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Redzo Poturovic, who testified as joint witness of the Defence of Hakalovic and Nihad Bojadzic, told the Court that he was in his house in Trusina when he heard shooting. After coming out of his house, he saw ABiH soldiers, who, as he found out soon, were members of the “Zulfikar” Unit, and joined them.
As he said, while walking with them, he met Seid Padalovic, former Commander of “Tigrovi” Unit of ABiH, who ordered him to go to the nearby Gostovic village in order to pick up some ammunition. After having carried out the order, the witness went back to the village, where he met Sead Hakalovic, indictee Senad’s brother.
Responding to Prosecutor Vesna Budimir’s questions, the witness said that he was not present in Gaj hamlet during the attack and that he did not know which soldiers were there. Poturovic said that it was known to him that Ivan Drljo, Zeljko Blazevic and Zdravko Drljo were shot.
Senad Hakalovic, former member of “Neretvica” Brigade, is charged with having told Ivan Drljo, known as Crni, whom he had known since childhood, to go to the village together with two unknown soldiers and invite some local residents to come. After he had come to Gaj hamlet with them, they were shot.
According to the charges, 18 Croat civilians and four captured members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, were killed during an attack by ABiH on Trusina village on April 16, 1993.
The witness said that he heard that soldier Samko, who died after having been wounded in Trusina, had led the “Zulfikar” Unit.
The indictment alleges that Bojadzic, former Deputy Commander of “Zulfikar” Unit, ordered his soldiers to attack Trusina and told them that nobody should stay alive in the village. It further alleges that he commanded the attack via communication tools from a nearby hill.
Indictee Zulfikar Alispago examined the witness too. Trial Chamber Chairwoman Zeljka Marenic warned him by saying that his questions had nothing to do with his command responsibility.
The Chairwoman then prohibited him from examining the witness any further. The indictee responded by saying that he would leave the courtroom. He then did with Marenic’s permission.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Alispago, former Commander of “Zulfikar” Unit, with having failed to undertake the necessary and reasonable measures to punish his subordinates, who had committed the crime.
Mustafa Hakalovic, a second witness, who testified in defence of Hakalovic and Bojadzic, said that he did not see indictee Hakalovic on April 16, 1993.
As he said, his task was to conquer a hill above Trusina along with other soldiers. He said that they executed the task. The witness, indictee Hakalovic’s close relative, said that he did not see HVO soldiers on Kriz hill.
Hakalovic, Bojadzic and Alispago are on trial, along with Mensur Memic, Dzevad Salcin and Nedzad Hodzic, former members of the “Zulfikar” Unit, for having committed crimes in Trusina.
The trial is due to continue on June 10.
