Suspected Base Intruder Arrested

M I L W A U K E E, July 20 -- A former National Guard pilot was arrestedtoday on suspicion of breaking into an Air National Guard base,scrawling “Free Kosova” on a satellite dish and leaving behind abag with two bombs, authorities said.

Authorities acting on a tip from a hot line arrested 35-year-oldMilan S. Mititch at his Milwaukee home, FBI agent David J. Williamssaid.

Mititch was an officer in the Wisconsin Army National Guard fromApril 1988 until he resigned Nov. 1, said Lt. Col. Tim Donovan, aguard spokesman.

The suspect, a former chief warrant officer, flew UH60 Blackhawkhelicopters for the 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Command based inMadison, Donovan said. The battalion was not assigned to Kosovo anddid not participate in the Gulf War, Donovan said.

“I can’t characterize his service,” Donovan said.

How Did He Get In?After Mititch was arrested, a bomb squad searched his apartment,authorities said.

Mititch was expected to appear in U.S. District Court inMilwaukee later in the day, Williams said.

The FBI said an intruder scrawled graffiti reading “FreeKosova” on a satellite dish early Wednesday at the 128th AirRefueling Wing compound. Kosova is an Albanian spelling of Kosovo.

It was unclear how the intruder got in. The suspect had nocredentials that would have allowed him to get past the complexgate, Williams said.

As security guards chased the intruder, he dropped a bagcontaining two pipe bomb-type devices, authorities said.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department defused the deviceslater Wednesday.

Tracking Down the IntruderDuring the NATO air strikes in Yugoslavia in 1999, aimed atending ethnic repression by Serb forces against ethnic Albanians,the 128th Air Refueling Wing sent about 170 members to a baseoutside London, where they serviced aircraft flying in NATO’s airoperations in Kosovo.

Williams said investigators contacted local Serbian and Albaniancommunities and went door to door in some neighborhoods with acomposite sketch of the intruder. The sketch was broadcast onMilwaukee television stations.