30 May 2013 - ICTY

49498
Bogdanović, the SFRY Minister of Interior, that he had decided to found the SDG. 3505
Regarding the circumstances of the formation, Witness JF-057, a Serb from Serbia, 3506
testified that the SDG was established on 11 October 1990 in Pokajnica, a monastery near
Belgrade, and that every year on 11 October the SDG celebrated the anniversary of the unit’s
founding. 3507 The witness testified that there were originally 10 or 15 men who took an oath
when the SDG was founded, and specified that some of the founders were Željko Ražnjatović,
a.k.a. Arkan, Nebojša Ðorđević, a.k.a. Šuca, Saša Pavlović, a.k.a. Crvko, Nenad Marković,
a.k.a. Šicko, and Dragan Petrović, a.k.a. Kajman. 3508 In an undated interview, Arkan said that
the SDG was founded on 11 October 1990, and had been arming and organizing to fight the
“Ustasha” Army. Arkan said that he went to Knin to meet authorities there and offer them
help. According to Arkan, he formed the SDG in order to gather all volunteers who wanted to
defend Serbia and save Serbs, with fighters from different parties, including Šešelj’s radicals
and members of the SPO. 3509
1760. The Trial Chamber has received evidence on the formation of the Serbian Guard,
another group separate from the SDG, which according to Milan Babić, who was the Prime
Minister of the SAO Krajina, 3510 was established by the “Serb renewal movement”. 3511 The
Trial Chamber understands that Witness JF-030, a former Serb MUP officer, 3512 referred to
the Serbian Guard when he testified that in the spring 1991, Giška Božović set up the
SDG. 3513 His evidence is inconsistent with evidence given by witnesses closely affiliated with
Arkan and the SDG, as well as with evidence on Arkan’s own narration of the formation of
the SDG. Accordingly, the Trial Chamber has not relied on Witness JF-030’s evidence in this
respect.
1761. The Trial Chamber considers that the evidence received in relation to the formation of
the SDG is largely consistent. While noting that the credibility and reliability of Witness JF-
3505 Borislav Pelević, T. 16330.
3506 P1615 (Witness JF-057, witness statement, 9 July 2002), pp. 1-2.
3507 P1616 (Witness JF-057, witness statement, 10 November 2002), p. 4; P1618 (Witness JF-057, prior
testimony), p. 19419.
3508 P1616 (Witness JF-057, witness statement, 10 November 2002), p. 4; P1618 (Witness JF-057, prior
testimony), pp. 19419-19421; Witness JF-057, T. 9405; P1620 (Charts of exhibits commented on by Witness JF-
057, 22 November 2010), p. 2.
3509 P2924 (Interview with Željko Ražnjatović, On Gazette), pp. 1-2.
3510 P1878 (Milan Babić, Slobodan Milošević transcript, 18-22, 25-26 November, and 2-4, 6, and 9 December
2002), p. 12965; P1880 (Death Certificate of Milan Babić).
3511 P1051 (TANJUG press article in which Jokić terms paramilitary groups illegal, 25 July 1991); P1054
(Response of the Serbian Republic MUP to Šešelj’s inquiry regarding paramilitary groups, 22 October 1991);
P1877 (Milan Babić, Martić transcript, 15-17, 20-21 February, and 2-3, and 6 March 2006), pp. 1574-1576.
3512 P2091 (Witness JF-030, witness statement, 21 August 2003), p. 1, paras 4, 37.
3513 P2093 (Witness JF-030, witness statement, 15 February 2008), para. 27.
Case No. IT-03-69-T 620
30 May 2013