The State Security Directorate (; abbr. РДБ / RDB), or simply State Security (; abbr. ДБ / DB), was a
security agency
A security agency is a governmental organization that conducts intelligence activities for the internal security of a state. They are the domestic cousins of foreign intelligence agencies, and typically conduct counterintelligence to thwart other ...
within the
Ministry of Internal Affairs of
Serbia
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tasked with protecting the country from internal threats. Formed in 1991, it was dissolved in 2002 and replaced by the
Security Intelligence Agency (BIA).
History
The State Security Directorate was formed in March 1991 after the dissolution of
State Security Service (SDB).
According to the indictment in the series of trials before the
International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the ''Serbian Special Forces'', also known as ''Serbian Paramilitaries'', were secretly established by or with the assistance of the State Security Directorate.
Among those were
Serb Volunteer Guard (Arkan's Tigers),
Special Operations Unit (Red Berets) and
Scorpions.
Officially, the
Special Operations Unit was incorporated into the State Security Directorate at least since 1996.
On 3 October 1999, a vehicle column of
Serbian Renewal Movement, one of largest opposition parties at the time, was
attacked while moving down Ibar Highway. Four party officials were killed in the staged accident and party president
Vuk Drašković was injured. In a 2007 ruling by the Belgrade District Court former State Security officer and unit's commander
Milorad Ulemek, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, former Head of the State Security Directorate
Radomir Marković received eight years while other moembers of the unit were sentenced to 14 years in prison.
On 25 August 2000, former president of Serbia and once a rival of
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević ( sr-Cyrl, Слободан Милошевић, ; 20 August 1941 – 11 March 2006) was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician who was the President of Serbia between 1989 and 1997 and President of the Federal Republic of Yugos ...
,
Ivan Stambolić, was detained by the police. Soon after, he was gone missing during his every-day jogging routine. His remains were uncovered in 2003, in
Fruška Gora
Fruška gora ( sr-Cyrl, Фрушка гора) is a mountain in Syrmia, with most of the mountain being part of Serbia and its westernmost edge extending into eastern Croatia. The Serbian part of the mountain forms the country's oldest National p ...
. After a yearlong trial in special court in Belgrade, a judge found Radomir Marković and Milorad Ulemek, guilty of planning and carrying out the assassination of Ivan Stambolić.
The RDB was dissolved and replaced with
Security Intelligence Agency on 1 August 2002.
Heads
See also
*
State Security Service
*
Security Intelligence Agency
Notes
References
External links
{{Serbian security and intelligence agencies
1991 establishments in Yugoslavia
Government agencies established in 1991
2002 disestablishments in Serbia
Government agencies disestablished in 2002
Yugoslav intelligence agencies