Dzeko Facing Judiciary

Dzeko, former member of “Zulfikar” Unit with the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, said that he was shocked by the charges for crimes against Croats from Jablanica, where he came, along with a group of comrades, in late April 1993.

Responding to questions by Defence attorney Vasvija Vidovic, the indictee said that he did not participate in the arrest of Mirko and Marko Zelenika, Miroslav Sokol, Marinko Ljolja and protected witness J-3, who previously testified for the Prosecution of BiH.

The indictment charges Dzeko with having participated in the unlawful arrest of nine Croat civilians and their detention in a silo within the Rogica houses complex on September 8, 1993.

As he said, when three Croats from Jablanica were arrested, he was just a driver.

I was standing next to the car, while Popara and the Zuti guy went to bring the person. (…) They brought them to Rogica houses and handed them over to the Working Squad,” he explained, adding that he received an order to do it and that he did not consider it unlawful.

The indictee did not accept the allegation that he forced and threatened witness Mirko Zelenika to give him 3,500 Marks and that he beat Sokol.

“If that thing happened to Miroslav Sokol, he mixed me up with somebody else,” Dzeko said, adding that he companied with his sister and brother-in-law in Jablanica after the war.

Dzeko also denied the allegation that he ordered the hitting of protected witness J-2 with wooden bars and concrete blocks in Rogica houses complex, where the “Zulfikar” Unit’s base was.  

“Honourable Court, I have never done that,” he said.  

As he said, “the Handzar Division” commanded by Arslan Peci, known as Dzeki, was situated within Rogica houses complex. The Unit became part of “Zulfikar” Squad in September 1993.

“People mixed me up with Dzeki many times,” the indictee said.

He said that he went to the United States of America in 2001, adding that the job he performed included security checks.

“We had to pass all the checks by the US authorities,” he said.  

After Bosnia and Herzegovina had sent an extradition request, he firmly decided to come to Bosnia and face the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its Prosecution.

“I arbitrarily signed a paper that I would go to Bosnia and Herzegovina. I know that I did not commit any unlawful things during the war,” he said.

At the beginning of his testimony on December 10 Dzeko denied the allegations that he participated in the murder of Croats in Trusina village, near Konjic, on April 16, 1993.

Prosecutor Vesna Ilic will examine the indictee at the next hearing scheduled for January 14 next year.