Memic et al: Zuka’s Unit
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Prosecution witness Sefko Poturovic told the Court he saw “about 20 soldiers, dressed in camouflage uniforms”, in Brdo hamlet, near Trusina in Konjic municipality, adding that he then heard shooting coming from the direction of Krese, Gaj and Sahici hamlets while he was in the basement of a house.
“I saw the soldiers when I was going from my family house to the basement of Zejnil Gostovic’s house, where there were some other people as well. They had some bands around their arms and black marks on their faces. They passed by the house. I did not know any of them, but the village residents said later on that those were Zuka’s men,” Poturovic said, adding that, while in the basement, he heard “fierce shooting and shouting”, but nobody could see what was going on.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina has charged Mensur Memic, Dzevad Salcin, Senad Hakalovic, Nedzad Hodzic, Nihad Bojadzic and Zulfikar Alispago with the murder of 18 civilians and four members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, in Trusina village on April 16, 1993.
Zulfikar Alispago, former Commander of the “Zulfikar” Special Purposes Squad with the Main Command of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Headquarters, is charged with having failed to punish his subordinates who took part in the murder of civilians and soldiers. The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina considers that Bojadzic, former Deputy Commander of the same Squad, ordered the attack on the village.
Memic, Salcin and Hodzic were members of the Special Purposes Squad, while Hakalovic was a member of the “Neretvica” 45th Mountain Brigade with the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The witness said that people living in Brdo hamlet found out about the victims in the Bosnian Croat hamlets of Krese and Gaj only two or three days after the attacks.
“We knew they were civilians and older people and women. I felt horrible. (…) People said that Zuka’s Unit had done it. Later on I heard that a person named Semko led the Unit and then died after having been wounded during the attack,” Poturovic said, adding he did not see members of “Zuka’s Unit” in the village after the attack.
During the course of cross-examination by the Defence teams, the witness said that Bosniaks were surrounded by HVO forces in Trusina village, adding that nobody “could guarantee their safety” if they wanted to leave the village.
“Prior to April 16 Muslims were surrounded. They could leave the village on foot only, but this was a risky undertaking. This was why the village residents were scared,” the witness recalled.
The trial is due to continue on October 4, 2010.
D.S.
