Jevic et al: Markovic’s Order to Kill

6. December 2010.16:08
A Prosecution witness testifies at the trial of four indictees charged with genocide committed in Srebrenica and says indictee Goran Markovic ordered a member of his Squad to kill a man whom they met on the road in July 1995. Tomislav Krstovic, former squad commander with the Jahorina Training Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, MUP RS, said his unit searched the area where a column of Bosniaks had passed on their way to Tuzla in July 1995, adding that indictee Markovic ordered a squad member to kill a man whom they found.

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“We took a path alongside a power level line which those people had previously taken. We came across a uniformed man. He looked at us. He was alive. At that moment Goran Markovic ordered Aleksa Golijan to kill him. Golijan shot him,” Krstovic said.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Dusko Jevic, former Commander of the Training Center, Mendeljev Djuric and Nedjo Ikonic, company commanders and Goran Markovic, former squad commander, with genocide committed in Srebrenica in July 1995.

The indictment alleges that, on July 17 and 18, 1995, members of the Training Center participated, “as per the indictees’ orders and under their supervision”, in the search of a forest along the road leading from Bratunac to Konjevic polje with the aim of finding and executing Bosniaks.

It further alleges that on that occasion A.G. killed a prisoner, carrying out Markovic’s order.

Witness Krstovic said that prior to executing this order, members of the Jahorina Training Center went to the Agricultural Cooperative in Kravica, adding he did not personally see the murder of Srebrenica residents, but he heard shooting, explosions, cries and shouting coming from the hangar.

“As far as our chieftains are concerned, my Company Commander Djuric came with us. He said we were going to replace those people as they needed to rest. I do not know whether we replaced our colleagues or members of the Second Special Police Squad from Sekovici,” Krstovic said.

The witness recognised indictees Mendeljev Djuric, Dusko Jevic, Goran Markovic and Nedjo Ikonic in the courtroom. They are charged with having participated in the murders committed in Kravica, where more than 1,000 men were allegedly shot on July 13 and 14.

Krstovic said that they arrived in Kravica in the evening hours, adding they were deployed alongside the road, across the hangar, but he did not see members of the Training Center taking part in the murders.

“I did not see anyone shooting. No members of my Squad received an order to kill. I was convinced that it was done by members of Sekovici Squad,” Krstovic said.

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina previously sentenced a number of members of the Second Special Police Squad from Sekovici for participating in the murders.

“I do not know how long we stayed there. I do not remember how long the shooting, explosions and cries lasted… Perhaps three or four hours,” the witness recalled.

The Prosecutor will continue examining this witness on December 13. On Thursday, December 9, members of the Trial Chamber and the parties to the proceedings are scheduled to visit the locations in Srebrenica and Bratunac where the events described in the indictment took place.

 

Marija Taušan


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