Friday night (25/26 April 2008) an Australian citizen was ambushed, hijacked, brutally beaten and nearly killed by a group of soldiers belonging to the Czech Army elite quick response unit. The incident happened in the south-Bohemian town DRAZICE near TABOR (please see the maps attached). According to the proprietor of the restaurant "Zlatá brána", where the incident happened, "the group of three soldiers came crushing to the birthday party being held in the restaurant. The soldiers were all drank and causing trouble, later on they started pushing and jostling with patrons. One of the young people present there tried to negotiate with them, tried to calm them down." One patron described what happened next: "They were really terribly drunk, they tied up the boy and put him into a boot of a car and just hijacked him." Not only did the soldiers hijack the boy, they nearly killed him. We now know that they drove some 20 kilometres away to the town called Milevsko, there they took their hostage out from the boot of the car and took him into the forest, where they beat and kicked him nearly senseless, they even cut into his throat. Three highly trained commandoes of the elite forces armed with at least a knife against an unarmed boy of nineteen. (We know that they are trained to kill people.) When they were done with beating, they put him back into the car and drove to the nearby gas-station. From there they called the Police, saying that they caught a drug-dealer. The Police was ever vigilant: they just took the boy in for questioning. Only then they found out the real story. In the meantime the three "elite forces" went back to the birthday party. The Police finally made their way there early in the morning, arresting the trio, two of them on the spot, the third one as he tried to get away in a car.
The three were questioned, charged - and released! Apparently they are presumed innocent. Hmmm... "They were charged with deprivation of personal freedom, grievous bodily harm, extortion and driving under influence of drug", said Police-spokesman Miroslav Doubek. The boy, who nearly lost his life, spent two days in hospital care, he has bruises all over his body, stitches on his neck and lips, and he will still need to continue his recovery process at home. Czech Police issued "additional" information about the three men arrested two days after the incident together with a note that any further information will not be given due to the process of investigation taking place, and directed all possible further requests for information towards the Czech Army spokesman. Pages of the Czech Ministry of Defence so far didn't inform about the incident. Spokesman of the Czech Army Military Police JAN CERMAK only confirmed that three soldiers from an army unit situated in the town called Tabor, all aged around thirty, are being investigated by the Military Police as well as the Czech Police and were stood down pending the court verdict. Through the CTK news agency he refused further comments on any details of the case with the excuse that no information will be given due to the process of investigation taking place. Aussie connection The attacked boy is an Australian citizen, living with his mum long-term in the Czech Republic. What is more surprising is the possibility, that it was really his mother, who might be the real target. She works as a high-school teacher, but is also active as a journalist, fearlessly attacking the many ailments of the Czech "post"communist society, amongst other the corruption in the defence forces, as well as a terrible dysfunction of the Czech secret service organization BIS. For fear of further trouble the mother expressly asked not to name either her or her son. I know, that they were making plans to come over for (northern) summer holidays, it's possible, they will now be coming home for good.
Because of the wide-spread corruption in the Czech Republic, there is a possibility, that whole affair might end up under the carpet. It is therefore important, that Australia makes as forceful a presentation as possible and also that it requests from the Czech Republic1) Speedy and proper investigation by the Czech authorities2) Police protection for the victim and his family. Paul Zverina, 30. April 2008
Czech army terrorist (standing) before kidnapping of innocent victim
