Defense Witness Provides Alibi for Salcin

The Bosnian state prosecution has charged Salcin, nicknamed “Struja,” with abusing a prisoner named Dragan Vukovic. Salcin, a member of the Bosnian Army’s Zulfikar Unit, allegedly cut off a part of Vukovic’s ear in front of the Mraziste Hotel on Mount Igman in May 1993. He is also charged with beating prisoners in the kitchen of the Mraziste Hotel on Mount Igman during the first half of 1993.

At today’s hearing, the protected witness said he knew Vukovic and had frequent contact with him on Mount Igman, where the Zulfikar Unit of the Bosnian Army was based.

He said he didn’t notice any visible injuries on Vukovic’s person prior to his departure from the village of Trusina in the municipality of Konjic, after an attack on the village which took place on April 16, 1993.

“Salcin participated in that operation,” the witness said.

The witness said that after the operation in Trusina, members of the Zulfikar Unit, including Salcin, participated in several other operations in the Konjic and Jablanica area. He said they returned to Mount Igman in July 1993, when the Bosnian Serb Army began an offensive operation in that area.

The witness said he heard that a part of Vukovic’s ear had been cut off while he was in Jablanica in late 1993.

“I heard that a man called Struja did it,” the witness said. He said a soldier with the last name Sadikovic, who was also nicknamed Struja, had been seen on Mount Igman.

The witness said that Sadikovic was the driver of the Zulfikar Unit commander.

He said he assumed that Sadikovic was the person who cut off Vukovic’s ear, and he said he didn’t believe Salcin wouldn’t have done such a thing.

“He was never a problematic person,” the witness said of Salcin.

At the last hearing the state prosecution filed a revised indictment, which indicates that Vukovic’s ear was cut off in March 1993, and not May 1993, as was stated in the initial indictment.

Salcin’s defense attorney objected to this change in the indictment, and said witnesses had testified in reference to May 1993. Salcin’s defense is expected to file a written response to the revised indictment.

At this hearing the trial chamber said it was still considering the revised indictment.

The trial will continue on May 28, when Salcin will testify in his own defense.