Terzic: Presentation of Defence Evidence Completed

The Defence of the indictee invited AB1 and AB2, who previously testified for the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in order to present them with their statements given at the trial of Ferid Halilovic in 1997.

Witness AB2 was presented with a statement he gave before the Basic Court in Modrica. In that statement he did not mention indictee Albina Terzic, when he described how he was sexually abused in the school building in Odzak.

“I think I did not mention Albina Terzic. This happened at the trial of Ferid Halilovic. I spoke about the events, which he attended,” said protected witness AB2, who testified for the Prosecution in October 2011.

Ferid Halilovic, former guard in the detention camp in Odzak, was sentenced, under a second instance verdict, to 15 years in prison for crimes in Odzak.

The Defence attorney presented witness AB2 with an interview he had given to a daily newspaper. During the interview the witness, whose identity was not protected, spoke about raped women and girls from Odzak. The mentioned article says, among other things, that a woman named Adisa Hodzic-Mehic was present, when he was sexually abused.

Witness AB2 confirmed that he did not mention indictee Terzic in that interview, because the investigation against her was still underway. However, he said that he did not mention Adisa Hodzic-Mehic to the journalist.

Albina Terzic, known as Nina, former member of Military Police with the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, is charged with having treated Serb civilians, who were unlawfully detained in the school building and Strolit factory in Odzak, in an inhumane manner from May to July 1992.

According to the charges, Terzic hit prisoners on their necks, shoulders and heads with a police baton, slapped them encouraged a dog to attack them, tortured, abused, humiliated and insulted them in various way, including by forcing prisoners to have sexual intercourse.

Protected witness AB1 was examined as Defence witness at this hearing. He testified for the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina on January 17, 2012. Witness AB1 said that he knew mentally disabled woman Stoja Stankovic by her last name only.

Defence attorney Ljubic presented the witness with his statement given at the trial of Ferid Halilovic in 1997. In that statement the witness gave a different last name of Stoja. AB1 was not able to remember what he said in 1997.

The trial is due to continue on June 5 this year.