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Enes Curic, Ibrahim Demirovic, Samir Kreso, Habib Copelj, and Mehmed Kaminic were charged on Wednesday with the abuse of Croat civilians during the Bosnian war. The detainees included many children, women, and elderly people, who were illegally held in detention facilities in the village of Potoci near Mostar.
The indictment alleges that during their unlawful detention, the detainees were tortured, abused, beaten, held in inhumane conditions, and starved. The indictment also alleges that the detainees were forced to perform labour and were used as human shields. The treatment of the detainees had a negative effect on their health, and resulted in the deaths of some detainees.
“After June 30, 1993, I was taken to the Omerika Homes and I was questioned by a man they called Sultan, who was a fierce soldier. Enes Curic was with him. Sultan came toward me with a knife and Curic saved me,” said Kresic, a former Bosnian Croat fighter.
Kresic said he was told that Curic was the commander of the camps.
According to Kresic, after seven days he was taken to the Skender Homes. During his stay there he performed forced labor.
“We were also detained at the Potoci school and we had guards,” said Kresic.
Kresic recalled how three detainees were killed while carrying guns and ammo.
“Alaga killed them since they couldn’t carry the load. Curic sent us to bury them,” he said.
Kresic said defendant Habib Copelj locked him in a dusty room in August 1993 and made him carry sand from one place to another. He also said that women were forced to work and some were raped.
During cross examination, the defense asked Kresic how he knew Curic was the commander of the camp. Kresic said he assumed Curic was the commander, because the guards obeyed him. He added that Curic never mistreated him.
The trial continues on March 10.
