2008 Zagreb bombing

23 October 2008 Zagreb bombing
The parking lot in Palmotićeva Street, two days after Ivo Pukanić was assassinated. Curious citizens and a TV camera still observe the location.
Location	Downtown Zagreb, Croatia
Coordinates	45°48′48″N 15°58′57″E / 45.813457°N 15.982570°E / 45.813457; 15.982570Coordinates: 45°48′48″N 15°58′57″E / 45.813457°N 15.982570°E / 45.813457; 15.982570
Date	23 October 2008 18:10 (UTC+2)
Target	Ivo Pukanić
Weapon(s)	car bomb
Death(s)	2
Injured	2
Perpetrator(s)	Željko Milovanović Bojan Gudurić Robert Matanić Luka Matanić Amir Mafalani Slobodan Đurović

Forensic sketch of the suspect seen on the scene of the crime

A man wearing a motorcycle helmet caught on CCTV footage was later identified as Željko Milovanović.^[1]

The 23 October 2008 Zagreb bombing was an attack by a remote-detonation car bomb fitted on a motorcycle outside the Croatian Nacional newspaper's premises in the Croatian capital, Zagreb. The attack killed the owner of the newspaper, Ivo Pukanić, and Niko Franjić, its marketing manager, and injured two more people. The explosion occurred in the centre of the capital at 18:10 local time (16:10 GMT).^[2] A state of emergency^{[citation needed]} was quickly enacted, followed by numerous arrests of suspects around the country. A subsequent police investigation accused Croatian and Serbian organized crime groups of perpetrating the bombing. Eight people suspected of having connections to organised crime groups were indicted. Six were later convicted over the murders with prison terms ranging from 15 to 40 years.^[3]

Details

At 18:10 local time, Pukanić approached his Lexus LS 600h L with Niko Franjić, the Nacional director of marketing. According to first news report, a bomb placed in the trash can next to the car exploded soon after. However, an October 25 special edition of Večernji list dedicated to the bombing put the bomb on a motorcycle parked next to Lexus which then exploded before the two men had a chance to enter the car.^[4][5][6] Pukanić was instantly killed by the blast while Franjić remained alive for a few more seconds. Two graphic design students from a nearby school were injured by shrapnel.^[4][5] The incident happened on a parking lot in Palmotićeva Street, near Stara Vlaška Street and Josip Lang Square, only two street blocks east of the main Zagreb square, Ban Jelačić Square. Police immediately blocked the traffic around the site of assassination, causing immense traffic jams all over the city center. A man was seen running away from the explosion down Palmotićeva Street. He was described as being in his early thirties, wearing a baseball cap and running with no regard for traffic.^[7][8][9]

The police have reported finding security camera footage of a possible perpetrator parking the deadly motorcycle.^[6] CCTV footage of several suspicious events around the building on the day of the attack, including the footage of the explosion itself, was examined by court and publicly released in March 2010.^[2]

Reactions

In a special press conference the Prime Minister of Croatia Ivo Sanader denounced the attack and declared that he would not allow "Croatia to become Beirut," though he declined a proposal for entering a state of emergency.^[10] He further stated that, "This is no longer merely a fight against organized crime... this is something all of us in Croatia will rise up against."^[5] Mirjana Pukanić, Ivo's estranged wife with whom he was involved with in a very public scandal earlier in the year, was shocked to find out about the assassination.^[11]

The editorial board of Nacional reacted by accusing the police of Pukanić's death by failure to provide police protection. They stated that Pukanić's round-the-clock protection by two police officers was lifted on August 1 not by Pukanić's request in his right mind, but under a pressure from the police. Pukanić allegedly received two death threats after the end of the protection and promptly forwarded them to the police, but they failed to act upon them. The redaction also condemned the prosecution office for investigating false accusations against Pukanić instead of concentrating on finding his April assailant.^[12] As of now, there are only informal speculations as to the motive of the assassin.^[13]

The media have called for a special anti-mafia operation similar to the Serbian "Saber" Operation concluded after the assassination of the former Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić, which resulted in hundreds of arrests and a substantial decrease of Serbian mafia activities. However, there has been no news so far from the police department as to a possible operation.^[10] Such an action was already called for by the Zagreb's influential newspapers after the murder of Ivana Hodak, the daughter of a prominent Zagreb lawyer who was defending a controversial former army general .^[10][14]

