SERBS TO QUIZ COPS OVER JILL KILLING CLAIM
Journo’s murder days earlier may be linked
SERBIAN investigators will contact Scotland Yard over the murder of Jill Dando.
The Daily Star Sunday last month revealed claims that “unused and undisclosed evidence” was overlooked during initial inquiries into Jill’s killing in 1999.
Now overseas specialists want to know if the TV presenter’s death was linked to the almost identical murder of Serb journalist Slavko Curuvija days earlier.
They believe a link could exist because a few weeks before her death, Dando made a direct appeal on BBC television for aid to help Kosovo refugees – and initially police wondered whether it was a revenge killing.
A Serbian official admitted: “There is some speculation over here that her death may have been connected to the murder of Slavko Curuvija, and maybe also to that of Arkan, a career criminal and commander of a paramilitary force during the Yugoslavian wars.”
Curuvija was killed on April 11, 1999, while Arkan – who was on Interpol’s “most wanted” list and is thought to have ordered the hit on Curuvija – was shot dead at the InterContinental hotel in Belgrade in January, DON HALE 2000. Curuvija’s widow Branka Prpa highlighted the similarities to Jill’s killing at the time. She said: “I think there is a link. I think they were both executed.
“Slavko started falling down and when I turned to see what was going on, I was hit on the head with a gun. While falling, I saw a person with a black jacket and cap.
“When I was lying at Slavko’s side this person shot him in the head.”
Serbian officials would also like to speak to exFlying Squad Commander John O’Connor about claims “excellent leads” were ignored.
Mr O’Connor said he had compelling information about a “man in black” seen waiting with his mobile phone close to Jill’s home in Fulham.
He believes the man was the killer and one of two men who kept the TV star under surveillance.
He said: “The person identified was a significant witness. But the Met shut their eyes to everything else once they nicked poor Barry George.”
Mr George, 56, was arrested in 2000 and convicted of Jill’s murder in July 2001. He was acquitted in 2008.
Newsreader and Crimewatch host Jill was murdered on April 26, 1999.
She was pushed to the ground and shot in the head in an attack that had the hallmarks of a professional “hit”.