Kornjaca et al: Lying as Dogs

Hamdo Hurlov told the Court that he met indictee Kornjaca, whom he had known from before the war, in front of the Cultural Centre in Cajnice in April 1992 and that the indictee ordered one young man to take the witness to Mostina.

“Milun Kornjaca was dressed in uniform. He said: ‘Take him. He was the most dangerous guy in reserve police forces’. I was taken to Mostina and detained in a container. I saw a group of soldiers standing around the container,” witness Hurlov said.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Milun Kornjaca, Milorad Zivkovic and Dusko Tadic with the persecution of Bosniaks from Cajnice area and the murder of 11 civilians at Mostina on May 19, 1992.

The indictment alleges that Kornjaca was Commander of “Plavi orlovi” (“Blue Eagles”) paramilitary unit, Tadic was member of that unit and Zivkovic was Chief of the Public Safety Station in Cajnice and member of the Crisis Committee of the Cajnice municipality.

Witness Hurlov said that indictee Kornjaca once took him to a location about seven kilometres away from Mostina.

“Kornjaca left me and two other persons lying under the eaves as dogs. He kicked me on the lower part of my back,” the witness said, adding that they were then taken back to Mostina, where they were beaten up.

The witness said that indictee Kornjaca commanded the soldiers, who were present at Mostina, and that indictee Zivkovic came to Mostina several times as well.

Hurlov was not able to specify how many days he spent at Mostina, but he said that he left Cajnice on April 20.

“The fact that my name is Hamdo and that I am a Muslim was the only reason why this happened to me,” the witness said.

Kornjaca on one hand and Zivkovic and Tadic on the other are on separate trials before the State Court, but joint witnesses are examined at the same hearings due to better efficiency of the proceedings.

The trial is due to continue on January 16 this year.