Kurtovic: False attack

Three former colleagues of Zijad Kurtovic, who testified as the last Defence witnesses, claim that the indictee participated in a military operation and then went to Mostar in early October 1993.

The Prosecution charges Kurtovic, as commander of the Military Police Squad with the Dreznica Independent Battalion of BiH Army, with having participated in the imprisonment, torture, beating, forcing to people perform hard labour and using some as human shields, as well as forcing the men, detained in the All Saints church in Donja Dreznica, Mostar municipality, into having sexual intercourse.

All crimes, listed in the 11 counts of the indictment, were committed in October 1993.

Amir Hadzic, former member of Dreznica Battalion, claims to have participated “in the physical security of the Headquarters”, together with Zijad Kurtovic. In the courtroom he recalled having gone, with Ramiz Macic and the indictee, to Bijelo Polje in Mostar municipality in order to “buy food and cigarettes” on October 6, 1993.

“I remember this date because a military operation was conducted in Vrdi on October 4 and 5. Zijo participated in that operation. Upon his return, he went to Bijelo Polje with us. We stayed there overnight. We returned home the following day and he continued to Mostar,” Hadzic said.

During cross-examination conducted by Prosecutor Vesna Tancica, the witness could not remember any other military operations in 1993, except the one he had mentioned earlier. He could neither remember what he was doing on other days in October 1993.

Witness Edin Kajic, former member of the Reconnaissance Squad with the Dreznica Battalion, told the Trial Chamber how members of his Squad and the Headquarters Physical Security Unit, which also included the indictee, conducted “a simulated attack” in Batacke Lazine in early October.

“We conducted the attack on October 1, 1993. We stayed there for one night and returned to the HQ the day after. On October 2, Kurtovic spent the night at my house as his house was far away. He left my house the following morning, but I do not know where he went,” Kajic said.

Answering Vesna Tancica’s questions, the witness explained that he “thought” the attack was simulated and that it was conducted as a preparation for the operation in Vrdi planned a few days later. He also said that there was no Military Police Squad with the Dreznica Battalion. According to him, Kurtovic was a member of “the Battalion’s Physical Security Unit”.

Last Defence witness Jusuf Cokic, who was member of the Fourth Squad with the Dreznica Battalion, also said that he participated in the operation conducted in Batacke Lazine on October 1, 1993 and that he saw the indictee there.

“We came there to conduct a false attack. We spent the night there and we stayed until noon the following day, before returning to the HQ. Zijo and other members of the Physical Security Unit came there together with us, but I do not know where they went afterwards,” the witness said.

At the next hearing, scheduled for April 24, the evidence presentation process is due to be completed with the Defence presenting its last material evidence followed by additional pieces of evidence shown by both parties.