Decision on Extension of Custody for Nedzad Hodzic

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina has charged Nedzad Hodzic and Dzevad Salcin with crimes against the civilian population and prisoners of war in 1993.

“We are requesting the custody measure due to a danger that he might flee,” Prosecutor Ibro Bulic said, adding that the indictee has dual citizenship and personal identification cards issued in the Republic of Serbia.

He mentioned that Hodzic received war veterans disability benefits, which he “can receive anywhere in the world”, adding that he only had a temporary residence in Sarajevo.

According to the charges, Hodzic and Salcin, former members of the “Zulfikar” Special Purposes Squad with the Main Command Headquarters of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, committed crimes against Serb detainees, who were held in the “Silos” and “Krupa” detention camps, Hadzici municipality, as well as Croat victims in “Musala” detention camp in Konjic. Detainees were taken from the detention camps to Mount Igman.

The Defence of Hodzic objected to the custody extension motion.

“My client is not capable of participating in the trial. He is in a vegetated state. Court experts persistently claim that he is trying to hide the facts. As an honourable man, you, judge, can see that he is not capable of moving,” Defence attorney Midhat Koco said.

He said that Hodzic had given up his Serbian citizenship in 1997, but he had not been able to complete the entire procedure, because he could not travel to Serbia. As far as the temporary residence is concerned, the Defence says that it will be solved in case the indictee is released from custody.

Responding to questions by preliminary hearing judge Ljubomir Kitic, Hodzic denied that John Wayne, Johnny and Necko were his nicknames, adding that he “thinks” that he was married and had two children.

The Court will render a decision concerning the custody motion at a later stage.

Hodzic is on trial, in a separate case, along with five other ABiH members, for crimes committed in Trusina village, near Konjic. The presentation of Defence’s evidence is currently underway at that trial. The trial began in June 2010.