Witness Confirms Andabak’s Presence During Grborezi Disarmament

According to the indictment, former commander Andabak led an operation in the village of Grborezi in Livno on July 21, 1993, in which members of the Second Light Assault Battalion of the military police of the Croatian Defense Council opened fire on civilians in his presence, killing one person and wounding another.

The prosecution alleges that the members of the Second Light Assault Battalion then wounded another person, whom Andabak shot in the head.

Mladen Badrov, a former member of the Home Guard Regiment, testified at today’s hearing. He said he participated in the disarmament of Grborezi in July 1993. He said that while going to Mizina’s house, he heard a brief burst of gunfire and heard from others that there was shooting taking place at the Velagic houses.

Badrov said when he passed by that location ten minutes later, he saw Andabak, wearing a light blue cap. Badrov said Andabak was with members of the Second Light Assault Battalion.

“I was close to that house and I briefly stopped with Mikan, for a few minutes… He told me there was shooting coming from that house,” Badrov said. He said he then saw protected witness S-1 and three others sitting in a field.

The defense asked Badrov if he saw any injuries on S-1. He said he didn’t.

“I guarantee, while I was there, nobody beat him,” Badrov said. He said Andabak was with members of the military at the time.
Andabak asked Badrov if he’d heard that people were harassed during the disarmament and if he’d harassed anyone. Badrov said he hadn’t heard that anyone had been harassed during the disarmament, and hadn’t heard that Andabak had harassed anyone.

Badrov also said he didn’t know who the commander of the Second Light Battalion was. Prosecutor Lejla Konjic showed Badrov a statement he had given, in which he’d said Andabak was the commander of the Second Light Battalion. Badrov said he hadn’t made such a statement, and said he still didn’t know who the commander of the Second Light Battalion was.

In response to questions from the defense, Badrov claimed he was never a member of the Second Light Assault Battalion.

Badrov said he was on the frontlines in July 1993 when he learned that the Bosniak population would be disarmed. He said that in addition to the Grborezi disarmament, he participated in security operations in two more villages.

The trial continues on July 15.