Mesić's testimony

President of Croatia Stjepan Mesić said the attack meant "terrorism has become a fact on the streets of Zagreb."^[5] He went on to state Pukanić feared for his life before the accident. According to Mesić's words, Mirjana Pukanić called Mesić to ask Ivo Pukanić to send her some money. Mesić called Ivo and, aside from Mirjana's request, inquired about the police investigation of the April assassination attempt. Pukanić replied that the police have not made much progress since the crime itself, but he added that he was in a great fear for his life. Mesić declared that he was not aware what were the reasons and who were the authors of the threats. He recommended the police to interrogate Mirjana Pukanić, although he did not publicly state what she would be able to say. He also said he would be willing to subject to a police interrogation himself.^[15] Mirjana Pukanić was vexed by President Mesić's recommendations and the claim about begging for Ivo Pukanić's money. She stated she has lived in a women's shelter for six months without money, and that she only asked Mesić to speed up the divorce process started by her.^[16]

State of emergency

In a special news conference following the assassination, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader at first declined the possibility of introducing a state of emergency. However, the following day Sanader approved the proposal and ordered 250 additional police officers to the city. He called the killing an "assassination" as he vowed to fight mafia crime that threatens his country's attempt to join the EU. Sanader said the police authority would be widened, trials would be speeded up, and a DNA database for convicted criminals would be created. During the state of emergency, the police would also have the right to confiscate illegally obtained property.^[17][6]

The announcement of the state of emergency was quickly followed by a release of a facial composite of the man from the crime scene and a large police operation, which resulted in 9 arrests in Zagreb and 20 in Rijeka during its first day. The chief of Croatian police, Vladimir Faber, stated all figures from Croatian underground connected to Pukanić will be interrogated.^[18]

Background

2008 violence in Zagreb attributed to organized crime

April 9: Failed assassination attempt on Ivo Pukanić.^[19]
May 16: Building company director Igor Rađenović beaten.^[20]
June 3: Journalist Dušan Miljuš seriously beaten.^[21]
September 17: Businessman Josip Galinec seriously beaten.^[22]
October 6: Ivana Hodak, the daughter of an influential lawyer, is killed.^[23]

Pukanić assassination attempt in April 2008

Pukanić, an influential and controversial person in Croatian politics, was already targeted in a murder attempt on April 9, 2008 in western downtown Zagreb, near Franjo Tuđman Square. He was shot at with a silenced pistol at close range. Pukanić crouched as the perpetrator pointed his gun at him and successfully dodged the bullet, which created a hole in the window of a nearby gift shop. The perpetrator's gun subsequently jammed, enabling Pukanić to pull his legally-owned Glock 17 out of his bag. Pukanić fired a warning shot, causing the perpetrator to flee the crime scene.^[24] A facial composite of the perpetrator, who was unmasked and wore a dark knitted cap, was publicly released five days after the attack.^[25]

The police suspected the attempt to be a warning to Pukanić, intended to discourage him from certain activities. Police protection was assigned to Pukanić immediately following the event. However, it was lifted on August 1, 2008, just over two and a half months before the October 23 bombing, as there were no further threats in the months following the assassination attempt.^[26]

2008 Zagreb crime wave

The bombing was quickly associated by the media with the increased occurrence of crime in Zagreb in 2008.^[27] The crime wave gained its role in media with the Ribnjak Park killing of an 18-year-old Bad Blue Boys football fan in March, followed by a retaliation by other BBB members.^[28][29] A mob beating with deadly consequences at a bus stop in the high-traffic Većeslav Holjevac Avenue ensued.^[30]

The latest in the stream of crime events was the murder of Ivana Hodak, the daughter of Zvonimir Hodak, the lawyer who defended alleged war profiteer general Vladimir Zagorec. The murder caused the Prime Minister Ivo Sanader to fire Marijan Benko, chief of Zagreb Police Department, Berislav Rončević, Minister of Internal Affairs and Ana Lovrin, Minister of Justice. Rončević was replaced by Tomislav Karamarko and Lovrin by Ivan Šimonović.^[27][31] However, this case was in February 2009 attributed by the police to a homeless unemployed man blaming Zvonimir Hodak for his problems in life.^[32]

