Yugoslav soldiers: 'Spies' did not use force

A British diplomat says the four men are being held separately in solitary confinement

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- Three Yugoslav soldiers involved in the arrest of two Britons and two Canadians on suspicion of spying have denied claims that the alleged spies used force when detained, a defense lawyer has said.

Ivan Jankovic, the state appointed defense lawyer who represents Canadians Shaun Going and Liam Hall, said the soldiers were giving evidence to a military court in Belgrade.

"All of them confirmed that none of the defendants attempted to use force, threatened to use force or in any other way interfered with the soldiers who were performing guard duty at the border," Jankovic said.

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Going, Hall and two British police officers, Adrian Prangnell and John Yore, were arrested by the Yugoslav army in Montenegro near the border with Kosovo a week ago.

Depending on the military court's ruling, the quartet faces possible charges of violating the sovereignty of Yugoslavia, bringing in armed groups, arms and ammunition, attempted terrorism and coercion of the military. The four deny all the charges.

"This simply means that charge number four has lost any ground," Jankovic told reporters after Friday's hearing.

Canadian and British envoys met the men for the second time on Friday and said they had brought them reading materials, fresh clothing and messages from their families. They said they were well and that they expected to see them again on Monday.

"We have seen them and they are in good spirits and good health," Canadian charge d'affaires Craig Bale told reporters.

Robert Gordon, the British envoy, said the men were being held separately in solitary confinement but confirmed they "appeared in better spirits today than I have seen them before."

Jankovic said the investigative judge had asked for additional evidence from Montenegro -- the guest list from the hotel the men were staying in and the owner of a restaurant Going said he went to -- to be presented on Monday.

He said the court proceedings had been "as rapid as possible" but that the men should never have been arrested in the first place.

"If you disregard the fact that they were arrested at all and that there are any proceedings, then the investigation in the Belgrade military court so far has been faultless," he said.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, for whom Yore and Prangnell were working, has called the Yugoslav allegations "absolutely absurd."

It said all four men were not armed and were simply returning to neighboring Kosovo after a brief holiday.

Reuters contributed to this report.

CNN In-Depth Special: Kosovo: Prospects For Peace
August 9, 2000
Yugoslav arrest of 'spies' draws fierce condemnation
August 4, 2000
August 2, 2000

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia Federal Ministry
Government of the Republic of Montenegro

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