Custody for Goran Saric Ordered

State Prosecutor Munib Halilovic said that, by staying at liberty, Saric might flee or influence witnesses and accomplices, adding that the public order and peace would be disturbed as well.

The Defence of Saric objected to the custody motion, asking the Court to order prohibiting measures against the suspect.

Prosecutor Halilovic said that the 32 witnesses, who were examined during the investigation, “confirmed” that Saric was Chief of the Serb Public Safety Station in Centar, Sarajevo in June 1992 and that he participated in an attack against the civilian population from Nahorevo.

“Saric participated in a widespread systematic attack against the civilian population. Civilians from Nahorevo were killed and detained and they forcibly disappeared. In the end all of them were forced to go to the territories controlled by the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Halilovic said.

The Prosecutor said that, considering the fact that Saric was also Commander of the Special Police Brigade of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, MUP of RS during the war, he had “relations and influence” that could enable him to flee to Serbia or influence witnesses and accomplices.

Saric’s Defence said that the suspect did not have Serbian citizenship, adding that he retired in 1999, so he “has not had much influence in police circles during the past decade”.

“I knew about this investigation for a long period of time, but I did not leave Bosnia and Herzegovina. I live here. I travel across the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and communicate with everybody. I have no intention to flee,” suspect Saric said.

The State Investigation and Protection Agency, SIPA arrested Goran Saric in Bijeljina on November 2 this year due to a suspicion that he committed crimes in Sarajevo area in 1992.

D.Dz.