Mob chiefs named as prime suspects in Djindjic killing

Dozens of members of an underworld network accused of assassinating Serbia's Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, were arrested yesterday, but the prime suspects eluded capture.

The Serbian government has accused the Zemun criminal clan of ordering the assassination on Wednesday. It identified Milorad Lukovic and Dusan Spasojevic as leaders of the clan, which is named after a Belgrade neighbourhood.

Zarko Korac, a Deputy Prime Minister, said the two men were on the run. "What more do you need as an admission of guilt than the fact that they went underground? You can see what merciless assassins they were."

Mr Lukovic was head of the special police units under former president Slobodan Milosevic. Mr Spasojevic is alleged to have taken part in a series of politically motivated crimes organised by Mr Milosevic's secret police and Mr Lukovic. Jovica Stanisic, Mr Lukovic's predecessor as head of the special police units, and his deputy, Franko Simatovic, were held for questioning yesterday but later released.

The Serbian government believes the Zemun clan is responsible for dozens of abductions and 50 gang-style killing and for creating a network of organised crime across the former Yugoslavia.

The clan is believed to be behind the abduction and killing of Ivan Stambolic, a political opponent of Mr Milosevic in 2000. Zemun is also thought to have orchestrated two assassination attempts against Vuk Draskovic, the leader of the opposition, in 1999 and 2000. It was also allegedly involved in the failed assassination attempt on Mr Djindjic on 21 February.

"This is the point of no return," Mr Korac said. "The bond between the old regime and organised crime has to be broken ... it is the cancer that has spread all over."

Mr Djindjic admitted luring key police and mob figures into changing sides when he orchestrated the fall of Mr Milosevic in October 2000. But later he turned against them, declaring war on their smuggling operations.

People in Serbia were still in shock yesterday. All over the country, flags were at half-mast, while television and radio stations suspended normal broadcasts to playsolemn music. Displays of public grief are not customary in Serbia, but crowds of people, many with children, gathered at the government building where the Prime Minister was shot, leaving flowers, lighting candles and signing the book of condolence. The last time such scenes of mass grief were seen in Belgrade was in 1980 when the Yugoslav president Josip Tito died.

Mourners gathered outside the headquarters of Mr Djindjic's Democratic Party, and a memorial service was held at Belgrade City Hall.

Ruzica Djindjic, the Prime Minister's widow, wearing dark glasses, managed to smile at elite members of the party as they offered their condolences. Mr Djindjic's mother tearfully kissed a photograph of her son.

Mr Djindjic's daughter, Jovana, and his son, Luka, did not attend the ceremony, which turned into a confirmation of Mr Djindjic's political beliefs.

Cedomir Jovanovic, one of the young leaders of the Democratic Party, promised to remain committed to Mr Djindjic's reform-oriented course. "Serbia will remain a modern, democratic country on the road of efficient recovery" Mr Jovanovic said. "To our friends we say 'thank you for the political friendship in the hardest times', to our opponents we say 'you can only be our adversaries and all our battles will be fought in the parliament'."

He recalled the Prime Minister's words after the failed attempt on his life in February. "You can shoot me, you can even kill me, but this country and its democratic system will continue to function," he quoted Mr Djindjic as saying.

Chris Patten, the European Union's external relations commissioner, and Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy representative, travelled to Belgrade yesterday to offer support for the country's leadership. Before leaving for Belgrade Mr Solana described the killing as a "tremendous blow".

Mr Djindjic will be buried tomorrow afternoon in Belgrade. The 2pm funeral will be preceded by a noon service at Belgrade's biggest church, Saint Sava. The service will be conducted by the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle, who usually refrains from participation in political events.

The Democratic Party said it would nominate Mr Djindjic's successor on Sunday.