Bosnian Croat Fighter ‘Beat Prisoners in Bomb Shelter’

Witness Ibrahim Husic told the court in Sarajevo on Thursday that he was imprisoned with 14 other men in the bomb shelter in Prozor on August 8, 1993, and that defendant Maric arrived with his brother and another man several days later.

The prisoners were lined up, and after Maric hit one of them with the gun, the defendant came up to him, Husic recalled.

“Nikola Maric hit me with that gun, mainly in the head,” Husic said, adding that Maric was the part of the ‘Kinder Squad’ of the Croatian Defence Council.

Former Croatian Defence Council member Maric is charged with participating in murders, torture and other inhumane acts committed against Bosniaks from November 1992 to October 1993.

A protected witness code named S-22 also testified at Thurday’s hearing, saying that he was also in the bomb shelter when Maric arrived with his brother to inspect the prisoners held there. He said that defendant hit him twice.

“I was slapped in the face twice,” the witness said, adding that Maric’s brother also hit him.

The trial continues on October 16.