Koricanske stijene: Two More Suspects Arrested

The State Investigation and Protection Agency, SIPA, has arrested Petar Civcic and Branko Topola on suspicion that they participated, with other members of the Police Interventions Squad and the Territorial Defence from Prijedor, in the shooting of more than 200 civilians from Prijedor at Koricanske stijene on Mount Vlasic on August 21, 1992.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which issued the arrest warrant for Civcic and Topola, announced that its investigators and SIPA members will search three buildings owned by the indictees, as well as the premises of the Public Safety Station in Prijedor “considering the fact that suspect Civcic is an active police officer”.

A competent prosecutor will examine the suspects and then make a decision on the eventual filing of a custody order motion.

Damir Ivankovic, a former member of the Emergency Interventions Squad with the Public Safety Station in Prijedor, previously admitted guilt for the crime at Koricanske stijene. After this admission he was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

The trial of seven indictees charged with the same crime is underway before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The trial of Sasa Zecevic and Radoslav Knezevic is expected to begin soon. The indictment against the two men was confirmed on July 14, 2009.

Zecevic was arrested on July 1 this year, following Damir Ivankovic’s testimony for the Prosecution. Prior to his arrest he was an active policeman in Prijedor.