Preissue of citizens

Dear Sir,

I applied to this Council at the middle of March of this year with appeal to start a research on quotations from newspapers that I was in the group of six Croatian journalists who were under secret supervision of POA (Counter-intelligenceagency), and its director at that time, Franjo Turek, showed us, in his presentation in President' s office and in front of some members of Government, as collaborators of foreign secret service, and that we were spreading wrong informations about residence of deserted Haag's refugee, retired general of Croatian army, Ante Gotovina, in Croatia.

As you informed me, the Council didn' t find anything illegal in act of POA, which said that I wasn' t eavesdropped. The Parliament' s commitee for internal politics and national security also found that there wasn' t any illegal measures from POA, in case, on which, besides me, complained my colleagues journalists Ivica Djikic, Boris Pavelic and Gordan Malic.

The appearance of Zeljko Bagic, who recently was the adviser for national security of President Stjepan Mesic,on national television in show «Nedjeljom u 2» («On Sunday at 2»), on 5th of December this year, urge me to present to the Council one more issue, with appeal to start research of behaviour of POA, respectively the rolle of Zeljko Bagic and recent director of POA, Franjo Turek, in violation of my human and professional rights.

One part of conversation between colleague Aleksandar Stankovic and Zeljko Bagic, which I emphasize, was transcribed from video tape, went like this:

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Considering that last few months my name was mentioned several times among other six journalists in medias, about whose collaboration activity Turek held a presentation in the headquarters of the state (in the same context, the colleagues Ivan Zvonimir Cicak, Davor Butkovic, Boris Pavelic, Ivica Djikic and Gordan Malic were mentioned), it is doubtless, that about me and mentioned colleagues Stankovic and Bagic have talked.

Bagic introduce himself in the talk-show (emission) also as a former coordinator of secret services, that means, sub-president of the Council for coordination of secret services. From the quoted appearance in «Nedjeljom u 2», and also in interview for «Nacional», in August this year, we can presume that Zeljko Bagic is, or personaly at Turek' s presentation, or he was directly involved in its organization, maybe even making the conclusions which were presented to the head lines of the state, which means that he can be trusted as an authentic witness.

By the things he said, it comes out that Franjo Turek presented evidences by which the agent of one foreign intelligence service, by his subversive act in Croatia, «pushed through the story to the six journalists», and which the journalists were spreading through Croatian medias in over 600 texts, about possible movements of Ante Gotovina.

Ante Gotovina, Mirko Norac and Ivan Andabak

In other words, the mentioned Croatian journalists were giving wrong informations to the people of Croatia, in account of foreign intelligence service. Or, that mentioned journalists acted as a collaborators of foreign intelligence service.

As it is the matter of really hard accusations, because of which, even since March this year, since the scandal with the presentation has come to surface, have been violated my human and professional rights, no matter how the POA and Bagic came to the conclusion that I have worked for foreign intelligence agency, I' m asking from Council and other state institutions to research the whole subject.

I declare, that I didn' t collaborate with foreign secret services, or domestic undreground, giving wrong informations to Croatian public and Haag' s court about residence of Ante Gotovina.

About his movements I wrote only on basis of informations I could get, and I believed it were reliable, with the intention of informing the public.

I must emphesize several more facts which are reliable, because of which I' m convinced that Zeljko Bagic is co-author of those accusations on my account and other five colleagues.

After Croatian political talk-show, «Otvoreno», which was broadcasted in late evening hours, on Thursday, 25th of November, in which I was the guest, together with former President' s adviser for national security, in HTV studios on Prisavlje, Zeljko Bagic. He asked me several times in front of witnesses: Davor Gjenero, political analysist and doctor of science Vlatko Cvrtila, the president of this Council, how much money did I get from foreign countries, for my writting about Gotovina. «How much did they pay you to write like that», he said. In presence of Mr Gjenero and Cvrtila, Bagić accused me that I collaborated with Dragutin Franciskovic, who hated foreigners.