Police investigation

The police released information that the possible assassin is Sretko Kalinić, a wanted executioner of the recently dissolved Zemun clan of Serbian mafia,^[33] who was in January 2008 sentenced in absentia to 40 years of prison in Serbia for eight assassinations and involvement in numerous other criminal activities including two abductions.^[34] His current whereabouts remain unknown, aside from having been spotted in Croatia the week before the bombing.^[33] There are reports that he was recently involved in other murders in Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[35] The police have also talked to Mirjana Pukanić,^[36] while Nacional editorial board refuted a claim that they plan to accuse her for the assassination.^[37] On October 27, Croatian police arrested many former police officers and members of the army in a countrywide action, who are suspected to be capable of producing such professional explosive device that was used in the bombing.^[38] On October 29, Croatian police arrested 10 people in direct connection to the murder whom the police official Krunoslav Borovec described as "dangerous members of a criminal milieu."^[39]

Serbian mafia

On October 30 police arrested five suspects aligned with the Serbian mobster Sreten "Joca Amsterdam" Jocić for Pukanić's assassination. The suspects were Robert and Luka Matanić, Amir Mafalani, Slobodan "Boban" Đurović and Milenko "Mića" Kuzmanović. Mafalani was arrested in his apartment and the other four were arrested on the Bajakovo border crossing, trying to escape Croatia.^[40][41][42]

The day before the All Saints Day police filed all points bulletins and subsequently arrested two known Serbian mobsters and criminals, Bojan "Bajone" Gudurić and Željko "Letač" Milovanović. Milovanović is known in Serbia for robbing a post office in Beočin (near Novi Sad, Serbia) in 2005. After the robbery he escaped the police, but he was shot in genitalia. He was subsequently tracked and arrested in front of a Tuzla hospital. However, Milovanović made another spectacular escape a few days later, while being transported to a medical examination. Bojan Gudurić is known for having committed over 15 armed robberies all over Vojvodina while leading an organized crime group. His most publicized robbery was the robbery of the Ekspres Gas company in Novi Sad, where he and several of his masked accomplices forcibly took money from the company safe by threatening workers and staff by pistols.^[43]

Croatian organized crime

Days after the arrest and after a scandal involving Luka Pilipović, the attorney representing Matanić cousings and Mafalani, Robert Matanić offered a testimony to uncover the contractors of the assassination. He testified that Milovanović and Gudurić organized the assassination and that he, his cousin and Mafalani assisted them in preparations for the assassination. Mafalani allegedly obtained an apartment at the intersection of Petrinjska Street and Jurišićeva Street, a high-traffic location in the vicinity of the crime scene. Robert was assisted by Velimir "Žvaki" Žaka in obtaining several stolen cars and the bomb-fitted motorcycle for Gudurić and Milovanović. Gudurić, a known criminal monitored by the Balkans police forces, used a false name to rent the Jurišićeva Street apartment.^[41]

