Karadzic: 702 Bodies of Srebrenica Residents on Ground Surface
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Janc specified that the bodies were found alongside a route, which was taken by a convoy of several thousands of Bosniaks, who were walking through the woods towards Tuzla in an attempt to break through the ring formed by the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, which occupied the United Nations, UN protected enclave on July 11, 1995.
Karadzic, the then President of Republika Srpska, RS and Supreme Commander of VRS, is charged with genocide against more than 7,000 Bosniaks, who were shot by Bosniak Serb forces in the days that followed the occupation of Srebrenica.
Besides that, the indictee is charged with persecuting Bosniaks and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, terrorising civilians in Sarajevo by long-lasting shelling and sniping activities and taking UNPROFOR soldiers hostages in the period from 1992 to 1995.
The indictee, who represents himself at this trial, has said frequently, during his trial, that Bosniaks, who were killed in battles around Srebrenica in July 1995 and during the previous wartime years, were among the people, whose bodies were buried in the mass graves.
However, Slovenian policeman Janc pointed out that 702 bodies were not found in mass graves, adding that those persons were left after having been killed and never buried.
The witness said that, according to his records, the International Commission for the Missing Persons, ICMP had identified 5,977 victims from Srebrenica until the end of last year, while the identity of another 260 victims could not be determined due to the non-existence of DNA samples from their families.
Testifying at the trial of Karadzic last week, ICMP Forensic Director Thomas Parsons presented the latest identification results, saying that the names of 6,606 were known, while the identity of another 166 persons was still unknown due to the non-existence of DNA samples that could be compared to their DNA.
Witness Janc described how the links between primary and secondary graves, to which VRS transferred bodies of victims in the fall of 1995 with the aim of hiding evidence about crimes committed in Srebrenica, were established. As an example, he said that five body parts belonging to the same person were exhumed from two different mass graves.
The fact that brothers, and in some cases even twins, who had identical DNA profiles were among the killed people was one of the things that made the establishment of links between different body parts and identification of victims from primary and secondary graves more difficult, Janc said, adding that four brothers from one family were on the list of identified victims.
During the cross-examination Karadzic suggested that the task of the witness was to secure support to the indictment. Janc confirmed the allegation. When asked how he could determine the dates of death of the victims and link them with the fall of Srebrenica in July 1995, the witness said that he did that on the basis of a myriad of pieces of evidence and findings of experts, who participated in the investigation.
After Janc had confirmed that bullet capsules were found in some of the mass graves, Karadzic asked if capsules fell into the trench from which the bullets are fired or at the target location. The witness responded by saying that, when fire was opened, capsules actually spread out everywhere.
Karadzic is due to complete cross-examining Janc on March 28.
R.M.
