Murders of Women and Children

Ranko Ikonic said that the convoy of Serb civilians left Gorazde on August 27, 1992 and that its passengers were mainly women and children. He said that, at some stage somebody began shooting at the convoy, but the convoy did not stop for a single moment.

“I heard a burst in the bus. It sounded like hail. A woman fell over me. A son was crying and saying: ‘O God, my mother is dead’,” the witness said, adding that the child did not see at that moment that his brother was killed as well.

Ikonic said that many children, including his daughter, were wounded in the bus. He said that he was shot in his legs during the drive, but he somehow managed to get to Rogatica. According to his testimony, no soldiers were present in the bus.

The witness explained that the convoy was organised after the Serb Army had informed them that the road was liberated and that they could pass to Rogatica.

Ikonic testified at the trial of Muhamed Sisic, Emir Drakovac, Aziz Susa and Tarik Sisic, who are charged with having participated in the attack on that convoy. They are charged with having opened fire at vehicles traveling in the convoy.

According to the charges, at least 21 civilians were killed and 39 wounded in the convoy.

Veljko Lasica and his daughter Velinka, who testified as State Prosecution witnesses, said that they were wounded in that convoy. They said that they were in a vehicle with three other family members and that they were hit just before they entered Kukavice, Rogatica municipality.

“My daughter cried: ‘Oh daddy, I am wounded!’ I began overtaking the convoy. I felt a hard hit on my leg. Blood began pouring,” the witness said, adding that he did not say anything about him being wounded, because he did not want to spread the panic among the passengers.

The witness said that, when they arrived in Rogatica, he fainted and the vehicle overturned. As he said, they received medical aid soon after that. Lasica said that he was 100% disabled due to that wounding.

The Defence asked why his medical documentation indicated that he “got the injuries, while performing military service”. The witness explained that he said that in order to achieve benefits. When asked by the Defence whether there were any soldiers in the convoy, he said: “As far as I could see, no”.

His daughter said that she too was wounded just before they entered Kukavice. “We were approximately at that place when I got shot in my head,” the witness said, adding that she lost conscience briefly.

The witnesses said that the vehicles were not marked in the sense that they indicated that they transported civilians. As he said, none of them recognized the attackers.

During the examination of witness Lasica indictee Susa had to be removed from the courtroom due to disrupting the order in the courtroom.

The trial is due to continue on January 20.