The croatian journalist Zeljko Peratovic investigates on war and organized crimes in Southeast Europe

April 19th, 2005

Official secret – top secret

TRIAL AGAINST MIRKO NORAC:

On 24 March 2003 the first ever sentence for war crimes committed by the Croatian Army against Serb civilians in the 1991-95 war in Croatia was pronounced. In the “Gospic Group” Trial the Rijeka County Court found Tihomir Oreskovic, Mirko Norac and Stjepan Grandic guilty of war crimes, while indictees Ivica Rozic and Milan Canic Bico were acquitted of all charges due to lack of evidence…

Ten days ago the Tribunal issued an indictment against Mirko Norac for crimes committed against Serbs in the “Medak pocket” in 1993.


Official secret – top secret


(on Croatian - 45 lines - Službena tajna - Vrlo tajno)
OFFICIAL NOTE
Made on 24 September 1999. year, in Department for terrorism suppressing of MUP (Ministry for internal affairs – police), on the occasion of published conversation with Rozic Ivica, son of Stjepan, born on 16th January 1962 in Gospic, 14 Budacka Street, retired member of SIS (Counter Intelligence Military Service), 9th guard brigade, which was published on 20th of September 1999 in Gospic.

The conversation was about circumstances of his knowledge of placed mines on Gospic area, about which he sad the following.

Ivica Rozic Roka alias White Wolf in the “Gospic Group” Trial the Rijeka County Court
That he, on earlier made informational conversation, said everything he knew about mines and mine-explosive devices, and that was the truth, prooved the fact that since April till today not one explosive device has exploded on area of Lika-Senj county.

During the previous conversation he said that he knew for several placed mines on Kosinj area, which he placed himself, and he said that because showing of that mine places was his condition for retirement, for precaution, because he was afraid of what might have happened with him after that previous conversation.

Further, he said that the fact was that he knew about existence of unmarked mine field, made of anti-infantry mines in Kosinj, and he found out about that mine field from a map he found in one Serbian house, together with some notebook. In the notebook was written what kind of mines were there and who brought the mines in Kosinj. Mines were brought by soldiers of ex JNA (Yugoslav army), an officer whose name was Cad, and mines were placed by Serbs from Kosinj. On that map was marked the area on which were the mines, and that was a hill which separated Croatian part of settlement from Serbian part, the side of the hill which led to Serbian houses, in the direction from Gornji Kosinj to Lipovo polje. Beginning of the mine field was in direction of crossroad in Gornji Kosinj, on which were the police point. There was no further cognition about mines.

Further he said that this summer, after he got retired, together with three members of 9th guard brigade, who were also retired, he organised celebration on Baske Ostarije. On that celebration was present general Mirko Norac, several officers of SIS and several military officers from Headquarters of OS of Croatia.

Then one officer from Headquarters said that he prohibited him any conversations with the police and anyone who is connected with police and general Norac told him that he wouldn’t allow that somebody plays games with his people.

Also one officer from Headquarters (didn’t want to say his name) told him that for his retirement was meritorious strictly general Mirko Norac and that on some meeting where was discussed his retirement, against the retirement was Zeljko Sacic, assistant of minister for internal affairs, and that he was imputing him «all against».

He also said that on that occasion they were retteling him what was talking about on the meetings in Gospic in March and April of this year.

Further he said that he was prohibited to talk with the police, because he might be delivered in Haag, and he thought it wasn’t right, because everything he was doing during the war, he did for welfare of Croatia and with knowledge of superiors.

He mentioned that before action «Medacki dzep» (Medak pocket) came in Gospic deceased minister Gojko Susak and told them that would be good to be less Serbs on that area, which he understood they should be killed or sent away, so added, I quote: « why Sacic behave as he is crazy, he was also here and he knows everything what was going on here and why», ended quotation. Some things «was done» by Rozic, some others, and some things «were done» by specialists and we all know that.

He said that he participated himself in preparation of plans for action «Medacki dzep» and added that he conducted defining of attacks and leaving corridor for Serbs so that they could escape. Also he said that he was placing mines by order in Serbian houses in Gospic and around houses, and made it so it looked like attack on Gospic, to show European observers that Serbs were breaking the truce.

In fear of going to Haag, he said that he planned several times how to commit murder of Milan Levar, who went to Haag as a witness. He thought how to poison him with some strong poison by putting on his fields poison in potatoes, or simply wait for him somewhere and kill him and throw his body in one of ditches on Velebit.

