Persecution was not strategic goal

Sajic, in written statement featured in the case file, said that “strategic objectives of the Bosnian Serb-led entity Republika Srpska never included the expulsion of Muslims and Croats.”
 
However, during cross-examination, Hague prosecutors quoted president of the Bosnian Serb Parliament Momcilo Krajisnik from the meeting on May 12 1992, on which MPs proclaimed six strategic war aims of Bosnian Serbs.
 
“The first strategic goal is separation from other two national communities; state separation; separation from those who are enemies and who have used every opportunity, especially in this century, to attack us and who will continue with that practices if we continue to be in the same country,” Krajisnik said then.
 
Sajic, who attended on that session, confirmed that Krajisnik said that, although he denied that Radovan Karadzic on the same session also proclaimed separation as a primary war goal.
 
Prosecution lawyer suggested that Sajic played an important role on that session of the Bosnian Serb Assembly, just because he was sitting right next to Ratko Mladic.
 
“Nothing qualified me to sit there, general (Mladic) said: ‘Sit here, kid’,” witness answered, claiming that he didn’t know Mladic before that.
 
Sajic, who was also a member of Crisis Staff of Autonomous Region of Krajina, also claimed that “military structures were never put under the control of civil authorities.”
 
Ratko Mladic is on trial for the persecution of Muslims and Croats from municipalities under Serbian control, which in several municipalities reached genocidal proportions. He is also accused for genocide in Srebrenica, terrorizing population of Sarajevo and taking UNPROFOR members for hostages.
 
Defence witness Ratko Milojica also testified at this hearing, speaking about the events in the Prijedor area in the spring of 1992.

Claim of the Mladic’s defence that “Muslim extremists” started war in the municipality of Prijedor, Milojica supported with the description of the attack against him and another five Serb soldiers in the village of Hambarine in May 1992.

After a short conversation on surrendering the weapons, the fire was open on Serbs in the car, Milojica said. Three men were killed, and another three, including him, were seriously wounded.

According to the indictment, Serbian forces responded to that attack by conducting the “cleansing” operation in the area around Hambarin, killing number of Muslims, and expelling thousands of villagers or detaining them in the Omarska camp, where crimes against them were committed.

During the cross-examination prosecution tried to challenge the credibility of the witness by pointing out that he participated in the killing of a catholic priest in Ljubija.

Milojica did not deny that he was present when the priest was robbed and killed, but he denied that the killer Ivica Pavlovic, Croat national, fired from his automatic rifle.

Mladic’s trial continues on December 3.