Gasal et al: Holding a Knife
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Testifying for the Defence of Enes Handzic at the trial of four indictees who are charged with crimes committed against Bosnian Croats in Bugojno, Alkic said Handzic was Assistant Commander for Security with the 307th Motorized Brigade of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH.
“Other people told me about the capture and surrender of Croatian Defence Council, HVO, units. I did not get the information at Brigade briefings. I was not particularly interested in those people, as I came from Donji Vakuf, so I did not know them,” Alkic said.
Handzic, Nisvet Gasal, Musajb Kukavica and Senad Dautovic are charged with crimes committed against Croat civilians and HVO members who were detained in various buildings in the Bugojno area during 1993 and 1994.
The State Prosecution’s indictment alleges that Handzic was Assistant Commander for Security with the 307th Motorized Brigade of the ABiH.
Alkic told the Court he was present in the Marxist Center premises when a person known as “Ceso” talked to detainees, holding a saber or a large knife.
“The detainees were sitting, leaning against the walls. Ceso was crying. He explained to them that an HVO member had killed his son, saying he would slaughter them,” Alkic said, adding that he managed to take Ceso out of the Marxist Center without him hurting anyone.
The witness said there could be 50 or more detainees in the Marxist Center, adding that they were not civilians. He said he found out that they were used as workers, but he did not know where they worked.
Alkic said he did not know that any Croat prisoners had disappeared, but he had heard “some people in the street” saying this some time in September or October 1993.
“The people with whom I worked did not know about this. I was not interested in it. I did not have anything to do with the prison,” the witness said, adding that he visited an acquaintance from Gornji Vakuf when he was in a hospital and he told him nobody had beaten him up.
The trial is due to continue on July 7, when three Defence witnesses will be examined.
