Secrets Of The Serbian Assassins

Serbia's slain Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic was never terribly popular. But he was the closest thing his country had to a reformer in its political ranks. He had plans for fixing the economy. And he had plans for cleaning up the security forces that were tainted by their role during the bloody rule of strongman Slobodan Milosevic.

Turns out the Prime Minister's killers had grand plans of their own. These plans, as described to TIME by police officials wrapping up their investigation into the plot, only began with the March 12 assassination. After the hit, the conspirators decided they would lie low while the government teetered. Then they would strike again first at a Foreign Minister, then at two Djindjic aides. As panic spread, a special unit of the state security forces known as the Red Berets some of whose commanders carried out the assassination would step forward as guardian of the peace. The government would be forced to step down, and allies of Milosevic's bloody regime would volunteer to fill the vacuum. Serbia would return to nationalist rule.

Happily, exactly the opposite happened: the assassination resulted in a massive crackdown against criminal elements of the old regime still operating in Serbia's security forces. Code-named Operation Sabre, the investigation into Djindjic's murder has produced truck loads of evidence for the special prosecutor's office. The conspirators, police say, were led by two men: Milorad (Legija) Lukovic, still at large, and Dusan Spasojevic, who was killed resisting arrest. Both men served with the Red Berets, which has been linked to war crimes and now to dozens of political murders under the Milosevic regime. So far, 45 conspirators have been charged in the assassination. The sweep has turned up new evidence against Milosevic and his wife Mira, and shed light on dozens of unsolved murders. A special courtroom is being built in downtown Belgrade, with secret booths and bulletproof glass, for a trial set to start in July. Military reforms, long delayed, are gathering pace too. Defense Minister Boris Tadic last week ordered members of the armed forces to reveal whatever they know of the whereabouts of suspected war criminals. At least one war-crimes suspect is expected to turn himself in this week, Tadic tells TIME. "This was Djindjic's vision," Tadic says. "Sadly, it took his death to put it into effect."