I remind that retired officer of Croatian army, Dragutin Franciskovic, was several times, in certain medias, nominated as s chief of domestic intelligence underground, which was spreading wrong informations about Gotovina, and one his photography was appeared in papers, for which he said that it could only be photographed by POA.

In interview for «Vjesnik», Mr Franciskovic, on accusations that he was the chief of mentioned underground, he disapproved and accused Zeljko Bagic and Franjo Turek that they created it and gave to the public. When the accusations about Franciskovic' s treacherous rolle appeared in public, concerned for his physical saftey, director of police force at that time, Ranko Ostojic , offered to that retired officer of Croatian army, police protection.

I must remind that some medias, writting about people who give wrong informations to Carla Del Ponte, mentioned even money, as a motive for act of betray.From this, I draw a conclusion that even at the  head of the state, on mentioned presentation, was said that I was, not only spreading wrong informations that Haag' s deserter Ante Gotovina was in Croatia, but that the foreigners gave me money for that, so I've done it for one foreign intelligence agency.

That some parts of the presentation, which I suppose, was state secret, appeared in public before, will testify some texts in weekly magazine «Nacional». Some of it were signed by the owner of that papers, Ivo Pukanic, a person who publicly admited , even after interview with deserter Gotovina, that they stayed in conntact by telephone.

The newspapers whose owner is Ivo Pukanic, accused me in one text, that I was spreading wrong informations in Croatia and Serbia, that deserter Ante Gotovina and Milorad Lukovic Ulemek Legija , a person from Serbia, accused for murder of Serbian Premier, Zoran Djindjic , knew each other since Ligue of the foreigners and that  they were connected by business with heavy drugs.

Pukanic didn' t  also hide his friendship with Zeljko Bagic. Especially was interesting text with title «Gotovina has been seen 600 times, without an evidence», which was signed by Eduard Sostaric, in «Nacional» nr.472, who was former worker of headquarters of Croatian army, in intelligence departement.

Even from the title of the text we can see that Sostaric and Bagic have the same number – 600 informations about Gotovina' s refugee residence, and which Bagic mentioned in context of Turek' s presentation. Even the contents of Sostaric' s text, in which he mentioned the six journalists, collaborators of foreign intelligence service and their texts, led to conclusion that those were informations from Turek' s presentation.

I' m not satisfied with explenations which can be heard these days in the back offices, somewhere even publicly, that President Mesic reacted on Turek and Bagic' s manipulations, in way that he accepted their retreat from the functions they had.

That didn' t help protecting my human and professional rights, because gentlemen Bagic and Turek, continue to manipulate with datas and conclusions which they draw, if you ask me, illegaly, and which should represent the official state secret.

Not only that, Zeljko Bagic continue to publicly slander all six accused journalists. He offended Gordan Malic, saying that he was a lier. He offended me in front of respectable polytologists, and I supposed he was doing that even in other companies.

Two more things worry me.                                                                                                              Slandering of Mr Dragutin Franciskovic is dangerous, not only because of possibility of  physical attack of some of big fans of deserter Ante Gotovina, but also the fact that he was friend of late Gospic' s witness of war crimes, Milan Levar , who introduced me with him.                                                                                  

As it is known, Franjo Turek did not ever, not even in court in Rijeka, explained what he did as an operative worker of SZUP, saw and heared in Gospic in 1991., at the time of preparation and act of shameful war crimes over civilians, mostly Serbs. Even President Mesic resented that  to him afterwards.                                        About Turek' s unclear rolle in dark happenings told me late Milan Levar, and I wrote about that several times, and the same objection publicly was giving by Dragutin Franciskovic.

I' m affraid that Dragutin Franciskovic and myself are targets of Bagic and Turek' s slanders and because of knowledge about Turek' s staying in Gospić in 1991. which we presented in public. Turek obviouslly doesn' t want anything to be found about that, and I don' t have any intention to give up the thought of investigation of that , which I consider as my professional and civilian duty.

