Silos: Civilian or Prisoner of War
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During the cross-examination witness Regoja said that he obtained a rifle in April 1992, but he handed it over on May 30, 1992, when he was requested to do it.
I took the rifle, because I assumed that pillaging and the abuse of my family would happen. I was not given any command to fight. I was taken away from my house twice as a civilian, said the witness, who spent more than 1,300 days in detention facilities.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Mustafa Djelilovic, Fadil Covic, Mirsad Sabic, Nezir Kazic, Becir Hujic, Halid Covic, Serif Mesanovic and Nermin Kalember with crimes committed in the Silos detention camp, Krupa military barracks and the 9. maj school building.
The indictment alleges that Kazic was Commander of the 9th Mountain Brigade of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH and Kalember was a guard.
The Defence of indictee Kazic asked witness Regoja whether he was a prisoner of war in the period from 1992 to 1996, as indicated in one document. The witness responded by saying that he probably was.
When asked by Prosecutor Marjan Pogacnik if he could explain what a prisoner of war was, the witness said he could not.
Regoja said that some detainees were killed while performing labour on Mount Igman and in the Hrasnica area.
’Jadranko Glavas was killed on Mount Igman. He was beaten by the Muslim Army. Milomir Petric was killed there too. He was forced to run and he stepped on a mine. Milan Krstic was shot in the Hrasnica area, the witness said.
When asked by Dusko Tomic, Defence attorney of indictee Kalember, whether the indictee beat him, Regoja answered negatively.
During a hearing held on November 7 the witness said that Kalember forced a detainee to perform push-ups. Tomic told the witness that he did not mention Kalember in one of his previous statements, but the witness said that he did not know what the mentioned statement said.
Regoja said that representatives of the Red Cross visited detainees in Silos, adding that he saw representatives of the United Nations, UN in Krupa.
I saw the UN in Krupa. I know that they guaranteed us safety, although it meant nothing when they left, Regoja said.
The trial is due to continue on November 14, when a new State Prosecution witness will be examined.
S.U.
