Former Rasavacka Company Soldier Recalls Zecovi Attack
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Defendants Dusan Milunic, Radomir Stojnic, Radovan Cetic, Dusko Zoric, Zoran Stojnic, Zeljko Grbic, Ilija Zoric, Zoran Milunic, Bosko Grujicic, Ljubisa Cetic, Rade and Uros Grujcic, Zdravko Antonic and Rajko Gnjatovic have been charged with committing acts of murder, torture, sexual violence, as well as destructing and confiscating property from the local residents of Zecovi.
According to the charges, they participated in a joint criminal enterprise with the civil and military authorities of the municipality of Prijedor, which involved a widespread and systematic attack on the village, conducted by the army and police of Republika Srpska from July 23-28, 1992.
State prosecution witness Ostoja Bilbija testified at today’s hearing. Bilbija said he became a member of the Bosnian Serb Army’s Rasavacka Company in 1992. He said he didn’t remember an armed conflict in Zecovi. However, he recalled an instance in which a messenger named Mirko Mrsic told him and others they needed to go out into the field and expel the civilian population of Zecovi.
The state prosecution said Bilbija had described the expulsion as ethnic cleansing. Bilbija denied describing it in those terms.
“We arrived last. We were late. We saw houses on fire, roof tiles cracking…We heard women and children screaming in front of us. We were walking slowly, as if we weren’t in a rush,” Bilbija said.
Bilbija initially denied having seen civilians in Zecovi, but then said he saw civilians, soldiers and military police officers on a local road next to parked buses.
“Dusan Milunic, Zdravko and Slavko Antonic, Ilija and Dusko Zoric were there,” Bilbija said. Bilbija said he didn’t stay in Zecovi for long and went home afterwards.
Bilbija said he didn’t see Radomir Stojnic, who was the head of the reserve police force in Zecovi.
Responding to questions from the defense, Bilbija said he didn’t remember being with Dusko Zoric on the Croatian frontline prior to joining the Rasavacka Company, and said he was unaware that Zoric had been wounded.
The trial will continue on August 21.
