Dinko Sakic's Portfolio
From the Press
Srpska Mreza

Last Saturday the Argentinean President, Carlos Menem, requested the Argentinean police find and arrest Dinko Sakic, the former commander of the WWII Jasenovac Concentration Camp. "I commanded they find, arrest and bring him to justice," Menem stated on Argentinean State Radio, adding he would not oppose Sakic's extradition.

According to Monday's Belgrade newspaper, 'Politika Ekspres', the State Prosecutor for FR Yugoslavia, Vukasin Jovanovic, sent charges to the Argentinean Government that Sakic, as it was stated, murdered numerous prisoners in the Jasenovac Camp. The paper also reported that information about the charges was released by the Manager of the Victims of Genocide Museum, Milan Bulajic. The charges were sent to the Argentinean Government based on the recommendation of the Museum. Bulajic confirmed to the daily that he has documents pertaining to Dinko Sakic's activities during the period when he was the commander of the camp. 'Politika Ekspres' claims the State Attorney has already heard the testimony of numerous witnesses of Sakic's crimes.

The leading Argentinean paper reported on Monday about Croatia's intent to request Sakic's extradition, dismissing the possibility he left the country. The Argentinean public was informed about the initiation of extradition procedures by the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Buenos Aires, carried in the media of that country. The newspapers 'La Nacion' and 'Clarin' warned the whereabouts of Sakic have been unknown for the last few days. The former commander of Jasenovac disappeared from his Santa Teresa home after the Argentinean television station 'Cannal 13' reported on Monday the Argentinean President ordered his arrest.

According to 'Clarin', Sakic and his family - wife Esperanza Luburic and son Tomas (49) - have disappeared and their sports store in the heart of that town, managed by his son, has been closed since Wednesday. It seems that Sakic is not likely to return to the Costa Municipality as it has declared him 'undesirable'.

'La Nacion' and 'Clarin' write that Sakic still has freedom of movement, despite the President's order to 'find, arrest and bring him to justice until Croatia actually requests his extradition.' The legal procedure initiated by Federal Judge Jorge Ballestro, is - for now - only to establish whether or not it is really Dinko Sakic and if there are any international warrants issued for his arrest. In other words, the Argentinean authorities have still not issued an arrest warrant for Sakic, based on which the 'Clarion' concludes he could leave Argentina without any problems.

The 'Clarin' did an article on Sakic's past. It writes he came to Argentina in 1947 on the 'Tucuman' ship. He allegedly had a visa issued by the Argentinean Consulate in Genoa, Italy. 'La Nacion' writes he lived in Paraguay until 1977, when the Paraguayan army issued a warrant for his arrest and deportation on charges of various criminal offences. The Paraguayan authorities charged him with, among other things, fraud against Croats living in that country, falsifying signatures, passports and other documents, for dealing machine guns with silencers and using false aliases. The warrant for Sakic's arrest includes complaints of members made by the Croatian community in Paraguay.

The 'Clarion' also quotes the statement made by the Uruguayan parliamentarian, Juan Carlos Raff, to ANSA, that Sakic participated in an assassination plot against the Yugoslav Ambassador in Asuncion. The Uruguayan Ambassador, Carlos Abdala was killed by "mistake". According to Raff, the assassination was organised and funded by Sakic.

In connection to the Croatian Government request for Sakic's extradition to the Republic of Croatia, 'Vjesnik' contacted the Croatian Embassy in Argentina where they were told that the 'process has begun' and 'further information can be expected in the coming days'. When asked about the current whereabouts of Sakic, the Embassy Secretary told 'Vjesnik' that any further information will be passed on by the appropriate authorities in the Republic of Croatia.