One person, who was very close with Zeljko Bagic, told me that I could be in very bad position because of my attitude towards Turek' s presentation.

After I said to that person that I would give my best to publicly unmask Bagic and Turek' s manipulations with that presentation, the person warned me that it was better not to do that – «because you have a family». The identity of that witness I can offer to the Council, if the discretion is guaranted, at least untill the hearing in front of members of Council is over.

Besides all the concernes, I remind that I don' t believe that POA didn' t use measures of secret supervision over journalists, when it was collecting datas about our subversive acting, which Turek presented

The colleague Malic said that one minister told him that she saw a photograph of him and a worker of Haag' s court. Dragutin Franciskovic said that POA took photographs of him, and the evidence was the photograph published in newspapers, for which he didn' t  take a pose.

In my sane mind, it' s not clear to me how can you, without measures of secret supervision, prove that a foreign spy «pushed through the story to the six journalists». Can you do that by analysing contents of 600 texts of Gotovina' s residences and comparing it with secretly collected thoughts of some foreign spy, without supervision of conntacts of that spy and those journalists?

I will conclude. As a citizen of Republic of Croatia and a journalist whose writting was often under pressures, threats, even physical attacks, I' m asking from the Council to investigate quotations of my issue and protect my human and professional rights, if it is neccessary, even criminal reports against mentioned former chiefs in spy-organization.

I tried to protect myself, by giving an interview to the journalist of Croatian radio, Petar Stefanic, who worked on a introductory part of talk-show «Nedjeljom u 2», with guest Zeljko Bagic, but that interview, because of unknown reasons to me, was not broadcasted.

Also, I leave myself some freedom, to present the content of this preissue to other state authorities and institutions, non-government associations, and medias. In faith that the results of practise of Council of this preissue will be more convenient then the one before, I will be at your disposal for all additional questions about other evidences, on which I based my concern.

Best regards,

Addition to the preissue of citizens from 06.12.2004.

Dear Sir,

This lower text is a part of the interview of President Stjepan Mesic given to the «Feral Tribune» magazine, in number from 10th of December, 2004., and I am giving it now as an addition to the Preissue for The Council for civilian supervision of saftey services of Croatian Parliament from 6th of December, 2004.

* Why did you miss to react like this when six domestic journalists are shown in presentation of ex chief of POA, Franjo Turek, as foreign spies who work against Croatia?

- I would gladly react even then if I had any evidence about eavesdropping and controlling of the journalists. The presentation was dealing with foreign agents in intellingence who work in Croatia, what was not of my interest.The journalists were mentioned only in context that they were seen with that foreign agents in intelligence, but there were, believe me, really no evidence of eavesdropping and controlling of the journalists. If there were something like that, I would react, just as I reacted in the case of Helena Puljiz. That presentation must be somewhere, so it should be seen.

With this statement President Mesic, in my opinion, confirms that Franjo Turek, ex chief of POA, by using methods of secret supervision, connected Croatian journalists Ivan Zvonimir Cicak, Gordan Malic, Ivica Djikic, Boris Pavelic, Davor Butkovic and Zeljko Peratovic with «the foreign agents in intelligence who work in Croatia».

If the representatives of POA, as President Mesic said, mentioned the journalists in context of seeing them with foreign agents, that «seeings» should have been proved.

Ex President' s adviser for national security, Zeljko Bagic, in the interview that I have given in the Preissue, said about presentation, about which also President Mesic is talking in the above quoted fragment:                          - The service, whose job is that, deserves every praise for that, noticed, registrated and documented subversive activity of the agent of secret service. Besides, that agent used his informations, and used one Croatian citizen...

