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The trial of Zdenko Andabak began today. The court heard a reading of the indictment and introductory statements by the state prosecution and Andabak’s defense attorney.
Andabak, a former member of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO), is charged with leading an attack on the village of Grborezi on July 21, 1993. During this attack, one person was killed and another wounded by gunshots fired in his presence.
According to the indictment, HVO soldiers then wounded one more person – this person was allegedly shot and killed by Andabak.
Andabak is also charged with assaulting a civilian. The indictment claims that Andabak ordered the civilian to lie down, then jumped on his stomach and broke two of his teeth with a rifle butt.
In her introductory statement, prosecutor Lejla Konjic said that witnesses had confirmed that Andabak was the commander of the attack on Grborezi (described as a “disarmament operation”) and that two witnesses “gave almost identical descriptions of the killing of the civilians.”
Konjic said that she would prove that Andabak led the Grborezi attack, that he was present during the events that occurred during the attack, and that his “intent is reflected in the murder of the wounded civilian.”
Defense attorney Bajro Cilic said that many people were present during the events that took place at Grborezi, and not only the two individuals mentioned by the prosecution. He also said that the prosecution had unlawfully included certain evidence in the case file.
Cilic said that the defense would prove that “the disarmament operation and the attack were two separate things.”
“I shall prove my innocence before this court, the court of my country,” Andabak added.
Before the trial began a status conference was held. Prosecutor Konjic said the prosecution would examine 12 witnesses and one court expert. Konjic also said they would include 47 pieces of material evidence in the case file.
Defense attorney Cilic said that the defense would attempt to reduce the list of witnesses to less than fifty, and that it would examine all prosecution witnesses directly.
At the status conference, Cilic added that Andabak had testified before the Hague Tribunal and that “the various circumstances described in the indictment have been clarified.” Cilic proposed that the court listen to audio-recordings of testimony from Andabak’s Hague trial.
The trial is scheduled to continue on February 25.
