Threat to kill ambassador a joke: Dokic

Damir Dokic will be offered Australian consular assistance while he is in jail for
allegedly threatening to kill Australia's ambassador to Serbia.
The father of Australian tennis star Jelena Dokic is being held in a Serbian jail
after police investigated alleged threats against ambassador Clare Bergin and found
a cache of weapons, including two home-made bombs, at Dokic's home north of Belgrade
on Tuesday.
Dokic allegedly threatened to fire a rocket grenade at Ms Bergin's car in response
to an article in Australian magazine Sport&Style, which carries claims by Jelena
that he physically abused her.
Before his arrest, Dokic told Serbian newspaper Glas Javnosti that comments made by
Jelena to the Australian magazine were "made up".
"I've told Australians I'll kill their ambassador in Serbia if they do not find and
sanction the man that spreads lies about Jelena and me," he said.
"I'm a war veteran and I'll kill her (the ambassador) with a hand grenade launcher
in centre of Belgrade."
Serbian daily Blic also quoted Dokic as saying he rang the Australian embassy,
claiming his daughter's testimony in the Sport & Style article was a "continuation
of an attack on me, with a clear idea to kill me".
But, he added, "there is no child that was not beaten by parents - the same with
Jelena".
Detained in jail in Sremska Mitrovica, Dokic faces up to three years' jail on
charges of endangering the security of Ms Bergin and possessing illegal firearms.
Dokic insisted his comments were "a joke".
He appeared before a court in Ruma on Thursday and told reporters he never meant to
hurt Bergin.
Dokic told the website of local tabloid Press that he telephoned the Australian
embassy in Belgrade to ask them "to check out who was spreading lies about me in
Australian press".
"I didn't want to harm anyone," a handcuffed Dokic told Press as he was brought to
court for a brief hearing.
But he admitted he had told reporters he would kill the ambassador with a grenade
launcher.
"I've said so to journalists, but it was more like a joke," he said.
Dokic said he was angry and "felt sick" when he learned about the article.
"I was desperate because the news saying I tortured my kid has gone round the
world," he said.
Dokic's lawyer Bosiljka Djukic said while her client had spoken with a secretary at
the embassy, there was "no serious threat" made against the ambassador.
"I would say this was just a reaction of a father that loves his daughter," she said.
Djukic said she would apply for Dokic to be released on bail because of his high
blood pressure.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told reporters that as an Australian citizen,
50-year-old Dokic was entitled to consular assistance.
"Mr Dokic is an Australian citizen and like any Australian citizen who finds himself
or herself in trouble overseas, if he requires consular assistance we will do our
best to render that," Mr Smith said.
"Without reflecting in any way on the merits of any matter that might come before
Serbian courts or be required to be dealt with by Serbian authorities, I would think
most Australians would think that the circumstances that have occurred are very sad
and very unfortunate.
"I think the thoughts of Mr Dokic's daughter will be in the minds of most
Australians as a result of this most recent incident."
Jelena Dokic's agent issued a statement on Thursday saying the 26-year-old was "very
distressed and saddened by her father's arrest".
The tennis star has been estranged from her father and former coach for seven years.
"She understands very well the severity of the situation," her IMG agent Lawrence
Frankopan said in a brief statement released in London.
"Obviously, she cannot in any way be held responsible for her father's actions.
"Jelena remains 100 per cent focused on her tennis in preparation for the upcoming
French Open."
Croatian-born Jelena has won five WTA Tour titles, reached a career-high ranking of
fourth in 2002 and is currently ranked No.74 in the world following her surprise run
to the Australian Open quarter-finals.