Krsmanovic: Burnt in Meho Aljic’s House

Amir Murtic and witnesses Ibrahim Bajic and Sead Karisik said that, later on they found out that they had lost their closest family members, who had been burnt alive in a house in Bikavac village.

“A person, who came to Macedonia under a false name, told me that all people, who were present in Meho Aljic’s house, were set on fire. Women and children were among them,” Amir Murtic said.

As he said, his 82-year old mother, brother’s wife, uncle, aunt, niece and her child died on that day. All of them had previously lived in Gostilja village.

Krsmanovic, former member of the Second Podrinje Light Infantry Brigade with the Republika Srpska Army, is charged with having participated in the murder of about 70 Bosniak civilians in Bikavac village and other murders, rape and forcible disappearances of the Bosniak population from Visegrad.

Murtid and the two other witnesses said that they had previously left their houses and Visegrad town for security reasons, after having heard about the taking away and beating of Bosniak men.

“Soldiers used to come and chase men. The men were then beaten up. The soldiers’ faces were painted or covered with stockings. Those were some ‘white eagles’,” said witness Sead Karisik.

As he said, Zehra, the only woman who managed to escape from the house, confirmed to him that his six-year old son and wife Zlatija had been burnt in the house in Bikavac.

Witness Ibrahim Bajic confirmed that his closest family members had been burnt in Bikavac as well. He lost his wife, mother, daughter and two-year old granddaughter Elma.

“They first went to my daughter Ramiza’s in the town, but they were detained in the school building. After that they went to that village. About ten days later I heard that they were set on fire. I did not know who did it,” Bajic said.

Just like he did at the previous hearing, when witnesses testified about the events that took place in Bikavac, the indictee conveyed his condolences to the witnesses and expressed hope that the perpetrators would be identified.

The trial of Krsmanovic is due to continue on May 15, when new witnesses are supposed to testify about the crime in Bikavac village. M.T.