[JURIST] A Serbian court Monday convicted eight former members of special police unit that took orders from then-Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic [JURIST news archive] of killing ex-Serb President Ivan Stambolic [Guardian obituary] in August 2000. The eight men were also convicted of the attempted asssassination of opposition leader Vuk Draskovic [Wikipedia profile]; Milosevic saw both Stambolic and Draskovic as threats to his power. Unit commander Milorad Ulemek "Legija" received the maximum sentence of 40 years in prison while the seven others received between 40 and 4 years for their roles in the murder, assasination attempt and cover-up. Milosevic, facing charges of war crimes from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia [official website], has denied a role in the crimes and has refused to testify. Reuters has more.