Matanić stated he was at first unaware of the actual target and that he realized that Pukanić was the victim only a few days after Milovanović mentioned the target to him using Pukanić's nickname "Puki." He also declared he was not present during the assassination, claiming a BMW 7 Series presentation in a car dealership in Folnegovićevo naselje as his alibi. Matanić also arranged the escape of Milovanović and Gudurić to Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, only Milovanović's escape was successful, as Gudurić took off a day later and was subsequently caught by the police.^[41] A media scandal arose from Milovanović's escape, as Bosnian police accused Croatian media of a premature release of information, thus allegedly tipping of the perpetrators.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ http://www.nacional.hr/clanak/59268/video-u-beogradu-uhicen-pukanicev-ubojica-zeljko-milovanovic
2. ^ ^{a b} "Na sudu pregledali snimke atentata na Ivu Pukanića" (in Croatian). 24 sata. 2010-03-24. http://www.24sata.hr/news/na-sudu-pregledali-snimke-atentata-na-ivu-pukanica-/165399/. Retrieved 2010-05-02. 
3. ^ "Six men convicted over murder of Ivo Pukanic in Croatia". BBC News. 3 November 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11682415. Retrieved 11 June 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Ubijeni Pukanić i Franjić; izvanredno stanje?" (in Croatian). Dnevnik.hr. 2008-10-23. http://dnevnik.hr/vijesti/crna-kronika/eksplodirala-bomba-u-dvoristu-nacionala-poginule-dvije-osobe.html. Retrieved 2008-10-24. 
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6. ^ ^{a b c} Jakelić, Ivana (2008-10-25). "Atentat obavljen - motociklom" (in Croatian). Večernji list. http://www.vecernji.hr/newsroom/news/croatia/3188586/index.do. Retrieved 2008-10-26. ^{[dead link]}
7. ^ "Eksplodirao auto bomba pored Nacionala, ubijen Ivo Pukanić?!" (in Croatian). Ezadar.hr. 2008-10-23. http://www.ezadar.hr/clanak/eksplodirao-auto-bomba-pored-nacionala-ubijen-ivo-pukanic. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
8. ^ "Ubijen Ivo Pukanić" (in Croatian). Poslovni dnevnik. 2008-10-23. http://www.poslovni.hr/96427.aspx. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
9. ^ "Ivo Pukanic, Niko Franjic Killed, Two Injured". Javno.hr. 2008-10-23. http://www.javno.com/en/croatia/clanak.php?id=195619. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
10. ^ ^{a b c} Special report on Nova TV (October 23, 2008)
11. ^ "Mirjana Pukanic: Ivo Killed? I Cannot Believe It". Javno.hr. 2008-10-23. http://www.javno.com/en/croatia/clanak.php?id=195652. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
12. ^ "Policija kriva za smrt Ive Pukanića" (in Bosnian). Dnevni Avaz. 2008-10-24. http://www.dnevniavaz.ba/dogadjaji/globus/policija-kriva-za-smrt-ive-pukanica. Retrieved 2008-10-26. 
13. ^ Škaričić, Nataša; Šantek, Andreja; Lučin Epeha, Ana (2008-10-23). "UBIJEN IVO PUKANIĆ Policija: Niti jedan motiv ne može se isključiti" (in Croatian). Slobodna Dalmacija. http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/Crna-kronika/tabid/70/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/27254/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2008-10-24. 
14. ^ Jandrijević Tomas, Saša (2008-10-11). "Načelnik Mile Novaković: Srpska 'Sablja' sasjekla bi hrvatsku mafiju" (in Croatian). Slobodna Dalmacija. http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/Hrvatska/tabid/66/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/25742/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
15. ^ Rešković, Veronika (2008-10-26). "I Mirjana bi mogla dovesti do ubojice" (in Croatian). Jutarnji list. 
16. ^ Nezirović, Vanja (2008-10-26). "Mirjana Pukanić: Pitam Mesića, a tko ste vi predsjedniče?" (in Croatian). Jutarnji list. http://jutarnji.hr/vijesti/clanak/art-2008,10,26,,138634.jl. Retrieved 2008-10-28. 
17. ^ "Croatia imposes anti-crime measures". Al Jazeera. 2008-10-24. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2008/10/20081024182735497447.html. Retrieved 2008-10-26. 
18. ^ "U Rijeci nova uhićenja zbog Pukanićevog ubojstva" (in Croatian). Vijesti.net. 2008-10-27. http://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/vise-privedenih-zbog-ubojstva-ive-pukanica/407399.aspx. Retrieved 2008-10-30. 
19. ^ "Neuspjeli atentat na Ivu Pukanića" (in Croatian). Nacional. 2008-04-10. http://www.nacional.hr/articles/view/44414/. Retrieved 2008-10-24. 
20. ^ "Suzavcem pošpricali pa palicom pretukli direktora Zagrebačkih cesta" (in Croatian). Dnevnik.hr. 2008-05-16. http://dnevnik.hr/vijesti/crna-kronika/pretucen-igor-radzenovic-direktor-zagrebackih-cesta.html. Retrieved 2008-10-24. 