Zeljko Bagic and Ranko Ostojic

In my opinion, that evidences could have been collected only by secret supervision. I remind that colleague Gordan Malic, said that one Croatian minister told him that she saw a photograph with him and a worker of Haag' s court on it. Also, Dragutin Franciskovic, for whom, ex President' s advisor Zeljko Bagic, said in front of Prof. Vlatko Cvrtila and Davor Gjenero, that he was photographed by POA when he was having a meeting with potential witness of Haag' s court. So I ask once more from you, from new chief of POA, Tomislav Karamarko, to ask to renew investigation of activities in POA, while Franjo Turek was its chief,especially using secret methods over six mentioned journalists. If you can' t ask for an investigation, based on my Preissue, about using secret methods over all six journalists, please do it only in my case.

By my informations, Mr Ranko Ostojic, chief of the police at that time, and President Mesic mentioned him earlier as a Croatian citizen who was mentioned in presentation and Mr Dragutin Franciskovic, who is earlier mentioned in medias, and by words of Zeljko Bagic, is a person from Croatian intelligence underground, who was spreading wrong informations about deserter general Ante Gotovina, are consented that the Council should research the mentioned presentation and that it should be presented in public.

I support their search, especially emphasizing the quotation of President Mesic, which was published in «Feral» magazine: - The presentation must be somewhere, so it should be seen.

I presume that the Council could, in its demands towards POA, and other state authorized institutions, face with answer: the measures of secret supervision were not using on the journalists, Ostojic and Franciskovic, but only on foreign agent.

I think, in that case, the Council could react as same as with the colleague Helena Puljiz and President Stjepan Mesic, where was also talks that POA was dealing with case of deserted businessman Hrvoje Petrac, and deserted general Ante Gotovina, and not the journalist Puljiz and President.

Also, I recomend to the Council to ask from new chief of POA, Tomislav Karamarko, answer on question, is my name mentioned in some earlier supervision of POA, which is not ended. It is possible that POA, in that case, did not ask approval from the Supreme court to control me, and I' m sure that it is lasting till today, and that can be testified by my wife and her mother.

Also, I ask from you to influence on Mr Karamarko, to let the file to be seen, which SZUP was writting about me in 90s, because I was not allowed to see it, while chief of POA was Franjo Turek. If POA refuse that without explanation, as you know, it is possible, because POA still takes me for threat for national security.

I don' t find myself a threat for national security, and I would like to think that way most of the citizens, who can be mislead by quoted titles and statements, which show me now as a collaborator of foreign secret services.

The Council is in Croatia the most important institution from which I can ask to take off the accusation from my name that I' m a collaborator of foreign spies. But, if there are evidences for that accusation, I also please, that Council or any other state institution, announce that conclusion, and that documents to give to the state court. I please for urgency in this matter, because of serious concern for safety of my family and my own.

In fact, one month ago I found out from my colleagues that one person, connected with Ante Zoni Maksan (who is accused for being helper of Ante Gotovina) and the one who is mentioned in context of potential witness in investigation of kidnaping of general Vladimir Zagorac' s son, from a person who is accused for war crime, ordered to beat me.

The same commander, called my colleagues, a few days ago, asking for my address and other conntacts, talking about threats on my account. The datas about identity of the witness of the threats I will give to the Council when  work on this Preissue starts. In hope of starting work on this Preissue as soon as possible, and this addition.

Best regards,

Second addition of the preissue of citizens from 06.12.2004.

Dear Sir,

I have received Your answer (from 28th of December, 2004.) on my Preissue and its addition from December 2004.

I am glad that the Council will act consistent to legal authorities (ZoSS, articles 80-84).                                    But, since my last letter to Council, I became more concerned, because I became, not only the victim of POA (Counter-intelligence agency), during activity of Zeljko Bagic and Franjo Turek, but also the victim of intelligence underground, acting on my discreditation as a cooperator of secret service, actually, the British MI6.

When I got a letter from President of Parliament Committee for human rights and national minorities, Mr. Furio Radin, on 28th of August 2004., in which he informed me which steps did the Committee take, following my Preissue, I was surprised that the envelope in which the letter came, was opened, and then again glued up with the glue tape. Mr. Furio Radin and secretary of the Committee, on 21th of January 2005., in the presence of Mr. Zarko Puhovski , after I showed them the envelope, said that the envelope glued up in that way was not send from the Parliament, and that the glue tape was put on the envelope on the way to me.

