Memic et al: Shooting in Trusina

“Women were taken behind a house, I guess when they wanted to shoot the men”, said Drljo, which began her testimony of December 16 this year, when she said that her husband Franjo was among those killed.

Mensur Memic, Nedzad Hodzic, Nihad Bojadzic, Dzevad Salcin, Senad Hakalovic and Zulfikar Alispago are charged with the murder of 18 civilians and four HVO members in Trusina village on April 16, 1993.

The indictment alleges that Memic, Salcin and Hodzic, former members of the “Zulfikar” Special Purposes Squad with the Main Command Headquarters of ABiH, and Hakalovic, former member of the “Neretvica” 45th Mountain Brigade, participated in the attack on Trusina and murder of civilians and prisoners of war.

According to the charges, Bojadzic, the then Deputy Commander of “Zulfikar” Squad, commanded the attack, while Alispago, former Commander of that Squad, is charged with having failed to sanction the soldiers, who participated in the shooting.

Witness Drljo added that she could not see who shot the men from the village, but that she recognised the son of Zaim Hakalovic among the soldiers who came that day to village Trusina, but he did not know his name. “I recognised him because he resembled to his father”, explained Drljo.

After the men were shot, as the witness said, women and children headed towards the hill at “Kriz” and they carried weapons with them.

“I was given a rifle. I do not know how many of us were, but everyone was carrying some weapons”, said Drljo.

Answering the question of Alispago’s Defence whether it is true that in one of her earlier statements given to the State Prosecutor’s Office the witness said that one woman was among soldiers who came to the village, the witness said it was, but that she did not know anything about her.

“I only know that men are dead and they’re gone. I do not know what you will ask me anymore”, the witness said.

The continuation of the trial is scheduled for December 23, 2011.