL SR
SUBJECT: BYTYQI UPDATE FROM WILLIAMSON VISIT 
 
REF: BELGRADE 1153 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: DCM Rod Moore, reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
¶1.  (sbu)  Summary:  Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes 
Issues Clint Williamson pressed Serbian officials for results 
in the seven year old Bytyqi brothers murder case, during his 
July 25-28 visit to Belgrade (SEPTEL).  Officials at all 
levels, including MININT Jocic, reiterated their commitment 
to solving the case and to work closely with FBI agents 
assigned to the case in Washington.  Ambassador Williamson 
also delivered copies of a Letter Rogatory asking for 
assistance in the case.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (c)  In addition to information conveyed in reftels, 
senior officials involved in the Bytyqi brothers murder 
investigation provided additional details to visiting 
Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues Clint Williamson in 
meetings July 26-27.  MININT Jocic assured Williamson that 
solving the Bytyqi case is a top priority, his highest 
priority after Mladic.  He emphasized that, although the case 
is some seven years old, his ministry had only started an 
aggressive investigation some seven months ago, due to 
"various reasons." 
 
¶3.  (c)  Jocic reaffirmed that his MUP had two suspects in 
custody (ref), but noted they were due to be released by 
September 1 unless indicted.  He promised to deliver to the 
USG the complete translated case file from the last six 
months. Jocic said he believed the government had an 
unfinished, but broadly accurate, picture of what had 
happened, but needed more compelling evidence to be able to 
make prosecutions and convictions stick.  One outstanding 
problem, he noted, was that the orders for the killing appear 
to have come from "the top," from former MUP general 
Vlastimir Djordjevic, through then-deputy Gendarmerie 
commander "Guri" Radosavljevic ) both of whom are currently 
considered fugitives (Guri fled Serbia in March 2006, while 
Djordjevic is believed to be in hiding from ICTY in Russia. 
MUP officials indicated that Guri's family ) and maybe Guri 
himself -- had returned to Serbia in late July 2006.).  Both 
Jocic and MUP War Crimes Unit chief Kostic maintained that 
interrogations of these two, plus the local MUP commander in 
Prokuplje, would be crucial to tightening up the case. 
Kostic also indicated that the MUP believed it had narrowed 
down to a list of four people who the shooter(s) was/were. 
 
¶4.  (c)  In a separate meeting the following day, chief war 
crimes investigative judge Milan Dilparic similarly assured 
Williamson he was committed to solving the Bytyqi case.  He 
outlined his past cooperation with Embassy RLA and visiting 
FBI investigators ) including allowing the FBI to observe 
his interrogations of suspects, allowing them to submit 
questions for the interrogation, and personally conducting 
tours for FBI and RLA of the mass grave in Petrovo Selo and 
allowing the visitors to question local residents and take 
pictures. 
 
¶5.  (c)  Responding to Williamson's concern over the pending 
release of the suspects, Dilparic acknowledged that the 
deadline for indicting was fast approaching, but sought to 
reassure the Ambassador that their release would not stop or 
compromise the investigation.  He maintained that these 
suspects had been uncooperative, providing little information 
of use to the case, and said that even upon their release, 
the government had the means to ensure that they remained 
available for questioning in Serbia until the conclusion of 
the case.  Williamson told Dilparic that we remained 
concerned that there was little pressure being put on these 
men to reveal whatever information they did have.  (Comment: 
Dilparic did not explain why an indictment would not be 
brought against Petrovo Selo deputy commander Popovic at 
least on illegal detention charges.  End Comment) 
 
¶6.  (c)  Dilparic said he is now concentrating on "bigger 
fish," looking to gain evidence against those who did the 
killing and those who issued the orders. He noted that, as a 
result of his own investigations, "new doors are opening." 
Specifically, he said another witness had been identified, 
one who saw (and, Dilparic claims, can identify) a JSO 
officer taking the Bytyqi brothers from their holding cell 
after/after the two suspects currently in custody claim to 
have seen them.  Dilparic said his efforts now are on 
locating and bringing this JSO officer in.  He said he would 
interrogate the witness the week of July 31.  Meanwhile, he 
said ballistics had identified the type of weapon used in the 
killings ) an HK semiautomatic with an integrated silencer. 
Dilparic said this is a fairly rare weapon, and he is in the 
process of tracking down from local MUP which units were 
armed with them at the time. 
 
¶7.  (c)  COMMENT:  We believe Jocic is committed to putting 
this case behind him, as he sees it as a major irritant in 
our bilateral relationship.  The progress that seems to have 
been made in recent months gives credence to Jocic's claim 
that the investigation had been blocked in the past, likely 
both by Radosavljevic and by previous appointees to the MUP 
War Crimes Unit chief's job, who themselves were under 
suspicion for possible war crimes in the region at the time. 
We are less convinced of Dilparic's commitment ) FBI has 
told us he has been less than helpful, and has not vigorously 
pursued lines of questioning they have proposed.  Ambassador 
Williamson delivered copies of a Letter Rogatory that will be 
formally presented in coming days to Jocic and to Dilparic. 
This gesture signaled continuing, high-level USG interest in 
this case and alerted the GoS to our request for more 
information and access in the case.  We will continue our 
pressure on the GoS to ensure that others down the chain keep 
a sharp focus on this case. 
 
¶8.  (u) Ambassador Williamson has cleared this message. 
MOORE