Memic et al: Solving Crimes

20. September 2011.13:20
Testifying at the trial of six former members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a State Prosecution witness says that the Safety Services Center in Mostar did not receive any written official information about the crime that happened in Trusina, Konjic municipality in the spring of 1993. Ramo Maslesa, former Chief of the Safety Services Center, CSB in Mostar, said that he found out about the Trusina crime through unofficial channels, adding that he was actually told about the crime by Hasan Hakalovic, former Commander of the 45th Mountain Brigade with the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a few months after the crime had been committed.

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“He gave me information about the crimes committed in Trusina. Hakalovic was interested in solving those crimes,” Maslesa said.

Witness Maslesa said that CSB Mostar policemen did not become involved in the activities aimed at solving the crime, adding that the military security bodies of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina did not ask them to provide operational support in those activities.

The witness said that the military security bodies with the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the level of the 45th Mountain Brigade, Fourth Corps and Main Command had received information about the crimes committed in Trusina.

“The military security bodies were supposed to conduct an investigation. (…) Civil police did not have jurisdiction over members of the Army ofBosnia and Herzegovina,” witness Maslesa said.

The State Prosecution charges the murder of 18 civilians and four members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO committed in Trusina village on April 16, 1993 upon Mensur Memic, known as Menta, Dzevad Salcin, known as Struja, Senad Hakalovic, Nedzad Hodzic, Nihad Bojadzic and Zulfikar Alispago, known as Zuka.

The indictment alleges that Memic, Salcin and Hodzic, former members of the “Zulfikar” Special Squad, and Hakalovic, former member of “Neretvica” 45th Mountain Brigade, participated in the attack on Trusina and murder of civilians and prisoners of war. It further alleges that the attack was commanded by Bojadzic, the then Deputy Commander of the “Zulfikar” Squad.

Indictee Alispago, former Commander of that Squad, is charged with having failed to punish the soldiers who participated in the murders.

Second State Prosecution witness Amir Begic said that he was Chief of the Crime Section with the Public Safety station in Konjic in April 1993, adding that he did not have information about the crimes in Trusina, but about a conflict between the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina and HVO.

Begic said that Hasan Hakalovic did not contact him in regard to the crimes in that village.

The trial is due to continue on September 26 this year.

Amer Jahić


This post is also available in: Bosnian