Bosnian Prisoner Recalls Fathers Disappearance
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Prosecution witness Hasib Prutina told Vlacos war crimes trial on Wednesday that in May 1992, when he was 18 years old, he was first locked up in the Nakina Garaza detention centre and then in Planjina Kuca, when his father disappeared without trace.
He said that when he arrived at Nakina Garaza he saw the defendant Vlaco.
We were abused physically and mentally there by the soldiers and people who came by, he recalled.
He said that he was then sent home but had to report to the Planjina Kuca camp every day, to be sent to do hard labour, and had to spend every third night at the camp.
On two nights, he said, several men were called out and taken away; their bodies have not been found to this day.
On the first occasion my father was taken away too. I have never learnt anything about him. I dont even know where his bones are, Prutina said.
Another prosecution witness, Osman Tiro, confirmed that prisoners were taken away from Planjina Kuca on two occasions and never returned.
Tiro said that on both nights the prisoners heard the sound of beating at the bottom of Planjina Kucas stairwell, then bursts of gunfire from near the train station.
According to the prosecution, Vlaco was the warden of the Bunker, Planjina Kuca, Sonja and Nakina Garaza detention camps in Vogosca, where he established a system to abuse imprisoned civilians.
Prisoners were murdered, tortured and abused, forced to do hard labour and used as human shields. Many of them were killed and dozens are still considered missing.
The trial will resume on September 25.
