Memic et al: Zuka’s Soldiers
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Muamer Huseinbegovic, former member of the Third Battalion with the 45th Brigade of ABiH, said that he and his soldiers were in the Brigade’s Command, which was located in the school building in Parsovici village, near Trusina, on April 15, 1993, when Zuka’s soldiers arrived in SUVs and a truck.
I saw soldiers, so I asked who they were. I found out that they were Zuka’s soldiers. I did not see Bojadzic in Parsovici, the witness said, adding that this was the only time he saw those soldiers.
Huseinbegovic told the Court that he knew indictee Bojadzic at the time and that they worked together in the Army after the war.
Speaking about Trusina, the witness said that the only thing he knew was that an armed conflict between ABiH and the Croatian Defence Council, HVO happened in that village and that he heard that Commander of, I guess, Zuka’s soldiers got killed.
Huseinbegovic said that, while the attack on Trusina was underway, he and his soldiers participated in the liberation of the road between Parsovici and Buturovic polje. As he said, after having fulfilled their combat task, he and his soldiers went back to the Command in Parsovici, which they left a short time later.
Besides Bojadzic, the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Mensur Memic, Dzevad Salcin, Senad Hakalovic, Nedzad Hodzic and Zulfikar Alispago, known as Zuka, with the murder of 18 civilians and four members of HVO in Trusina village on April 16, 1993.
According to the charges, Memic, Salcin and Hodzic, former members of Zulfikar Special Squad with the Main Command Headquarters of ABiH, and Hakalovic, former member of Neretvica 45th Brigade of ABiH, participated in the attack on Trusina and murder of civilians and prisoners of war.
The indictment alleges that Bojadzic, the then Deputy Commander of Zulfikar Squad, commanded the attack. Alispago, former Commander of the Squad, is charged with having failed to punish the soldiers, who committed the murders.
Sead Hodzic, main Defence attorney of indictee Alispago, did not attend the hearing today. The Trial Chamber informed the participants that he resigned from representing the indictee. Alispago was represented by additional Defence attorney Bajro Cilic. The indictee said that he would inform the Court about the selection of a new main Defence attorney at a later stage.
Alispago asked the Trial Chamber to appoint Cilic as his ex-officio Defence attorney, because, as he said, I can no longer pay him.
The trial is due to continue on Monday, February 27. A.J.