He also said, in earlier conversation, he mentioned possibility to collect out of Serbian graves human bones and throw it somewhere on Velebit and to blow up that area, and than send to Levar an anonymous report that on that place are the bones of Serbs disappeared in 1991., so that Levar kills himself in mine field when he comes on that place.

He said that several days before from one old wooden house, which was across Levar’s apartment, he was observing how he could kill him through window, when he was in apartment, with shotgun.

Nevertheless, he said that for Levar’s liquidation still has no «green light».

He also said that, as a potential ICTY’s witness, was dangerous Sinisa Glusac from Vrhovine, who was main Levar’s trump card, as he thought.

He says that this summer, one day (doesn’t remember the date) he had an idea to kill Suljkanovic Ibrahim. Namely, he was in front of his house in Budacka Street and spotted Suljkanovic in front of the house as he was going down the Budacka Street and stopping cars. He decided to kill him and set in his car to get on the Budacka Street and give a ride to Suljkanovic, kill him and take his body somewhere on Velebit and get rid of the body, but when he wanted to get out of the yard, he couldn’t , because someone parked on his car entrance, so he gave up. He wanted to kill Suljkanovic because he, together with Levar was giving statements to journalists of Globus (Zeljko Peratovic) about some actions from the war.

Ibrahim Suljkanović i Milan Levar na Ugljanu

Ibrahim Suljkanovic and Milan Levar on Ugljan (August, 1999),
where Ibro was hiding in clinic for alchocolism,
so that White Wolf (Ivica Rozic Roka) don’t find him.
Then he said that he, during the war, took away lots of people, who were never seen again, their relatives maybe even now think that they escaped to Serbia, but they are dead. He added that he killed most of them with the wooden stick in head, and than took the bodies on Velebit and threw the bodies into the ditches or left on the ground covering with pine branches. Pine branches neutralize smells and worms eat body very quickly, so in very short time there are left only bones.

He said he was working smartly and he was not a fool like «Buso» (Busljeta), who threw bodies near road, as he threw those two bodies on Takalica.

He says that his health is in bad condition, he can’t sleep and that he takes every day big amount of tablets. He often becomes very agressive and iritated, and several times every day he thinks of suicide. Not rarely,on moments,he loses memory, and he can’t remember anything.

He feels bittered on invalide commission from Rijeka, which refused his demand for acknowledging of disability, with explanation that his diagnosis of PTS (Post Traumatical Sindrom) is not result of the war.

He also spoke very negatively about Ivan Tomljenovic, former deputy of chief of Lika –senj police station,whom he believed the most, till recently. He said that before the war Tomljenovic had one pair of horses and nothing else, and he became rich in the war so much that he owned several houses on the shore, several firms, several apartments and shops in Zagreb, factory for meat processing and so on, and all that thanks to his cousin who worked in MUP.

He remembered that he with his formation, once in 1991., on Baske Ostarije fel into mine fields, into trip mines, which were placed by Tomljenovic, and added that he was no good Croat and that he always cooperated with Serbs.

Later he said that he was placing different kinds of mines on different places and in different ways, but he has never been placing mines under cars and that he would research that then, how to put mine on the best way under a car, to explode when a car starts. On question why he needs that, he said that you can never know.

Car of Milan Levar, under which the bomb exploded,
while he was repairing it
(in his mother’s backyard 28. August 2000).
April 17th, 2005

Gotovina - Full cooperation

Karamarko and Perkovic are selling horn for the candle
(on Croatian - 45 lines - Karamarko i Perković prodaju muda pod bubrege)

Barbaso: Full cooperation – arrest or proof that all about Gotovina is done.

European Council, reminded Barbaso, in December of last year concluded that Croatia fullfil all political criterias, except one opened question, and that is surrender of general Gotovina.
EU, as Barbaso said, was very clear about question of general Gotovina and about what full cooperation between Zagreb and Haag means.
Full cooperation means that Gotovina must be located and transfered to Haag, or in second case, Croatian autoroties must give prooves that they have done all in their power to arrest Gotovina, he continued.

New Mesic’s advisors team. On left to right: Zeljko Mataija (sport), Boro Vuckovic, (social and humanitarian relations), Sinisa Tatalovic (political system), Budimir Loncar, (intarnational relations) President Stjepan Mesic, Vlatko Cvrtila (defence), Izet Aganovic (science), Tomislav Jakic (external politics), and Sasa Perkovic (national security)
What sort of discovery is that Ante Gotovina in 2001. escaped with passport stolen in Mostar, issued in Zagreb?!

