Cross-examination of Protected Witness in Vlasenko and Koncar Trial Continues in Closed Hearing

Vesna Jesenkovic, the chairwoman of the trial chamber, said the cross-examination of the witness, known as S, would be held in a closed hearing.

Mitar Vlasenko, Rade Vlasenko and Drago Koncar, all former members of the Bosnian Serb Army, have been charged with participating in the expulsion, murder, and enforced disappearance of Bosniak civilians from Prijedor.

According to the indictment, they participated in the search of Bosniak houses in Kozarac on May 26 1992. Afterwards, they took a group of civilians to Mitar Vlasenko’s house, where they were abused. Men from the group of civilians were then taken to the Omarska, Trnopolje and Keraterm detention camps.

The defendants have also been charged with the murder of eight civilians, who were killed during a search of the town of Kozarac on June 4, 1992. The defendants allegedly found the civilians hiding in a house, and killed them.

The indictment also alleges that Rade Vlasenko and another person took two Bosniak detainees from the Trnopolje detention camp at the end of July or the beginning of August, 1992. The detainees were allegedly ordered to perform forced labor. The defendant allegedly killed one of the detainees, while the other managed to escape.

The trial will continue on April 28.