VIEWPOINT FROM LONDON

THE CURIOUS CASE OF VINKO SINDICIC

by Brian Gallagher

The Croatian Herald, Australia No. 996 - 23.12.03

One of the most curious events in Croatia this year concerned ex-Yugoslav Secret Service - UDBA - Agent Vinko Sindicic. In 1988 he attempted to murder a Croat dissident, Nikola Stedul, in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. The attempt failed, and as the British take a dim view of such things, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Some Britons may be as interested as the Croatian public in how this violent criminal came to possess over $5 million. His attempt this year to buy a hotel on the island of Vis caused scandal in Croatia.

Nikola Stedul was a Croatian dissident who lived in Scotland with his wife. Stedul had spoken out against Yugoslav communism. This made him a target for UDBA. Over many years UDBA had murdered dissidents all over Europe - primarily Croats. This moved no less a figure than Colonel Gadaffi to complain that Yugoslav dictator Tito was allowed to do this, but not he. As will be seen, such practices were not abandoned after Tito's death.

Sindicic entered Britain with a Swiss passport, apparently appropriated from a Swiss businessman who died whilst in Zagreb. The passport was used by Sindicic to hire a car which he drove to Kirkcaldy. In the car, Sindicic waited for Stedul with a gun and silencer provided by Yugoslav diplomats in Scotland. Stedul, walking his dog that morning was shot at four times by Sindicic. Bullets hit him in the mouth, elbow and hip. Fortunately the fourth bullet missed. Sindicic would have finished the job, but he was too afraid of Stedul's dog. Sindicic made his escape.

He may have got away with it, had it not been for a local who was suspicious of the parked car - and took down the license plate numbers. The police were swiftly able to detain the 'Swiss businessman' at London's Heathrow airport. Yugoslav diplomats put up an alibi for Sindicic, claiming that he had attended a Yugoslavia v Scotland Football match. This attempt failed, as forensic evidence showed residue from firearms discharge in his skin. The High Court in Dunfermline - under a major security screen - sentenced him to 15 years for attempted murder after an 11 day trial.

The case received press attention in the UK. The Daily Mirror ran the memorable headline "Pet dog foils Red hitman's gun bid."

The entire incident demonstrated the bankruptcy of the Yugoslav system. Some still persist in portraying Yugoslavia as a harmonious multi-ethnic state. In reality it was a Serb dominated communist dictatorship which murdered and imprisoned its opponents. Tito's assassins once murdered an entire family in Italy: including two shots into the head of a nine year old girl. It got away with it due to cold war politics of not wanting to push Yugoslavia into the Soviet embrace.

Contrary to myth, Yugoslavia was highly repressive, as Amnesty International reports of the time make clear. It was a human rights disaster area. Further, despite being propped up by foreign funds, Yugoslavia was economically in trouble. As Amnesty noted, unemployment in Yugoslavia since the 1960's caused many of its citizens to seek work abroad, especially in Western Europe. If Yugoslavia was so great, why did it suffer such unemployment? Why did it have to murder and imprison its critics? Those who admire the ex-Yugoslav state should give thought to such questions.

Sindicic was linked to many other murders. In 1998, he was extradited to Croatia in connection with these. In March 2000, charges against Sindicic in relation to the murder of Croatian dissident Bruno Busic in Paris, were thrown out for lack of evidence. This decision caused much protest. Sindicic swore revenge on those he claimed had tried to "frame" him.

And there the story may have ended. But, Sindicic reappeared this year, in a scandal relating to the purchase of a hotel on the island of Vis. Sindicic appears to have done well for himself since his imprisonment. According to press reports, he owns a luxury house in Rijeka, with hair salons and dry cleaners on the ground floor.

He has $5.5 million dollars which he transferred from Spain to Croatia. This attracted the interest of the Spanish authorities, who were curious about this movement of funds.

Sindicic was keen to buy a Vis hotel from its owners, Brodsko Posavska Banka. This deal fell apart. He apparently failed to pay up on time, and many accusations were made against him, including intimidation and attempted bribery. It was also alleged he involved the Belgrade mafia and Serbian diplomacy to help him. Indeed, Sindicic has admitted visiting Serbia. The story also involves the presidential guard and apparent claims by Sindicic of his power in the security services. The police were called in.

Sindicic was treated almost like a celebrity, with many interviews with him in the Croatian media. He made many arrogant statements. He said that he was a "man of the world" and works to the "rules of the world". He advised one of his critics to "cower in the deepest corner of parliament", as well as to "take care of his wife's debts in Pula".

Asked why he is interested in buying the hotel on Vis, he thought it would be kind of cool. Vis, he claimed could stand for "Vinko ima Sve"; meaning Vinko - his first name - has everything. The man is giving a one-fingered salute to all of Croatia. Clearly, he considers himself to be in a strong enough position to do so.

How is it that such an odious individual as Sindicic has done so well? Where does he get such money from? Who would lend a man convicted of a violent offence in the UK such money? Who is behind him? Is anyone protecting him? Does he still have friends in the security services? Quite disturbing questions, with no doubt quite disturbing answers - if the Croatian authorities are prepared to find them.

© Brian Gallagher

My 'Viewpoint from London' column appears fortnightly in the Australian 'Croatian Herald' and thereafter at www.croatiafocus.com