If that and name of person who gave him the stolen passport, and person from the police who to Nacional and Hrvatski list dealed Karamarko’s official letter about measures which to POA are suggested from MI6 to catch Ante Gotovina, will be the only results of effort of Croatian safety services and police in contraction the circle around Ante Gotovina, we will get a kick in the bottom from Carla Del Ponte and from EU, and Americans will give us a nice tap on the shoulders, that we will choke up.

Sources close to Sasa Perkovic and Tomislav Karamarko say that POA didn’t even put criminal charge against Franjo Turek for interference of work of ICTY. Supposedlly, against that was Ivan Jarnjak, and Vlatko Cvrtila didn’t look benevolently on possibility that his Francek from Zagorje (area in Croatia, near Zagreb) get some penal servitude.

By that is anyway opened the space for Carla Del Ponte to ask from Croatia delivering of Franjo Turek based on charge for interference of work of ICTY, and she would ask Turek who ordered him from the government to interference Haag’s investigators, what wouldn’t make happy President Stjepan Mesic.

Carla’s apettites will supposedly tried to be satisfied with criminal charge against Markica Rebic, Stipan Udiljak, Ivan Brzovic and others because of helping in hiding Ahmic’s four and Ivica Rajic.

That announced before recent journalist texts in Feral and Jutarnji list President Mesic himself, claiming that collected informations about those who hide Ahmic’s and Ivica Rajic, and whose behaviour was foothold in attitude for Carla Del Ponte that in the same time even today secret services are helping Gotovina.

So, Mesic’s services Karamarko and Perkovic, will put all the blame for opstruction of Haag’s investigations on Rebic’s people,as they are trying to weak one of the holes in net of Gotovina’s helpers. (Mesic’s statement in media - on Croatian)

It would be significant to Europe when in the same time would be given prooves
that Gotovina is not moving in direction of Sibenik’s area, Udbina, Grahovo,Glamoc…

And maybe it will, because, there also Mesic is claiming that Antisa (Ante Gotovina) is not in Croatia or in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Neverthless, the story about passports is very thin and about that it was known who stole it and who gave one to Ante Gotovina so he can temporarily escape from the country. ( Some wrote to Italy, some said in Canada)

In time of stealing Mostar’s passports (it is not known for sure did the passports were physicaly in Mostar or Zagreb) chief of VII administration for safety in ministry of foraign affaires was Sasa Perkovic, present Mesic’s advisor for national security.

He supposed to, by his authorisation, be on the head of investigation of stolen passports and have the most accurate informations possible.

Later he was assistant of chief of OA, Damir Loncaric, (Karamarko’s friend from Zagreb police).

That function helped Sasa Perkovic to have bigger insight in safety problems across Croatian border, especialy in B and H and Serbia.

Considering that he was involved in HIS’s operation Barakuda Sasa Perkovic was in opportunity to have insight in secret ways of international organised crime.

So again, he didn’t distinguish himself in search for Gotovina. It was not possible to hear that he tried to report his knowledgments to anyone about Mostar’s passport, with which Gotovina supposedlly left Croatia.

American partners, who in former HIS, donated one million dollars for modernization technics and technologies, are wondering what Perkovic knows about that money, and what he says about information of his operative worker I.I. that Gotovina in June 2003. was hiding in Ram Franciscian convent Scit, because of which American ambassador in Sarajevo had to protect Scit’s monastery superior.

I’m afraid that medias, spies and politicians didn’t learn well lessons from recent history, that promiscuite erotic circles among them dangerous for freedom of medias and for general democratic picture of society. It is possible that so desired, hated Europe, exactly in that sense respond on little application for date of negotiations.

April 17th, 2005

HAK – spy’s pantry

(on croatian - 45 lines - HAK – špijunska špajza)
What is Croatian auto-club (HAK)? The association of citizen drivers or spy’s pantry from which started to fall out skeletons and rotten potatoes?

Often mentioned name in actual scandal in HAK was member of SDP, Nikola Vukovic, actual secretary and one time main deserving for Tomislav Karamarko, present chief of POA (Counter Intelligence Service) got a job in that firm (association), after he by the end of 90’s was sacked from MUP. (Ministry of internal business)
Vukovic supposedlly was very close with Josip Perkovic Dad.

