Veselin Vukotic
Encyclopedia
Veselin "Vesko" Vukotić is a Montenegrin criminal and hitman
. He's been arrested in February 2006 and released from jail in August 2009. Currently is living free in Novi Sad
.
Vukotić is best known as one of the killers of human rights activist, accused by Yugoslav state security service as CIA and KGB agent Enver Hadri
. On February 25, 1990, Hadri was shot by Vukotić, Andrija Lakonić, and Darko Ašanin (all employed and contracted by Yugoslav state security service UDBA
at the time) in the Belgian
capital Brussels
. It is thought that the assassination was ordered by the Yugoslav
secret service.
Later that year Vukotić killed Lakonić at Nana nightclub in Belgrade's neighbourhood of Senjak
in the presence of Ašanin and Serbian police inspector Miroslav Bižić. The very next day after the murder, Vukotić escaped to the United States
with help from inspector Bižić. Both Ašanin and Bižić were later murdered.
Despite arrest warrants, Vukotić continued traveling, spending most of his time in Montenegro
. On November 16, 1997, during a shooting at the Flash nightclub in Prčanj
near Kotor
, Montenegro
, he murdered sailor Duško Bošković and wounded Vladimir Pavićević.
Vukotić was arrested in late February 2006 by Spanish police at the Barajas Airport in Madrid after landing there on a flight from Paris
. At the time he traveled with a forged Croatian passport and driver's license issued to the name Ludvig Bulić. It is thought that the arrest was made as a result of the tip by Montenegrian police to their French counterparts who in turn extended the information to Spain. The basis for Vukotić's arrest was a 16-year-old arrest warrant issued by the Belgian police for Hadri's murder as well as the arrest warrant for Bošković's murder. There was talk that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) showed interest in having Vukotić as a witness at the trial of Slobodan Milošević
since several witnesses mentioned Vukotić's name in their testimonies, but nothing ever came of it.
Spanish authorities extradited Vukotić to Belgium where he spent more than two years in prison in Saint-Gilles
. On December 18, 2008 Belgian authorities extradited him to Serbia under heavy security., because he have Serbian citizenship. He was kept in district jail (Okružni zatvor) in Novi Sad for less than a year. In August 2009, he suffered a myocardial heart attack and later was released on freedom for medical treatment.
Vukotić was arrested again on December 31, 2010 by local Serbian police, but was released to freedom few hours latter, on evening same day.
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
. He's been arrested in February 2006 and released from jail in August 2009. Currently is living free in Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
.
Vukotić is best known as one of the killers of human rights activist, accused by Yugoslav state security service as CIA and KGB agent Enver Hadri
Enver Hadri
Enver Hadri was an Kosovo Albanian human rights activist. According to an Albanian blog AACL, he was assassinated by three Serbs while he stopped at a traffic light in Brussels, allegedly working for State Security Administration. This happened in the commune of Saint-Gilles, at the crossroads...
. On February 25, 1990, Hadri was shot by Vukotić, Andrija Lakonić, and Darko Ašanin (all employed and contracted by Yugoslav state security service UDBA
UDBA
The Department of State Security was the secret police organization of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.Although it operated with more restraint than other secret...
at the time) in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
capital Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. It is thought that the assassination was ordered by the Yugoslav
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
secret service.
Later that year Vukotić killed Lakonić at Nana nightclub in Belgrade's neighbourhood of Senjak
Senjak
Senjak is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia. Located in Savski Venac, one of the three municipalities that constitute the very center of the city, it is an affluent and distinguished neighborhood lavished with embassies, diplomatic residences, and mansions...
in the presence of Ašanin and Serbian police inspector Miroslav Bižić. The very next day after the murder, Vukotić escaped to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with help from inspector Bižić. Both Ašanin and Bižić were later murdered.
Despite arrest warrants, Vukotić continued traveling, spending most of his time in Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. On November 16, 1997, during a shooting at the Flash nightclub in Prčanj
Prčanj
Prčanj is a small town in Bay of Kotor, Montenegro. According to the 2003 census, the town has a population of 1244 people.It is located 3 miles west of Kotor, opposite Dobrota and between the settlements of Muo and Stoliv. All its history has been written at sea...
near Kotor
Kotor
Kotor is a coastal city in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative center of the municipality....
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, he murdered sailor Duško Bošković and wounded Vladimir Pavićević.
Vukotić was arrested in late February 2006 by Spanish police at the Barajas Airport in Madrid after landing there on a flight from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. At the time he traveled with a forged Croatian passport and driver's license issued to the name Ludvig Bulić. It is thought that the arrest was made as a result of the tip by Montenegrian police to their French counterparts who in turn extended the information to Spain. The basis for Vukotić's arrest was a 16-year-old arrest warrant issued by the Belgian police for Hadri's murder as well as the arrest warrant for Bošković's murder. There was talk that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a...
(ICTY) showed interest in having Vukotić as a witness at the trial of Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
since several witnesses mentioned Vukotić's name in their testimonies, but nothing ever came of it.
Spanish authorities extradited Vukotić to Belgium where he spent more than two years in prison in Saint-Gilles
Saint-Gilles, Belgium
Saint-Gilles or Sint-Gillis is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.Saint-Gilles has a multicultural identity stemming from its diverse population...
. On December 18, 2008 Belgian authorities extradited him to Serbia under heavy security., because he have Serbian citizenship. He was kept in district jail (Okružni zatvor) in Novi Sad for less than a year. In August 2009, he suffered a myocardial heart attack and later was released on freedom for medical treatment.
Vukotić was arrested again on December 31, 2010 by local Serbian police, but was released to freedom few hours latter, on evening same day.