The Tiger of Serbia: Željko Ražnatović and the Legacy of "Arkan's Tigers"
Notorious criminal turned military commander Željko "Arkan" Ražnatović became one of the most controversial figures during the Balkan Wars of the 1990s. He was also a man with deep ties to the state
Background
Though he did not live to see age fifty, former Serbian businessman and accused war criminal Željko Ražnatović, better known as Arkan, had quite an eventful life.
At the time of his death in January 2000, Arkan was under indictment for numerous crimes committed while acting as leader and supervisor of the Serbian Volunteer Guard, also known as “Arkan’s Tigers.”
Arkan and his men were accused of war crimes, including mass murder, rape, cruel treatment, inhumane acts, and other “grave breaches” of the Geneva Conventions of 1949.
Arkan and his “Tigers” were involved in several of the ethnic conflicts that resulted from the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.
Early Years
The man who would come to be known as Arkan was born on April 17, 1952, in the border town of Brežice in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia. Željko’s father, Veljko, was a decorated officer in the Yugoslav Air Force.
Though he respected and even wanted to emulate his father’s career, the pair’s relationship was strained, with patterns of physical abuse and strict military-like discipline in the home.
The frequent absence of Veljko due to the demands of his career also put distance between him and Željko. Veljko’s career also caused the family to relocate several times, with the family eventually settling in Belgrade, which Željko considered his hometown.
By his early teenage years, Arkan had seemingly abandoned his desire to follow his father’s career path and instead had taken to crime.
International Criminal
Arkan’s first arrest was in 1966 for purse snatching. After spending time in a juvenile detention center, his father, Veljko, attempted to sign his son up for the Yugoslav Navy. However, the young thief instead fled to Paris.
In 1969, having worn out his welcome in France, he was deported back to Yugoslavia, where he spent further time in a detention center. While incarcerated, Arkan formed a prison gang, perhaps an early indication of his ability to organize and lead hard men.
After his release in the early 1970s, Arkan plied his criminal trade in Western Europe, committing numerous armed robberies and other illicit activities. His network of criminal contacts included many established and feared Yugoslavian gangsters.
His name “Arkan” originated from a name he used on a forged passport as he traveled Western Europe. During the 1970s, he committed jewelry and bank robberies in numerous countries, including Belgium, Sweden, The Netherlands, West Germany, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland. Arkan often left a rose on the counter as a calling card during his robberies.
Escape Artist
Arkan was arrested and jailed many times throughout the 1970s. He also pulled off numerous jailbreaks, including a 1979 escape from Verviers Prison in Belgium. He eluded law enforcement for nearly four months, during which time he committed at least five more armed robberies.
In May 1981, he escaped from a prison in Amsterdam after someone passed him a gun. The following month, Arkan was wounded in a shootout with police during yet another robbery.
According to reports, he managed to escape the prison hospital by jumping out a window, assaulting a pedestrian, and taking his clothing. In April 1983, Arkan escaped from Thorberg Prison in Switzerland.
By May 1983, Arkan was back in Belgrade and one of Interpol’s most wanted men.
Protected Asset
After his return to Belgrade, Arkan continued his criminal lifestyle. After a bank robbery in Zagreb, where the robbers left a rose on the counter, attention quickly turned to Arkan.
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