Slavko Degoricija, former main man in HAK, was deputy of minister for internal affairs, Josip Boljkovac, and one of main Manolic’s men, who cared that Stedul’s fraction in MORH (Ministry of defense) don’t take over Lika completely.

Karic claimed that Slavko Degoricija told him that Tudjman supposed to be assassinated when he on 17th November 1991. visited Gospic, but also said that he would never tell him who supposed to be assassinator. (From trial to Tihomir Oreskovic, Mirko Norac and Stjepan Grandic, undestined assassinator.)

Milan Levar, two days befor he was murdered, talked into to speak with Slavko Degoricija about Medacki dzep, and with Mile Mrla, former officer of JNA (Yugoslav Army), commander of defense of Canak, whom Mirko Norac wanted to punish for fall of Canak, so a guy died who had the same name and surname: Mile Mrla.

One day before the assassination I was sitting with Mile Mrla and Slavko Degoricija on the terrace of hotel Dubrovnik on Trg Ban Jelacic (square), only about ten meters away from doorway where I shared neighbourghood with Dragutin Tadijanovic, Almira Osmanovic, on 2A Gajeva Street.

Degoricija and Mrla was convincing me that Milan Levar was crazy. Degoricija told me that investigators of crimes in Gospic and Medacki dzep, wouldn’t find material evidences, because corps were transfered and over new graves were pine woods. Mrla announced me that Levar might be killed and that he heard that from one chief of intelligence service. He didn’t want to be specific who and former or present one.

Degoricija and Mrla from this story:

One day before his death, I was on the terrace of hotel Dubrovnik in Zagreb andtalked about case Medacki dzep with two men from Lika, one secret agent and oneformer high-positioned HDZ functionary, and both of them started to convince me that Milan Levar was mentaly insane. Why can’t he keep his mouth shut for once?
The world is based on agreements. Why doesn’t he except what is offered to him? He could live nicely for a long time now, if he was smart. He thinks he is Jesus?! Nothing could be prooved only with his words, the papers are needed!
There are lots of different bones on Lika’s area, even from the time of Turks, over some massive graves are woods!

Dissapointed, I informed Levar what his aquaintance Degoricija and friend Mrlasaid about him. It made him angry, but he promised me that he wouldn’t make big fuss about it.

A few hours before he died of palmed off bomb, Levar called me and told me that Haag’sinvestigators at one time were very interested in talk with Degoricija in Graz.

That he talked with Mrla the previous night, to whom he that summer through connections of Joza Manolic arranged not to throw him from city apartment, and that Mrla apologized to him. That he would continue conversation with him as soon as he finish mending tyre of his automobile, which he was reparing in mother’s yard – what he also said to Mrla.

They never continued their conversation, and Mrla and Degoricija didn’t even come to his
funeral.

I met them one day before the funeral as they were laughing on the terrace of hotel Dubrovnik in Gajeva Street, five steps away from doorway where I lived. Degoricija asked me if I knew who killed Levar, because I was such a wise mant that I should have known that.

Mrla told me that, after medias broadcasted the news that Levar was killed, that night in hall of restaurant Svetice he met Tihonmir Oreskovic, who still didn’t know that Levar was dead. When Mrla told him that, he wanted to talk with him, but he apologised that he couldn’t talk because some journalists were waiting for him.

One month after this conversation, I met Mile Mrla on Zrinjevac. With relief, he told me that MUP wanted to talk with him about circumstances of Milan Levar’s murder, but he informed about that his friend Tomislav Karamarko, at that time chief of UNS, who arranged with police not to question him.

Znao je da će Levar popravljati auto

Mile Mrla
In first months after Levar’s dead, police talked with at least two hundred people, in first place, about hundred of those whose phone number the deceased had in his mobile phone. Only not with Mile Mrla, not till today.

Maybe now is clearer why Degoricija in actual conflict around HAK, put himself on the said of HDZ’s forces, Darko Milinovic and Damir Skare.

Marko Markovic in conversation with Tihomir Oreskovic:

- It was a significant event for Gospic. President Tudjman visited Gospic on 17th November 1991. and on meeting with all commanders said: «Karic, stop it!».
Literally that. After that the military and civilian government was established, the Croatian brigades were formed.

*In Karic’s later statements it was said that you were not present on that meeting, and also the doubt in preparation of assassination on President Tudjman was mentioned?

