Bojadzic Was not in Parsovici Before the Attack

Witness Ilijas Mustafic said that he had met indictees Bojadzic and Zulfikar Alispago prior to the crime in Trusina on April 16, 1993, or more precisely during “the unblocking of Sarajevo”.  

Prosecutor Vesna Budimir said that the fact that the witness did not see Bojadzic, former Deputy Commander of “Zulfikar” Squad of ABiH, in Parsovici did not mean that Bojadzic was not there.  

“I would have known if he had been there,” said the witness, testifying in defence of Bojadzic.

Mustafic said that he was Assistant Battalion Commander for Logistics with the 45thBrigade, whose base was situated in the school building in Parsovici. He recalled that a group of members of “Zulfikar” Squad arrived in the evening hours prior to the attack on Trusina.

“A soldier, who looked influential and authoritative, addressed me. He wanted us to provide food and accommodation. Later on it turned out that it was late Commander Samko,” the witness said.

The witness mentioned that he did not see Bojadzic on the day Trusina was attacked. According to the charges, 18 civilians and four captured members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, were killed in the village.

Bojadzic and Alispago are on trial, along with Mensur Memic, Dzevad Salcin, Nedzad Hodzic, former members of “Zulfikar” Squad, and Senad Hakalovic, former member of the 45th Brigade of ABiH, for crimes in Trusina.

An official note prepared by the State Investigation and Protection Agency, SIPA, indicates that a warehouse manager told the witness that members of “Zulfikar” Squad had arrived.
 
Mustafic, retired religious servant, denied the Prosecutor’s allegations that he was sentenced for having offended someone. “That is new to me,” he said.
 
Testifying in defence of Bojadzic, second witness Aziz Musanovic said that he joined “Zulfikar” Squad as a radio operator in September 1993. He said: “The communications system was in a disastrous condition when I arrived”.
He said that the commanding personnel used old walkie-talkies, which, as he thought, could not have been used for distant commanding in the Trusina area, which was mountainous and forested.

Bojadzic is charged with having commanded the operation from a hill near Trusina by issuing orders to his subordinates via communication devices.

Responding to questions by Prosecutor Budimir, the witness said that he did not know what type of walkie-talkies were used by the Squad staff on the day the crime was committed in Trusina.

The trial is due to continue on Monday, March 3.