Karadzic: Supreme Commander
This post is also available in: Bosnian
According to Manojlo Milovanovic, in the period from 1992 to 1995 Karadzic was higher in rank than Ratko Mladic, former Chief of the VRS Main Headquarters and, as such, indirectly responsible, through Mladic, for all of the operations conducted by VRS.
Milovanovic, who was Mladic’s Deputy during the course of the war, said that, in the spring of 1992 paramilitary units commanded by Zeljko Raznatovic, known as Arkan, were active in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Chetniks in Sarajevo, adding that the VRS gave them an ultimatum to put themselves under its command or leave RS.
The witness said that Zeljko Raznatovic’s units left Bosnia and Herzegovina, while some other units were forced to leave. While saying that he was not present in Bosnia and Herzegovina prior to May 1992, Milovanovic said that he learned from the media that Raznatovic committed crimes, but it happened outside of the country private terrorism.
Milovanovic testified that Karadzic did not deny having invited Raznatovic to come back to Republika Srpska during a Bosniak-Croat offensive in the summer of 1995. As he said, Raznatovic beat up some VRS officers.
I asked Raznatovic as per whose order he had come. He said: ‘As per an order issued by the supreme commander’. When I asked Karadzic if he issued the order to him, Karadzic did not say anything, Milovanovic said.
Karadzic, former President of RS and supreme commander of VRS, is charged with genocide against more than 7,000 Bosniak men from Srebrenica, persecution of Bosniaks and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, terror against civilians in Sarajevo through a shelling and sniping campaign and taking members of international peace forces hostages. Mladic is awaiting the start of his trial before The Hague tribunal for crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The cross-examination of Drazen Erdemovic, former member of the Tenth Reconnaissance Squad of VRS, was completed at this hearing. Erdemovic admitted, before The Hague Tribunal, having participated in the murder of several hundreds of Bosniaks on Branjevo military farm in July 1995. He was sentenced to five years in prison.
During the cross-examination of Erdemovic Karadzic suggested that the French intelligence service paid members of the VRS, who shot more than 1,000 Bosniaks from Srebrenica on Branjevo farm, in gold.
My thesis is that the gold came from abroad with the aim of doing the things that were done. The liquidations and executions in July 1995. The gold originated from a secret service, which was associated with your group, Karadzic said.
Witness Erdemovic responded by saying that he did not hear about it.
The trial of Karadzic is due to be continued on Wednesday, February 29, when Manojlo Milovanovic will continue testifying.R.M.
