WAS SIMPLY A BODYGUARD, AND BECAME A CRIMINAL NO 1

"Izvestia" newspaper No 216, November 10, 1994, p. 3

Nikolai PASKHIN, Informational Agency "Novosti" -- for "Izvestia"

International tribunal on ex-Yugoslavia will first examine the case of 39 years old Serbian Dushan Tadich, who is accused, as it said in official documents, of "war crimes against peaceful population, organization of arsons of Moslem houses, and of physical extermination of prisoners in "Omarska" camp."

It is known about Tadich, that before the war he was a master of a small cafe "Nippon" in Bosnian town of Kozarcha, master of karate, and an exemplary family man and father of two children. In 1992 Tadich has obtained a job in so called reserve staff of local militia. In such a position, according to information obtained by International Tribunal, he took part in massive "ethnic clearings" in Moslem villages. The post of "associated militia man" allowed Tadich to avoid military draft and to start working as a guardian at war prisoners' camp "Omarska", where he took part in beatings of prisoners and murders.

In 1994 Tadich and his family move to Germany. After several months, Munich police arrested him by suspicion of numerous misdeeds in Bosnia. He is kept now in one of investigatory prisons of Bavaria.

As it is expected, the International Tribunal will demand Germany on extradition of Tadich. The accused himself rejects his guilt completely.

In a month before the beginning of the trial Belgrade newspapers estimated future trial to be a continuation of campaign of "satanization" of Serbian people, because International Tribunal headed by outstanding RSA lawyer Richard Goldstone intends only to bring Serbinas to trial, while Moslems and Croatians must be responsible for war crimes in ex-Yugoslavia too.

Translated into English by A.Prishchenko, November 11, 1994