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Prosecutor Dragan Corlija said that there were grounds for ordering indictee Dzeko into custody, because he had citizenship of the United States of America, USA, so there was a real danger that he might flee from Bosnia and Herzegovina in case he was released to liberty.
Nothing links Edin Dzeko to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The indictees entire family still lives in the United States. Dzekos permanent place of residence is in that country. He has US citizenship. I do not see any reason for why he would stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the event that he was released to liberty, the Prosecutor said.
As he said, in addition to the possible flight, the Prosecution believed that, while at liberty, Dzeko might influence witnesses, particularly those who had asked for protective measures.
The Defence objected to the Prosecutions proposal, saying that not even the basic conditions for ordering Dzeko into custody existed, adding that the allegations that he might flee or influence witnesses were irresponsible and abstract.
During all these years my client has not changed his first and last name. He has been available to prosecution bodies all the time. He did live in the USA, but he agreed to go back to Bosnia and Herzegovina and face the charges, Defence attorney Edina Residovic said, adding that he client had never influenced any witnesses and that none of the witnesses had specifically mentioned his name.
Dzeko, former member of the Zulfikar Special Purposes Squad with the Main Command Headquarters of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, is charged with having participated in the shooting of three members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, who had previously surrendered, and three civilians in Trusina village on April 16, 1993.
Dzeko, who was extradited from the USA in late 2011, is charged in five counts with having participated in the unlawful arrest of nine Croat civilians from Jablanica and their detention in the second half of 1993.
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina will render a decision concerning the custody motion at a later stage.
D.E.
