Radić: I left Serbia, my daughter was targeted, TV Informer showed her in surveillance footage

Military analyst Aleksandar Radić said today that he left Serbia after pro-government media published surveillance videos of him, which also included his minor daughter.

"My daughter, who turns 16 in a few days, was targeted. On Tuesday, June 23, TV Informer showed her on surveillance footage, and during that day they released fresh footage of me waiting in the park for her to finish some chores. What do you do when there are many enemies and they threaten your child? We went abroad," Radić said in a written statement to the Beta agency.

He added that he expected "a strike by the Serbian Progressive Party and the Military Security Agency," but that he did not expect them to carry out a large-scale action with many people following him, including media support.

Speaking about a possible motive, Radić assessed that the authorities wanted to remove him from the scene as a critical individual who was "deeply connected to the military" and that the story about the alleged use of a sound cannon was a good opportunity.

He assessed that the government may have wanted him to leave the country.

"Because if they put me in custody for information, it would create a bad image of the mistreatment of journalists. What can they do after creating an atmosphere of lynching other than imprison me? Some in the security structures think that it was planned for one or more thugs to intercept me on the street and for TV Informer to say that they were 'justice-loving' citizens," he stated.

Radić said that he would not be surprised if, after examining his computers and phones, he were accused of "preparing a coup, espionage for at least three services, and extremism."

"The MUP took the electronic devices and forwarded them to the Military Police, sorry, the Military Security Agency (VBA). Let them read them. My computers are unprotected because there is nothing there that threatens the state, just thousands and thousands of documents. They will come up with something to show maliciously or they will add, is it difficult for them to lie?" he added.

He stated that a similar incident occurred several years ago when a simple verbal conflict with a member of the defense system under VBA protection "was attempted to be turned into an affair by the military police."

"What to expect now except big lies. For years I have felt the icy breath of the VBA on my neck, constant persecution and monitoring. They were particularly interested in where I kept the tail and cone of Major Omer Mehić's helicopter (which crashed in 2015). The crisis escalated in February last year after an interview I gave to Radar about the VBA. From that moment on, they haven't stopped, every day. Day and night. They tried to settle scores in September last year during the parade at Usce. I was trying to survive, to do my job, until now," Radić added in a written statement.