- Those are nonsense. Except President Tudjman and minister Susak, on the meeting were General Petar Stipetic, Josip Perkovic, Slavko Degoricija, general Mate Lausic and Ante Karic, who formed delegation from Zagreb. The commander of operative group Lika, Pero Cavar,
as a host, presented military situation on Lika area and informed President about the situation on the battlefield.

By Cavar were Mirko Norac, who formed 118. brigade, dr. Drazen Jurkovic, commissioner for Gospic, Ivica Markovic, manager of district prison in Gospic,


Ivica Dasovic, chief of police, Miro Petry, President of HDZ, and others. All of us were surprised by President’s arrival, because we were concerned for his safety. A day before we severely fought with
Serbs.

Slavko Degoricija
was the main negotiator with rebeled Serbs,
after action Medacki dzep
April 17th, 2005

Freedom guaranteed by Constitution

Croatian Parliament
Trg Svetog Marka 4
10 000 Zagreb
Committee for human rights and rights of national miorities
President of Committee dr. sc. Furio Radin

Application

Dear Sir,

At the end of last year you noticed me, in the name of above named Committe, that you in my
Memorandum, (about acting of POA), and its additions, sent forward to Council for supervision of safety services and to Committee for national security Office.
I personally informed you that written notification from the Committee, at the end of 2004., when chief of POA already was Tomislav Karamarko, came on my address already opened.
I doubted that POA opened it.

dr. sc. Furio Radin

As you know from medias, in meanwhile, Parliamentary Committee for internal politics and national security and Council for civilian supervision of safety services, investigated quotations from mutual Memorandum of five journalists about treatment of POA.

Based on that investigation, Committee for internal politics and national security have brought 4 conclusions, which partly answers the questions from our mutual Memorandum. Not from the Committee nor from the Council I didn’t get answers on questions from my personal Memorandum. Based on conclusion nr. 3, from Committee for internal politics and national security, in which is, among other, said:

So there is justified doubt that quoating persons who wrote Memorandum (Gordan Malic, Ivica Djikic, Ivanka Toma, Zeljko Peratovic and Marijo Kavain) in «Presentation», without any reason, violated their human rights and freedom, guaranteed by Constitution, ( article 38, paragraph 1.,2. and 3 of Constitution of Croatia) because from the collected informations can’t be justified the title and thesis given in «Information about intelligence-media manipulations, with goal of discreditation of Croatia» and that named journalists, in that sense, participated in actions which would endangered national security;

I will hand over to authorised State attorney suggestion of settlement for allowance for nonmaterial damage which it brought them. If State attorney replies on the suggestion negatively, I will give to the authorised court the sue against Croatia, because of quoted violation of human rights.
Doesn’t matter what Committee for internal politics and national security brought conclusion like that, my journalists rights are still violating, because in newspaper I’m working in – Vjesnik, which is formaly owned by government of Croatia, is not possible to write about themes about which I write: intelligence services, organised crime and war crimes. So, I’m almost disabled any writing.
I would remind titled Committee that one of the freedoms which should be respected in countries which applicated for membership in EU, is freedom of speech, that is freedom of informing. So, I’m keeping my right to inform about violating of this freedom, authorised bodies of European institutions, if the relation of management and editorial office of Vjesnik, which are on functions only by will of government of Croatia, remains the same towards me.
I ask this Committee for to investigate the quotations from the Memorandum which I have sent and on which I didn’t get any answers by mentioned conclusions of Committee for internal politics and national security.
The Committee for internal politics and national security says that POA didn’t apply measures of secret collecting of informations, in my case, during 2004. As the control of mail deliveries also is in measures of secret collecting of informations, and I had doubt that POA opened the letter to your Committee, sent at the end of last year, by which I think my privacy of communication is violated, please to especially request from Council for national security Office to manifest about that.

The Committee for internal politics and national security and Council for supervision of safety services didn’t reply on question from our mutual Memorandum, have over us five journalists, been used measures of secret collecting of informations during 2003.

