Ibar Highway assassination attempt
| Ibar Highway assassination attempt | |
|---|---|
| Location | near the village of Petka, near Lazarevac, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia |
| Date | 3 October 1999 12:15 PM (Central European Time) |
| Target | Vuk Drašković |
| Deaths | 4 |
| Perpetrators | Special Operations Unit (JSO) |
The Ibar highway assassination attempt refers to the events that occurred on the Ibar Highway in Serbia, a federal unit of FR Yugoslavia on 3 October 1999, when active members of the Yugoslav state security's Special Operations Unit (JSO) attempted to murder politician Vuk Drašković on the Ibar Highway by slamming a truck full of sand into his two-car motorcade. Their intention was to make it appear as though it were a traffic accident.
Instead of killing Drašković, who managed to survive the crash, they ended up killing four of his associates: high-ranking Serbian Renewal Movement member Veselin Bošković (who was also Drašković's brother-in-law), along with three bodyguards (Zvonko Osmajlić, Vučko Rakočević, and Dragan Vušurović).
On Sunday, 3 October 1999, in the early afternoon hours, Vuk Drašković and his entourage were traveling in three cars southbound on the Ibar Highway. The trip began in front of Drašković's house in Belgrade and the destination was Ravna Gora.
The original plan was to travel in two cars with Drašković, his wife Danica, SPO federal MP Gordana Aničić, and Drašković's personal driver Bane in the jeep followed by the three bodyguards in the black BMW 520 right behind. However, immediately before setting off, Veselin Bošković, Drašković's brother-in-law, showed up in his Audi 8 in front of the house and joined the group. He also requested that Vuk Drašković come over to his car, so they can ride together, which Drašković did.
Thus, the modified driving arrangement was: a jeep with Danica, Gordana, and driver Bane first, followed by the Audi with Bošković and Drašković inside it, and finally the three bodyguards Osmajlić, Rakočević, and Vušurović in the BMW just behind. Bošković was driving cautiously, and quickly gave up trying to keep up with the jeep driven by Bane that pulled way ahead and out of sight. The bodyguards in the BMW were right behind Bošković and Drašković, throughout.
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Wikipedia