Indictee Calmed Policemen Down

Witness Dzevad Mesic said that, in his capacity as military policeman, he participated in the exchange, but he did not remember who tasked him and the other policemen with participating in escorting of the prisoners of war.

Mesic explained that, while driving in the bus, which transported the prisoners, former VRS members, he was standing next to the driver and that indictee Husein Begic was next to him. The witness said that he did not remember who the patrol leader was on their way from Cazin to Bihac, but he said that no incidents happened. According to the witness, physical mistreatment happened during the ride from Bihac to Izacic.

“I stood in the front part of the bus next to the driver. The incident was happening in the rear part. Some of the policemen forced the prisoners to sing a song titled ‘My Bosnia” and respond to Takbir,” Mesic said, explaining that he looked in front of him, so he only recognized Kovacevic and Anadolac when watching recordings during the course of the investigation.

The witness said that indictee Begic was telling the policemen to stop mistreating those people.

Witness Mesic said that, due to the bad quality of the recording and the fact that the Prosecutor induced him during the investigation, he most probably made a mistake when identifying Abid Ljubijankic and Sabahudin Hafuric.

“When I look at it now, this picture is much clearer. I think that the persons, whom I identified as Ljubijankic and Hafuric at that time, are not them,” the witness said.

Mesic said that he could not remember whether Dzevad Causevic was in the bus, although he said, during the investigation, that he was present and that he sat in the front part of the bus.

Also, the witness said that he could not remember whether Begic was in the bus on their way to Cazin and from Cazin to Bihac, but he was sure that he was present on the way from Bihac to Izacic.

Husein Begic, Safet Kovacevic, Muhamed Anadolac, Abid Ljubijankic and Sabahudin Hafuric, former members of military police with the Fifth Corps of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, are charged with physical and mental mistreatment of more than 30 former VRS members during their transportation from Cazin and Bihac to an exchange location on March 11, 1995.

Witness Amir Hascic, former military policeman, who participated in the exchange, said that he suppressed his wartime memories due to health reasons, so he could not remember who participated in that task with him or any unusual things happening. Hascic said that he did not remember who issued the order to them to perform the task, but, while watching the recording in the courtroom, he recognised some of his former comrades.

“I remember that between ten and 20 policemen were engaged in that task, but I do not remember anything related to the ride itself,” Hascic said.

The trial is due to continue on February 7.