Trained by Indictee

Witness Stanko Primorac said that, after having joined HOS in 1992, he met indictee Herceg, who was in charge of training soldiers. He said that he used to meet the indictee in Ljubuski as well and that they spoke about trainings.

“His task was to train volunteers at the camp. At least one third of members of my unit underwent training conducted by Srecko,”the witness said, adding that the indictee did not have any command functions in Dretelj.

According to the witness’ testimony, a Cosic, also known as Dida, used to appear at meetings in the capacity of Dretelj Commander.

Herceg, Ivan Zelenika, Edib Buljubasic, Ivan Medic and Marina Grubisic-Fejzic are charged with crimes committed in Dretelj. The indictment alleges that they participated in forcing detainees to perform hard labour and torturing them.

It further alleges that Zelenika is a former HOS officer, Herceg was Commander of Dretelj, Buljubasic was deputy Commander of the military barracks in Dretelj, while Medic and Grubisic-Fejzic were guards.

Primorac said that following the murder of the then HOS Commander Blaz Kraljevic in August 1992, he took over his function. At that time he found out about detainees being held in Dretelj.

“Those people were taken for an exchange soon,” he said, adding that Herceg did not participate in the handover of detainees.

Primorac was also examined as indictee Buljubasic’s Defence witness. He said that Buljubasic was one of the commanders in Dretelj, but he did not know his exact role.

“You were my colonel and my idol. If a war broke out again, I would be your soldier,” indictee Buljubasic told the witness at the end of his examination.

The witness said that he did not know indictees Zelenika and Grubisic-Fejzic, adding that he heard about them from the media.

Testifying in defence of the first indictee at this hearing, witness Miljenko Milos said that he was President of the Croatian Party of Rights, HSP, in the Mostar area in 1992.

Milos told the Court that the Party’s seat was located within the military hospital complex, where the Army was situated too. He said that he sometimes watched HOS members being lined up. He said that he had never seen Zelenika lining soldiers up at that location.

“I have known Ivan from before the war. I know that he was doing some repairs there,” the witness said.

The trial is due to continue on January 21.