Karajic: Following the trail of blood

Protected witness M told the Court how on 27 December 1994, Suljo Karajic took her father Hasib from the house in Donja Lucka settlement. She found hisbody only eight years later.

”I remember the date by the fact that he never returned. Around 12 o’clock at night (midnight) they started slamming everywhere. First to enter was Mister Suljo Karajic known as Hodza. He told father to come with them. He hit him withhis foot and blood started to flow. He said: ”Tie him up” and took my father outside the house. The next day, my mother followed the trail of blood all the way to the road”, stated the witness who gave her statement from the other room with her face altered on the screen.

The prosecution believes that Karajic as a military police platoon commander in the Fifth Corp of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, during 1994 and 1995 committed war crimes against the civilian population and prisoners of war in the wider area around Bihac.

Amongst other things, he is charged for hitting and taking away from a house in Donja Lucka, a person which he then murdered in Bare settlement, in December 1995.

M stated that after a couple of the days, two kids arrived at their home and they said that on that same night Karajic took their mother away with the threat that he will ”kill her as he killed Hasib”.

The second witness heard by Prosecution, under the code D, stated to the Court that during the winter 1994 in a place called Todorovo, in a medical station in which she was working at, Karajic beat her up.

”He asked me who I am and than he introduced himself. Then he slapped me. First he hit me with his fist and after that with his cane. He was mainly hitting my head asking me to admit something. Up today I do not know what I was asked to admit.”

The witness added that the beatings lasted ”longer than half an hour”, after which, accompanied by Karajic and two other soldiers she went to her house in order for them to search it.

”They did not found anything. Karajic hit me in my head several times and told me not to go far from the house,” stated the witness.

The beating of witness D was described in one of the ten points contained in the indictment against Karajic.

Witness Bajro Rizvic stated that by the end of 1994, he was a chief and later on commander of the Civil Defence with the Fifth Corp.

Rizvic stated how on one occasion, passing by a certain garage, he saw Karajic and other people beating Juso Dizdarevic.

”I did not hold on there. Speed is speed and fear is fear. I did not try to help him. For me to go in with my bare hands and try to persuade Suljo Karajic and his men? There is no logic in that. Who am I? Just an ordinary peasant to beg such a figure, like a soldier. I was afraid to end up like Dizdarevic, I was afraid of Suljo Karajic”, stated Rizvic.

The trial continues on 2 October when the Prosecution is planning to hear four new witnesses.