21. ^ "Pretučen novinar Dušan Miljuš" (in Croatian). Dnevnik.hr. 2008-06-03. http://dnevnik.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/pretucen-novinar-dusan-miljus.html. Retrieved 2008-10-24. 
22. ^ Škalić, Marina; Drljača, Gojko; Mlinarević, Snježana (2008-09-18). "Josip Galinec vratit će se na posao već idući tjedan" (in Croatian). Večernji list. http://www.vecernji.hr/newsroom/blackchronicle/3168518/index.do. Retrieved 2008-10-24. ^{[dead link]}
23. ^ "Croatia 'mafia hit' spurs sacking". BBC News. 6 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7656000.stm. Retrieved 11 June 2011. 
24. ^ A YouTube video of Pukanić describing the assassination attempt in April 2008 (in Croatian).
25. ^ "Policija objavila fotorobot napadača na Pukanića" (in Croatian). Index.hr. 2008-04-14. http://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/policija-objavila-fotorobot-napadaca-na-pukanica/382656.aspx. Retrieved 2010-05-02. 
26. ^ "Ubijeni Pukanić i Franjić" (in Croatian). Croatian Radio Television. 2008-10-23. http://www.hrt.hr/index.php?id=48&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=18603&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=38&cHash=6d8138b114. Retrieved 2008-10-26. ^{[dead link]}
27. ^ ^{a b} "Croatia vows action against crime wave". Reuters. ekathimerini. 2008-10-07. http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_world_0_07/10/2008_101064. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
28. ^ "Ribnjak Park the Scene of the Killing of a Youth Three Weeks ago To Get Round-the-Clock Wardens". Croatiapress. 2008-04-08. http://www.croatiapress.com/20080408-430.php. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
29. ^ "Zagreb's Mayor Protects Fans, Punks Panic". Javno.hr. 2008-03-21. http://www.javno.com/en/croatia/clanak.php?id=133791. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
30. ^ "Suspect Confess to Attacking Luka Ritz". Javno.hr. 2008-10-22. http://www.javno.com/en/croatia/clanak.php?id=195011. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
31. ^ "Novi ministri Šimonović i Karamarko položili prisegu" (in Croatian). Vijesti.net. 2008-10-10. http://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/novi-ministri-simonovic-i-karamarko-polozili-prisegu/405344.aspx. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
32. ^ "Mafia Kills, But So Do Desperate, Jobless People". Javno.hr. 2009-02-06. http://www.javno.com/en/croatia/clanak.php?id=231809. Retrieved 2009-02-23. 
33. ^ ^{a b} "It Is Easy To Cast Doubt On Serbia, Montenegro". Javno.hr. 2008-10-25. http://www.javno.com/en/croatia/clanak.php?id=196179. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 
34. ^ Čarnić, Dorotea (2008-08-13). "Ubica iz "audija smrti"" (in Serbian). Politika. http://www.politika.rs/rubrike/Hronika/Ubica-iz-audija-smrti.lt.html. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 
35. ^ Stojaković, D. (2008-08-14). ""Zemunci" izrešetali ugostitelja" (in Serbian). Novosti. http://www.novosti.rs/code/navigate.php?Id=9&status=jedna&vest=126493&datum=2008-08-15. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 
36. ^ "No leads in Croat journalist murder". B92. 2008-10-27. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=10&dd=27&nav_id=54518. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 
37. ^ "It Is Nonsense That Nacional Will Accuse Mirjana P". Javno.hr. 2008-10-25. http://www.javno.com/en/croatia/clanak.php?id=196262. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 
38. ^ "U Rijeci nova uhićenja zbog Pukanićevog ubojstva" (in Croatian). Vijesti.net. 2008-10-27. http://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/u-rijeci-nova-uhicenja-zbog-pukanicevog-ubojstva/407399.aspx. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 
39. ^ "Croatian police arrest 10 in journalist's murder". The Associated Press. International Herald Tribune. 2008-10-30. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/30/europe/EU-Croatia-Journalist-Killed.php. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 
40. ^ "Matanics, Mafalani Sole Suspects Of Pukanic Murder". Javno.hr. 2008-10-30. http://www.javno.com/en/croatia/clanak.php?id=197948. Retrieved 2008-11-02. 
41. ^ ^{a b c} Petrušić, Željko (2008-11-06). "Matanić u iskazu: Likvidacija naručena iz Zagreba" (in Croatian). Jutarnji list. http://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/clanak/art-2008,11,6,,139911.jl. Retrieved 2008-11-06. 
42. ^ "Two Keep Silent, Robert Matanic Gives Statement". Javno.hr. 2008-10-31. http://www.javno.com/en/croatia/clanak.php?id=198730. Retrieved 2008-11-02. 
43. ^ "Pukanic's Assassin Former Legion Member". Javno.hr. 2008-10-31. http://www.javno.com/home/en/croatia/clanak.php?id=198723. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 

External links

• Live footage of the bombing aftermath