Belgrade Court Sentences Former Officials for Attempt to Kill Draskovic

Belgrade court has sentenced the former head of an elite Serbian paramilitary unit and the republic's former security chief to terms of up to 15 years in prison for their roles in the attempted murder of an opposition leader.

The court sentenced former paramilitary chief Milorad Lukovic and at least three associates to the 15-year terms for their roles in the 1999 attempt to kill Vuk Draskovic, who currently is the foreign minister of Serbia and Montenegro. Lukovic, who later changed his name to Milorad Ulemek, headed the Red Berets paramilitary unit set up by then Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. The court also gave Serbia's former security chief Rade Markovic a 10-year term.

In October 1999, a truck crashed into Mr. Draskovic's convoy on a Serbian highway injuring the minister, then a top opposition leader, and killing four of his associates.

Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.