Detention in “Silos” Was Spontaneous

During his cross-examination witness Aziz Fiso, former member of the Crisis Committee of Hadzici municipality, said that they obtained information from Serbs, who were captured during conflicts at Prehulja, that the Serb population in that area had a large quantity of weapons.

He said that competent bodies rendered a decision to confiscate weapons from all citizens, not only from Serbs.

“Also, I was informed about establishment of squads and other organizational things,” he said.

The Defence of indictee Mustafa Djelilovic played a video recording, depicting policeman Refo Tufo saying that a prison was formed due to the existence of a large quantity of weapons in that area.

Witness Fiso confirmed those allegations, adding that Tufo made a decision to accommodate prisoners in “Silos” spontaneously, because no other secure buildings were present in that area, adding that there were no facilities for accommodating thousands of refugees.

“We, the members of the wartime Presidency, did not deal with the situation in ‘Silos’. We did not suspect that people were treated in a humane manner and the other things,” Fiso said, adding that it was difficult to solve the “Silos” issue due to the pressure by families of the missing from Hadzici, who objected to organizing an exchange of Serb prisoners until their family members had been found.

Responding to State Prosecution’s questions on April 2, the witness said that he did not have information about the abuse of detainees in “Silos” and “9. maj” school building.

Mustafa Djelilovic, Fadil Covic, Mirsad Sabic, Nezir Kazic, Becir Hujic, Halid Covic, Serif Mesanovic and Nermin Kalember are on trial for having committed crimes in “Silos” detention camp, “Krupa” military barracks and “9. maj” school building.

They are charged with having participated in a joint criminal enterprise within which they committed crimes against civilians and prisoners of war in several facilities in the Hadzici area from May 1992 to January 1996.

At this hearing the Prosecution said that it stuck to the prohibiting measures ordered against the indictees by the Court of BiH. The Defence objected to those measures, requesting the Court to either terminate or at least relax those measures.

After the Defence teams had presented their explanations, Prosecutor Zorica Djurdjevic said that she agreed with the proposal to enable the indictees to move on the territory of Sarajevo Canton.

The trial is due to continue on May 8.