The Ministry of Justice has not received official confirmation that Ananije Nino Nikic (59), who was arrested in Russia, has been held in extradition custody. Only after obtaining this information, his extradition may be requested, the ministry told Dnevne Novine newspaper.
“The Ministry of Justice, through NCB Interpol Podgorica, has been informed that Ananije Nikic was arrested in the Russian Federation. The Ministry of Justice has not been informed that he has been placed in extradition detention, as a precondition for requiring extradition,” the ministry stated.
Nikic was arrested based on Interpol’s notice in the Rostov region on Sunday. He is suspected of taking part in organising the failed terrorist attack in Montenegro.
The locating and arrest of Nikic has been the result of cooperation between Podgorica and Moscow Interpol offices, within the targeted search based on red notice.
According to the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) MP Obrad Miso Stanisic, the two countries should cooperate in the extradition and prosecution of the suspect.
“I expect further cooperation not only with Russian security services, but also all other countries when the need arises,” Stanisic told Pink M. According to him, Nikic’s arrest is very important for the further course of the investigation that will be completed soon.
Montenegrin authorities issued a warrant against Nikic, a DF’s translator/interpreter, on suspicion that he was part of the logistics network for the group who planned terrorist attacks in Podgorica on 16 October 2016 after the closure of polling stations.
Investigators have become interested in Ananije Nikic, after former Serbian intelligence officer Slavko Nikic claimed before investigators and appearing on a TV show that he was offered to be one of the key organisers of the group that was supposed to “create chaos in Montenegro”.
Precisely on the basis of this statement which also referred to certain Democratic Front (DF) members, the investigation has been extended to include the political alliance leaders Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic, as well as their driver Mihailo Cadjenovic, who has been remanded in custody.
DF: Katnic will have to show evidence to Russians
DF believes that Nikic’s arrest placed special state prosecutor Milivoje Katnic in an unpleasant position as he now had to supply Russian authorities with all the evidence against Nikic “for the things he is accusing him of based on a TV show”.
“After the TV show, Serbian intelligence agent Slavko Nikic confirmed before the prosecutor’s office in that country that Ananije Nikic was a translator for certain Russian national, who spoke to Slavko Nikic. The agent testified that no one, either the Russian or Ananije Nikic, asked him to do anything illegal, because, as he said, had they done that, he would have reported them immediately to the police, as his job of collecting information for intelligence organs requires,” DF said in a statement.
DF representatives said they know Ananije Nikic as an honest and decent man, who provided translation services for DF and others.
“We also believe that Katnic’s allegations that Nikic is an FSB member are unfounded and false, which is typical for the special prosecutor, because the Russian state authorities, just like the US ones, neither arrest their agents nor they inform the public and opponents about that,” DF stated.
