In a significant development concerning the unsolved murder of British television presenter Jill Dando in 1999, Dragan Filipović, a former Serbian spymaster, has disclosed involvement in a covert “reprisal action” during the spring of that year, which created widespread turmoil in Europe. The revelation suggests a connection between Serbian intelligence operations and attacks abroad coinciding with the time of Dando’s death.
Filipović, once a senior member of the Serbian security services, admitted he orchestrated secret retaliatory operations in response to the NATO bombing campaign against Yugoslavia that commenced on 24 March 1999. At that time, Milorad Ulemek, a figure later convicted of assassination plots, led a special forces unit which Filipović instructed for such missions targeting opponents of Slobodan Milosevic, Serbia’s then president.
Jill Dando was fatally shot on her doorstep in London on 26 April 1999. Hours after the murder, a claim was made to the BBC linking her death to the killing of 15 people in Belgrade, purportedly as retaliation for bombing raids. The connection was initially feared to relate to Dando’s involvement in a BBC charity appeal for Kosovan refugees issued just 20 days prior to her death – an appeal that may have angered Serbian ultra-nationalists given the political situation.
Filipović’s account reveals that multiple Serbian commandos were sent into Europe under his orders to carry out revenge killings against those perceived as enemies, particularly NATO member states and their allies. "Among others, Serbs were suspected as potential perpetrators, which resulted in a hunt and increased control of Yugoslav citizens," he wrote under his codename, Major Fića.
A source familiar with Serbian intelligence activity told the Daily Mirror that there is strong confidence in the veracity of Filipović’s claims, stating: “I have very little doubt that this assassination was planned and executed by some circles in Serbia.” Calls have increased for a police re-examination of the case, sparked by eyewitness reports of Milorad Ulemek’s possible presence near Dando’s home at the time.
Declassified documents recently revealed that British and NATO officials had issued five separate warnings throughout April 1999 about possible attacks by Serbian operatives on European soil. However, the Metropolitan Police investigating Dando’s murder reportedly were never given access to these intelligence files.
Filipović, now in his 60s, also disclosed his role as a special advisor to Radomir Markovic, the head of Serbian State Security Services during the period. Filipović described receiving extensive resources and autonomy from Markovic to plan intelligence and clandestine operations designed to destabilise political stability and combat readiness among NATO countries.
One aborted operation involved a Serbian assassin dispatched to target George Soros, the American billionaire philanthropist. Filipović characterised Soros as a “fanatical enemy of the Serbian people,” linking him to a globalist network and alleging that Soros had instigated NATO’s military campaign. The hitman, codenamed “Mongoose” (believed to be Milenko Prodanović, a former JSO soldier), was trained in unconventional methods to bypass heightened European police security.
Milorad Ulemek, also known as “Legionnaire” due to his prior service as a sniper in the French Foreign Legion, was reportedly recruited into the Serbian special unit by Filipović during the Yugoslav wars. Ulemek and Filipović’s units operated with clandestine mobility, often crossing borders illegally with the help of criminal networks.
Filipović revealed that while many plans were halted after a peace treaty was signed in June 1999, at least one operation was carried out after delay, causing significant disruption across Europe. Although he did not explicitly name the assassination involved, the implication remains that this “radical action” was state-sponsored.
Jill Dando’s murder remains under scrutiny amid these disclosures, which shed new light on possible motives and perpetrators linked to Serbian special forces during a turbulent period in European history. The details offer a broader context for understanding the geopolitical tensions that coincided with her death and the ongoing investigation decades later.
Source: Noah Wire Services