Chanting Ezan on a Stump
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Witness Mustafa Andelija, former member of the “Zulfikar” Special Purposes Squad with the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, said that Serb captives were held in buildings on Mount Igman.
As he said, Dragan Vukovic, known as Vojvoda, was held in a separate room, while the others, about ten of them were held in another room. He explained that Vukovic was in a separate room, because everybody said that he “introduced himself as Chetnik”.
Andelija said that indictee Nedzad Hodzic was a member of the “Zulfikar” Unit and that he was privileged on Mount Igman.
“On one occasion I saw Nedzad in a car, passing by the building, where Dragan Vukovic was held. He called his name out in a raised voice. The man went out of the room, stood on a stump and began chanting Ezan,” Andelija said.
He said that he heard that Nedzad Hodzic forced captives, members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, to have oral sex with each other and Dragan Vukovic to hit an HVO member.
According to the State Prosecution’s charges, Nedzad Hodzic and Dzevad Salcin, former members of “Zulfikar” Special Purposes Squad with the Supreme Command Headquarters of ABiH, tortured, beat and sexually abused prisoners, cut parts of their bodies, intimidated them and participated in other inhumane acts on Mount Igman.
Witness Andelija said that he heard that indictee Dzevad Salcin, known as Struja, cut Dragan Vukovic’s upper ear off with a knife.
“Struja cut his ear off, while they were on a plateau, preparing a military transporter, which was due to go to the field in Konjic,” the witness said.
When asked by Kerim Celik, Defence attorney of Salcin, what the indictee’s personality was like, the witness said that he was a good man as long as he did not consume alcohol.
“He is a worthy and nice man, but all those characteristics disappeared when he consumed alcohol,” he said.
The trial of Hodzic and Salcin formally began anew due to a change in the composition of the Trial Chamber. Judge Enida Hadziomerovic was replaced by Mediha Pasic.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Defence teams agreed that the evidence, which had already been presented, should not be presented again.
The trial is due to continue on January 23.
