Authorities pursue Belgrade protesters

Published: Feb. 24, 2008 at 1:20 PM

BELGRADE, Serbia, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Authorities in Serbia are pursuing rioters who attacked the U.S. Embassy last week, a senior prosecutor said.

Protesting U.S. support for Kosovo's declaration of independence, demonstrators stormed the American Embassy in Belgrade, The New York Times reported Sunday.

"We are collecting evidence and are identifying the culprits," the official, Slobodan Radovanovic, said in a statement.

Police said they had arrested nearly 200 rioters, the newspaper reported.

Diplomatic missions of Britain, Germany, Croatia and Turkey also were attacked in the worst violence to occur in the Serbian capital since demonstrators overthrew Slobodan Milosevic eight years ago.

While the Serbian government has condemned Thursday's damage as the work of "isolated vandals," Serbia's minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic, blamed the United States.

"The U.S. is the major culprit for all troubles since Feb. 17," Samardzic told the state news agency Tanjug, referring to the date Kosovo declared its independence.

"The root of violence is the violation of international law," he said.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
COL FB: Georgia Tech 49, Duke 10 (1 min)
Statham gets 1,000th coaching victory (17 min)
ESA said comet chaser's boost a success (31 min)
World's largest cruise ship in Florida (49 min)
Brazilian blogger naming cheating victims (58 min)
UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News
Munch's 'History' stolen from art dealer
fark
Photoshop this lonely highway
Thought the chimp attack was fierce? "[H]e grabbed my leg with his mouth and went to jerking on...
We can't stress this enough: If you're claiming disability checks, it's best not to be a golf champion...
Another day another student/teacher sex story. With hottie female teacher picture goodness
Career-limiting move of the day: While forwarding himself a copy of a "White Pride" email he wants...
You think you've got a tough job? Imagine being the veterinarian who has to help an elephant lose...