Important Person

Testifying at the trial for crimes in Jablanica, a State Prosecution witness says that indictee Nihad Bojadzic represented “the law” in the compound of “Zulfikar” Squad of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, within the Rogica houses complex.

“He had maximum authority for all the things that happened in Zuka’s compound,” witness Marinko Ljoljo said.

The Defence of Bojadzic, former Deputy Commander of “Zulfikar” Squad, asked the witness why he failed to mention such an important person in his previous statements, or more precisely prior to his statement given to the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2012, the witness explained that the indictee “did not come across my memory”.

When asked if his memories of the events were better before than now, the witness said: “It may be, but not necessarily”.

Ljoljo said that he was brought to Rogica houses complex in Donja Jablanica, along with either other Croats from Jablanica, on September 8, 1993. He said that they were held in a silo in bad conditions before being transferred to a nearby stable. As he said, Marinko Dreznjak, who survived crimes against Croats in Grabovica, was brought soon after that.  

He said that, when he was taken out to perform some labour one day, he saw Nihad shooting towards Dreznjak after having asked him two questions.

He agreed with Defence attorney Vasvija Vidovic, who said that this was a horrible event. She then said that, after having been released in late 1994, the witness gave a statement to the Commission for War Crimes in the Croatian Community of Herceg-Bosna, but he did not mention that event.

“It did not come across my memory,” the witness said.

Vidovic said that, in that statement the witness mentioned certain names and said that “Celo’s, Cedo’s, members of the Handzar Division” were the most brutal criminals.

According to the charges, in September 1993 Bojadzic took a detainee from a building within the “Zulfikar” Squad compound and fired several bullets from a pistol in his direction.

The witness said that the most dangerous situation in which the detainees found themselves happened when grenades began falling while they were near a restaurant in the vicinity of the Rogica houses. Nihad told the soldiers, who guarded the detainees: “Leave them there. Let them kill them”.

The witness said that the detainees stood there “petrified” and that a restaurant cook was wounded on that occasion.  

According to the charges, Bojadzic lined detainees in front of the restaurant and ordered them not to move while grenades were falling. Also, he allegedly ordered guards to keep their guns pointed to them, bringing their lives into direct threat.

Testifying at this hearing, witness Maksim Kujundzic said that he was afraid of Bojadzic after he had told him in “The Battle of Neretva” Museum, where he was detained: “Serb, I shall cut off your head”, because he refused to join the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Kujundzic, former member of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, said Bojadzic had said that to him after having lined detainees in the Museum corridor. Vidovic said that the witness said, during the investigation, that the indictee opened the basement door and told him, while standing at the doorstep: “You stayed in the HVO in order to slaughter Muslims. I shall cut your head off”.

When she asked him to explain the difference, the witness said: “To me, it is the same thing”. According to the charges, Bojadzic said that to the witness in the Museum corridor after having lined detainees up.

The trial is due to continue on December 26.