I have sent to the titled Committee «Information about background of some journalists’ texts about Gotovina case», dated 16th October 2003., signed by former chief of POA, Franjo Turek, in which is also analysed one of my texts about possible movment of runaway general Gotovina. So, right before Presentation to state top, which the investigation of Committee for internal politics and national security was dealing with, POA characterized my writings as a fruit of influence of domestic intelligence underground and ICTY, which motives was disruption of internal stability of Croatia and its internal position, so endangering national safety. The information ends with note to users: President of Croatia, Stjepan Mesic, secretary of President’s Office, Zeljko Bagic, President’s advisor for national security, Imra Agotic, Premier Ivica Racan, member of government, Goran Granic, main state attorney, Mladen Bajic and President of Parliamentary Committee for internal politics and national security, Ante Markov, that are: That actions and influences of all groups, the subject of further research of POA, and that named ones about collected informations, will be regularlly informed.
Connected with that, can be concluded, that in that time (2003.) I was subject of operative research of POA, which, besides measures of secret collecting of informations, including also collecting informations from citizens and research through registers and data basis.
As some porsons, with whom I conntacted at that time, by phone or personaly, were under pressures (Dragutin Franciskovic was publicliy marked as chief of intelligence underground which disinforms Carla Del Ponte about Gotovina and Mario Barisic from Sibenik was threatened with dead), with reason I doubt that POA with that secret collecting of informations supervised my communication with mentioned ones, and put them through mentioned discomforts.
Further, I’m convinced that informations that POA got about me, and for which gethering is not needed approval of Supreme court, but only descision of chief of POA: talks with citizens, insight in registres and data bases, are put in my personal file (collections and registers of personal datas and other records of collected datas and documentes with informations, article 22.paragraph 1. of Safety services law).
Article 23. paragraph 1. of the same Law says that services (POA) must, on request of citizen inform him whether over him are taken measures of collecting of informations, and if in services are records about his personal datas and on his request give him insight in documents about collected informations.
In connection with above, I didn’t turn to POA, but I wanted to consume that right through the Council for civilian supervision of safety services, the Committee for internal politics and national security, public attorney of Croatia and titled Committee, but it was not made possible to me still.
So I request from this Committee to ask from Council for national security Office and from chief of POA, insight in records and registers of personal datas, because I’m convinced that datas and documents which are collected about me by «operative research and processings of POA» are misusing and that are not destroyed, as it says in article 24. paragraph 1., 2. and 3. of Secret services Law.
If that right is not going to be enabled to me, I will consider that POA is using article 23. of Secret service Law, paragraphs 2. and 3., and what is in contradiction with quoted conclusion 3., of Committee for internal politics and national security, that is not prooven to me disinformationing of public in Gotovina case, that is, that I wasn’t endangering national security. In that case I will ask for Court’s protection against POA.

I please once again for urgent actions, and to inform me in soonest time about possible taken actions of titled Committee.

Best regards,

Journalist Zeljko Peratovic

In Zagreb, 12. april 2005
April 13th, 2005

Death of Milan Levar

This article was awarded by ROG: Press Freedom Award 2003 - Signal für Europa
Fokus, 1st September 2000.

The Levar case
Our reporter called Milan Levar by phone, directly before his murder. This thriling portrait is written by his friend and good connoisseur of dark games in Croatian hall of Haag.
The testimony about killed friend

The last conversation with Mico

When on Monday, 28 August, around 17 o’clock, called a colleague and a friend from Novi list, Robert Frank, asked me if I could check an anonymous information, which arrived in his office, that Milan Levar commited suicide, I told him that I don’t have time for wasting on nonsenses. I talked with Mico by phone that day around noon and he sounded to me livelier than ever. He made a comment on newspaper appearance of Mile Kosovic, former commander of homeguard battalion from Gospic, who with general Rahim Ademi was Pedro of action Medacki dzep (Medack Pocket). Levar was thrilled by the fact that Kosovic «began to talk, althought he said the hundredth part of the truth.» He made a comment:

«The relations are breaking among those who are responsible for that Croatian disgrace. Kosovic didn’t speak directly about war crimes that are commited in the action, but it can be seen that he didn’t start to talk for no reason. He is afraid for himself and calls by name general Norac and Susak’s double line of commanding of HV (Croatian army), and that’s something. There, at least Levar is not alone who is ready to talk about that things.»

Mico warned me than about the difficult situation in which was sister of Zdenko Ropac, one of ICTY’s witnesses in Gospic case, who was, supposedly, under constant threats «because of brother’s betrayal», she looked for temporarily shelter in psychiatric clinic. «You don’t have to write about that, but it’s good that you know it», he said to me. He complained about one former politician from Lika, who «always calculates something, and about crimes in Gospic, he is ready to talk only when he is directly endangered, but you have to know, he is also responsible for certain crimes which took place in Lika.»He announced our soon meeting and told me from whom I should look for certain documents about happenings in action Medacki dzep. He also told me that he would call me in the evening, because he had some job in workshop.

