Interpol’s Warrant for Radoicic Requested by UNMIK on Kosovo’s Behalf

Milan Radoicic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC/DS)

The international arrest warrant for the former vice-president of the Serb List, Milan Radoicic, was issued by Interpol because of the clash in Banjska in Kosovo in September.

Nenad Rasic, a minister in the Kosovo government, told this to Radio Free Europe (RFE), adding that the warrant – since Kosovo is not a member of Interpol – was issued via UNMIK, the U.N. transitional administration in Kosovo, on the request of the interior ministry of Kosovo.

Radoicic has assumed responsibility for the Sept. 24 attack in Banjska, in which one Kosovo police officer was killed and one wounded, after which three Serb attackers, members of Radoicic’s armed group, died in the exchange of fire with the police. After taking the responsibility, Radoicic resigned to the post of vice-president of the Serb List, the biggest political party of the Serbs in Kosovo, which is supported by Belgrade. He stated via his lawyer that he had organized the attack and all logistics and that he informed no one about it.

The Kosovo authorities claim that the Serbian state was behind the attack in Banjska, which official Belgrade is denying. Radoicic was arrested by the Serbian police in Belgrade on Oct. 3 on charges of “conspiring criminal acts, illegal production, holding, carrying and trafficking of firearms and explosive materials and grave acts against public safety.” He was released a day later, with a ban on leaving Serbia or going to Kosovo. The Kosovo police discovered a large arsenal of weapons after the attack.