Regular contributor of the weekly "Svijet" , Kresimir Meler, writes in the October 5, 1997 issue of this Sarajevo magazine on the current developments within the Croatian intelligence service, and its shift in operation.In the near future, the Croatian intelligence services will orient themselves towards uncovering internal enemies, prevention of gatherings that would criticize the ruling party, and the activities of Muslims and Arabs. In brief terms, this would be the description of the essential changes in the activities in the mentioned Croatian services. Combined with these behind - the - scenes changes are also behind - the - scenes personnel crossword puzzles.
The appointment of Ivan Brzovic as the head of the Service For the Protection of the Constitutional Order, is already old news, and is not strange when it is taken into consideration that Brzovic is a relative of Ivic Pasalic, who, on the other hand, is the adviser of President Tudjman for internal affairs. The news is that the aforementioned Service /SZUP/ is losing the independence it had so far, becoming just a service for SIS, the main intelligence service, headed by timeless Miroslav Tudjman, president Tudjman's son. With this, it will be completely marginalized. In this manner, the main authority for the SZUP operatives will be Miroslav Tudjman, and not the Herzegovinian Ivan Brzovic.
The Bureau for National Security did not remain untouched, which does not have any more connections with intelligence actions. The only service that remains untouched is the military Security - Information Service, headed by Markica Rebic. Rebic originates from Imotsko, and his deputy is Ante Gugic from Sinj.
After the removal of the intelligence department, SIS is now comprised of an operative department, department for crime within the Croatian Army, counter - intelligence department, and the department for the general chiefs of staff, which is dealing with the security of the military top. Along with this, within SIS there is an analytical department, the archives, general services and informatics Dpt, as well as intelligence services.
Croatian Intelligence Service /HIS/ has one of its chief departments in Grbovcev Street in Zagreb, across the imposing hedquarters of the INA oil company. Until a while ago, the location in Grabovceva Street was used by the CIA operative Larry Holmes. Within the intelligence circles, these changes are explained with "greater efficiency". Actually, it is still know known according to whose orders a large plantation of cannabis was set up near the large military complex of the Croatian Army. There are suspicions that a circle of Herzegovinian officers is implicated in this
The largest changes occurred in the organization of SZUP itself, that is, its obligations in the vicinity of the President. Mile Cuk, who until recently was the commander of the Guard Unit, became the head of Tudjman's security, and the head of the UNS HQ unit. Practically this has become a real intelligence army which gives itself orders, so that single citizen of Croatia who is any way doing some public work is not secure whether he will be under surveillance.
Under the guidance of Miroslav Tudjman, within the SZUP a Department for Political Violence has been created. Reliable sources say that the task of this group will be to uncover the persons who would organize demonstrations against the current regime. This department will also , in the case of demonstrations, implant its operative into the ranks of demonstrators, so that they could provoke incidents and instigate breaking up of demonstrators with the use of force. It is said that the organizer of this department is Sinisa Juric, the head of the Operative department within SZUP. The head of this department is Josip Dragonja. In the former system, he dealt with "hostile emigres and internal subversive elements", so he will deal with his job with ease.
The head of SZUP in Zagreb, Branko Budic has been replaced, and a lesser known operative Slavko Kvakic from Sisak replaced him. He became known for his anti-Serb articles in the war paper "Hrvatski Bojovnik". Within SZUP two interesting departments have been formed: The Department for the Hostile Activities of Serbs, headed by former journalist Zdenko Kacic, and which is equiped with the most advanced equipment for audio and video surveillance. Finally, it became known who are also the enemies of the Croatian state.
Ante Letica, the son of admiral Sveto Letica, became the head of the Department for the Hostile Activities of Muslims and Arabs. The strongest centers of SZUP outside Croatia are in Austria, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina and some Islamic Countries, including Turkey, when the "enemies" Muslims and Arabs are concerned. When the Serbs are in question, the (counter)intelligence centers of SZUP (but also SIS) are in Bosnia and Herzegovina, FRY (Belgrade, Nis, Kosovska Mitrovica, Zemun), Hungary, Italy and Sweden.
There are numerous contentious things in the whole (re)organization of the (counter)intelligence services. It would be good if somebody could explain what is political violence. If this has terrorism in mind, than this has to be said. This because the ruling party can brand any social or political protest that is directed against the ruling party as political violence. This could also include a legal attempt to take over the instruments of government after an electoral victory by the opposition.
Source: Sarajevo weekly "Svijet", October 5, 1997
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