He thought he was indestructible

But, as Mico Levar was a person who loved black humour, at the end I finally decided to call him and ask him was it true that he made suicide.

There was no answer on his phone or on several mobiles he owned. That worried me a bit, but I thought that was possible that he went on some trip with his family, wife Vesna and son Leon, what was regular. Maybe they went to Karlobag for a swim.

I called one mutual acquaintance, former high-positioned person in headquarter of HV, and throuhg the joke I asked him if he heard a roumor that Levar killed himself. The answer astonished me:»He didn’t kill himself, but he is dead. His wife Vesna called me and told me that a little while ago. He suffered adversity from the explosion in his workshop….»

In shock I passed the information to Frank in Rijeka. It was all clear to me and I didn’t doubt that he died in assassination, although soon came to me informations that he got hurt from incautious handling with gas bottle.

Than in panic one Levar’s friend from war called me, the employee of one Croatian secret services: «He is killed!I told him a few days ago that his liquidation was seriously preparing and that he should stop appearing in public. He went too far. He thought he was indestructible. He didn’t listen to me!»

The secret agent, as a broken record, was repeating that he said to Mico to give up useless work. I hardly in a polite way ended the conversation.

ICTY’s witness

Levar lived with conscience that he would be stopped with murder. But how and why could happen something like that after 3th January, which he was looking forward to as a little baby, saying that legal state knocked on Croatia’s door and that we didn’t need ICTY then. «We will be able to bring to court our criminals in our democratic and legal country…», he told me happilly during short meeting after he, as a Mesic’s home friend , was on his president inauguration.Milan Levar since 1992. till today has given about hundred interviews to domestic and foreign medias, and since 1997. he has talket to ICTY about crimes which took place in Gospic in 1991. He was a victim of several assassination attempts, his born house was under fire, in which was his mother Katica and in the yard, in which he lost his life then. They also tried to poison him, and since then hi didn’t drink coffee with sugar. He had an artificial sweetner in hi pocket.Before the war, he participated in almost every fight in Gospic. From «Airforce Academy» in Mostar he was thrown out because in the age of 15, he attacked one captain, who offended his Croatian national pride.

From the war he was remembered as a tough fighter. He fought on the first line of defense of Gospić, together with 30 people who in summer 1991., as interventionist platoon of Pajo Simic, holded the first lines towards Licki Osik.

He was facing death too often, so his black humour was hard to understand for people with sensitive stomach. Laughing, he was telling me about gravediggers who were carring on their backs half-rotten bodies of war crime victims, and «worms of crisps size, so called crispies, were crawling on gravediggers’ back.»

He told me that he left army when he got verified warrant to kill civilians. «I didn’t enter the war to kill grandmothers, like these who in blood and money compensate their Croatian spirit», was the sentence which became his favourite saying.

Mico and redeemers of UDBA’s past

He hadn’t been drinking alcohol for 15 years, since his father died. Only coffee and mineral water. You could talk to him for hours and watch him drinking those beverages. Those who didn’t like him saw in that the sign that he was not normal. One former HDZ politician, last winter, drinking his tenth beer, was persuading me that Milan Levar was not a real man, because «real man don’t drink mineral water» and «who can endure that for hours, besides his physical health, his mental health must be damaged.»One day before his death, I was on the terrace of hotel Dubrovnik in Zagreb and talked about case Medacki dzep with two men from Lika, one secret agent and one former high-positioned HDZ functionary, and both of them started to convince me that Milan Levar was mentaly insane. Why can’t he keep his mouth shut for once? The world is based on agreements. Why doesn’t he except what is offered to him? He could live nicely for a long time now, if he was smart. He thinks he is Jesus?! Nothing could be prooved only with his words, the papers are needed! There are lots of different bones on Lika’s area, even from the time of Turks, over some massive graves are woods!I knew from before that his until recent allies are turning their backs, and everything that his internal enemies were talking about him, I accepted as someone wishes me a good day. Not particularlly surprised by words of those two men from Lika, I passed him one part of their words. He was not surprised.

He sent them to hell, concluding «that all of them want to redeem their bad UDBA’s past, and they are not much better from those who made and ordered crimes. They talk about crimes only because of their personal benefit or personal pay offs. Poor is Croatia if people like them will be participating in government.»

