Emir Šišic
Encyclopedia
Emir Šišić is a former pilot of the Air Force of the SFR Yugoslavia and later FR Yugoslavia who was involved in a controversial air encounter that resulted in five deaths, for which he served prison time.
near Tuzla
, at the time Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
, to a Bosniak
family.
Before the Yugoslav wars Emir Šišić was a MiG-21 pilot of the 124th Fighter Aviation Squadron, 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment
from the Željava Air Base
near Bihać
, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On January 7, 1992, during the war in Croatia, an AB-205
helicopter of the European Community Monitor Mission entered Croatian air space. The Yugoslav People's Army required at the time that incoming aircraft request its permission because they wanted to deter ongoing efforts to arm the badly outgunned Croatian Army. Emir Šišić received orders to intercept the helicopter. He took off from Željava air base in a MiG-21 Bis with military registration 17214. Over the town of Novi Marof
near Varaždin
, he received confirmation to down the helicopter, the attack killed five observers.
After the evacuation of JNA
personnel from Željava, Šišić continued his service as a pilot in the FR Yugoslavia Air Force
flying An-26 cargo aircraft at Batajnica Air Base.
, where he was arrested and transferred to Italy
where he was sentenced to 15 years of jail. After negotiations between Serbian and Italian authorities, the Italian government agreed to transfer Šišić from Italy to Serbia, to Sremska Mitrovica
.
On May 9, 2008 Emir Šišić was released from jail.
Military career
Šišić was born in ŽiviniceŽivinice
Živinice is a town and municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located south of Tuzla. It is part of the Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:The origin of the name Živinice is still not established. According to M...
near Tuzla
Tuzla
Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...
, at the time Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, to a Bosniak
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
family.
Before the Yugoslav wars Emir Šišić was a MiG-21 pilot of the 124th Fighter Aviation Squadron, 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment
117th Fighter Aviation Regiment
The 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment was an aviation regiment established in 1944 as 112th Fighter Aviation Regiment The 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Serbo-Croatian: 117. lovački avijacijski puk / 116. ловачки авијацијски пук) was an aviation regiment established in 1944 as 112th Fighter...
from the Željava Air Base
Željava Air Base
Željava Air Base, situated on the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina under Plješevica Mountain, near the town of Bihać in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was the largest underground airport and military airbase in the former Yugoslavia and one of the largest in Europe.-History:Construction...
near Bihać
Bihac
Bihać is a city and municipality on the river Una in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. Bihać is located in the Una-Sana Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On January 7, 1992, during the war in Croatia, an AB-205
UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
helicopter of the European Community Monitor Mission entered Croatian air space. The Yugoslav People's Army required at the time that incoming aircraft request its permission because they wanted to deter ongoing efforts to arm the badly outgunned Croatian Army. Emir Šišić received orders to intercept the helicopter. He took off from Željava air base in a MiG-21 Bis with military registration 17214. Over the town of Novi Marof
Novi Marof
Novi Marof is a town in north-western Croatia, located south of Varaždin and east of Ivanec, in the Varaždin county.The population of the municipality is 13,238 , distributed in the following settlements:* Bela, population 62...
near Varaždin
Varaždin
Varaždin is a city in north Croatia, north of Zagreb on the highway A4. The total population is 47,055, with 38,746 on of the city settlement itself . The centre of Varaždin county is located near the Drava river, at...
, he received confirmation to down the helicopter, the attack killed five observers.
After the evacuation of JNA
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
personnel from Željava, Šišić continued his service as a pilot in the FR Yugoslavia Air Force
Air Force of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro
The Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro , also named Air Force of Yugoslavia in the 1992-2003 period, was the air force of the former Serbia and Montenegro. It had around 300 fighter aircraft, ground attack aircraft, and other...
flying An-26 cargo aircraft at Batajnica Air Base.
Incarceration
On June 9, 2002 he went to buy medicine in HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, where he was arrested and transferred to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where he was sentenced to 15 years of jail. After negotiations between Serbian and Italian authorities, the Italian government agreed to transfer Šišić from Italy to Serbia, to Sremska Mitrovica
Sremska Mitrovica
Sremska Mitrovica is a city and municipality located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia, on the left bank of the Sava river. As of 2002 the town had a total population of 39,041, while Sremska Mitrovica municipality had a population of 85,605...
.
On May 9, 2008 Emir Šišić was released from jail.
ECMM observer involved
- Tenente colonnelloItalian Army RanksThis chart represents the Italian Army rank insignia used on the slip-on of winter service uniforms. The color of the uniforms is khaki.Officers who are assigned to a position acting in a higher rank than their own wear the insignia of the higher rank but the highest star of the insignia is trimmed...
Enzo Venturini, † KIA, pilot, Gold Medal of Military ValorGold Medal of Military ValorThe Gold Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia "....per bassi ufficiali e soldati che avevano fatto azioni di segnalato valore in guerra" .The face of the medal displayed the profile of the king, and on its reverse was a flag...
(posthumous); - Sergente maggiore Marco Matta † KIA, co-pilot, Gold Medal of Military Valor, (posthumous);
- Maresciallo capo Fiorenzo Ramacci † KIA, Gold Medal of Military Valor, (posthumous);
- Maresciallo capo Silvano Natale, † KIA, Gold Medal of Military Valor, (posthumous);
- Lieutenant de vaisseauShip-of-the-Line LieutenantShip-of-the-line lieutenant is a common naval rank, equivalent to the naval rank of Lieutenant in the UK, Commonwealth and US.The name of the rank derives from the name of the largest class of warship, the ship of the line, as opposed to smaller types of warship .The rank is lieutenant de vaisseau...
Jean-Loup Eychenne, † KIA, Marine nationale.
External links
http://www.danas.rs/20030514/dijalog.htm http://www.dnevnik.rs/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=16075 http://www.danas.rs/20030514/dijalog.htm- http://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0305&L=justwatch-l&O=D&P=89683