I can withdraw a conclusion that the POA took that letter and controled it. It was also possible that some groups from intelligence underground opened it, and the least possible was that some postman was interested what was in the letter of President of Parliament Committee for human rights and national minorities to some journalist.

Please, put this suspicions under serious investigations. Following events are connected with texts which appeared on Internet, at the middle of this month, and in which I was proclaimed for an agent of MI6, and it was said how can I still be working as a journalist in «Vjesnik», as such a person.

In first text from page cryptome.org/mi6-peratovic.htm (article 1.) which is under maintainance of a former high-ranking official of British MI5, and it was also said that President Stjepan Mesic presented me publicly in «Feral Tribune» as an MI6-agent, on the basis of activity of Turek and Bagic.

There were also nonsense like, an agent of MI6, Bloom, protected me from expeling from their service, by words that I was «mentally retarted, but useful». But, the worst thing was that I was presented as a journalist who wrote aimed lies against general Gotovina and as an enemy of movement for joining Northern Ireland to Republic of Ireland.

I also got information from colleagues form Britain that simphatyzers of IRA were «interested» in me. Second text was from official american media-agency, UPI, and which was published by Washington Times on web address www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20050113-041835-4514.htm (article 2). In that text, besides quotations from this address above mentioned, was also added that I disabled, with my activities, the arrest of general Gotovina. They were also surprised how I, after all that, still worked in «Vjesnik» .

My numerous colleagues informed me that they also saw this articles, and based on them, there were started forums on Internet, and some groups in editorial office of «Vjesnik» said that the director Franjo Maletic got several complaint on my work, I was affraid that mentioned quotations was made to jeopardise my professional egzistency.

I have sent a denial to «Washington Times», but they didn't published it even after one week. I am also preparing a law accusation against them with help of one american group for protection of journalists. Besides, I am affraid that the pressure against my editorial office for my dismissal from «Vjesnik» (the daily is owned by Government of Croatia) will grow further, so I request from Council to include these accusations in investigations, and inform me as soon as posible, about development of procedure, not only about its conclusion.

Best regards,

   Vjesnik, Wednesday, 12th of January 2005.

Quotations motivated by conflicts in british intelligence community

First quotations in British press about connections of Ante Gotovina and IRA, in fact, Northern Ireland, appeared after text in weekly magazine «Globus» from 2003. In it there were quotations of POA and Police's reports, in which was claiming that Gotovina's escape in 2001., from Croatia to Italy, was helped by northernireland terorist by nick name Tony Cascarino, later called The Striker. Since then, some british medias – «The Belfast Telegraf» , «The Sunday Times», «The Scotsman», Â«The Sunday Herald» - wrote that Gotovina is in Northern Ireland, that Tony Cascarino alias The Striker, got him across the border, and that the Irish even made a robbery of the century in Belfast. Although they claimed that they had checked informations from serious British sources, mentioned medias mostly used the text from Â«Globus» from 2003., and the informations from unofficial Internet site of Tony Cascarino, and texts from weekly magazine «Nacional», in which was claimed that former chief of POA (Counter-intelligence agency), Franjo Turek, was meritorious for the deportation of agents of MI6 from Croatia, who, supposedly, were staying in Croatia by permission of Croatian authoroties, in order to find Gotovina. Mentioned medias published nonsense, not rarely, like the statement that The Striker took part in murder of Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan, or that Gotovina was accused in Haag for crimes commited during the war i Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Velimir Kvesic, one of the commanders of HOS (Croatian Defence Forces), who fought in Vukovar, said that he has never heard that Irish Tony Cascarino took part in fights on Trpinja road or even been in Vukovar. More serious observers consider that the quotations are motivated by conflict inside British intelligence community, in which one fraction, for every evil in Britain wanted to accuse the Irish and critisized second fraction of being incompetent.

Zeljko Peratovic