His friends turned their backs also

Several times, when he got mad on some of his allies, he confided to me who from former Croatian state or military top, were witness in ICTY – «secretly, to save their own skin.» And added: «I do everything publicly and I don’t trade with someone’s misery, like many fake protectors of human rights.» His friends often turned their backs on him, because they couldn’t stand his uncompromisingness and persistence.He got on the wrong side with ICTY and those public persons who, from Croatia conntacted closely with prosecution authoroties in Haag. After he, with two defenders of Gospic, Zdenko Ropac and Zdenko Bando, in 1997. gave testimony in ICTY and then they couldn’t make agreement about status of protected ICTY’s witnesses, they gave a press conference and attacked ICTY because of inefficacy.

Ropac, Bando and Levar’s bestman, inspector in police from Gospic, Tomislav Oreskovic, anyway later went to Germany, with some alleged guarantees of ICTY, and Levar stayed to talk about Gospic. I met him that way at the beginning of last year, when he called me offering new witnesses and war crime stories in Lika, because he had a hunch that case ICTY – Gospić were standing on deadlock.

Based on those several texts which I published last year, former state attorney, Berislav Zivkovic, started an investigation. When he was retriving from his job last summer, he boasted with that, because under them «State attorney reacted even on newspapers titles.»

Nevertheless, Milan Levar, was not called on informative conversation to tell them what he knew, not in that investigation, nor later, in April, when ICTY’s investigators started to dig on Gospic area.

Opponents were afraid of him. They were afraid of his physical strenght, agility and determination. He didn’t wear his gun for selfdefence, only unfolding knife. «They have right to soot me only once. If they miss, they know what is waiting for them», he told me once, without blinking. By lots of things he had impulssive temper, but he knew that he had to avoid «accidental witchcraft on the street or cafe», so he didn’t put himself in situation to kill somebody or to be killed in some shooting which would be shown as one in the coffeehouse.

They stopped him anyway

He called me last summer, shouting that a woman slapped him on the street. I calmed him down, so he continued: «I just drove to my mother’s house, when a tiny woman got out of the car with Zagreb registration and asked me if I’m Milan Levar. I asked her what did she want. She rushed into me and slapped me, shouting that she was wife of Tihomir Oreskovic, and that I ruined her family with my jabbering. I couldn’t believe that Tiho was such a coward and incited his wife on me. I called you, because I don’t want to search through cafes and make some nonsense, and make all this that I said to fall into water.»

Tihomir Orešković s lisičinama na rukama
Tihomir Oreskovic

Lots of people think that Milan Levar is a betrayer and indulge with his death. If I’m a betrayer, and former Yugoslavs from Gospic, comunists and Serbs, who changed names and surnames, bigger Croats than I am, so be it. But I will never give up the intention to wipe out the name of my Croatian people, and to accuse certain persons from Croatia for crimes, but also the members of foreign secret services, who are responsible for deaths of about hundred of my fellow-citizen Serbs, but also Croats. If I’m a betrayer because I don’t want to my whole nation in next 50 years be named as genocidal, so be it. In attention the whole truth to be known about what was happening here, won’t stop me ICTY, nor Washington, or Moscow, and not to mention some of local cowards and jerks, whose intelligence is on room temperature level!»

Some of people, thought that Levar was trained secret agent and saw in that basics and motives of everything he was doing. On that accusations he didn’t consider. He only added:» What kind of secret agent am I, when I hate secrets. I would prohibit by law all secrets.»

If in Gospic, on Monday was killed anybody else, Milan Levar would make effort to make clear how he was killed, who killed him and who ordered the murder.

Mico, I’m still waiting for your call.

frame 1How the police guarded Levar

During antihaag demonstrations in Gospic, Dubravko Novak, new chief of police administration of Licko-senjska, sent several policemen to Levar’s apartment to protect his family, while the crowd on the street were shouting against Ustasha.

Milan wanted to come out and talk with those who called his name as a betrayer, and the policemen asked him not to do that, because they will lose their job. In that moment, his son Leon called and asked that «ma or pa» come to pick him up from school. The school ended, and he couldn’t break through alone to the house. Vesna Levar took the car keys, but the policemen stopped her, claiming that they have strict order that nobody can leave the apartment and that they were there to take care for security of Milan and Vesna Levar. The woman asked them, surprisinglly, were they aware what they we