Andabak Was Commander of Military Police Company, Witness Says

Zdenko Andabak has been charged with having led an operation in the village of Grborezi on July 21, 1993, in which members of the Second Light Assault Battalion of the military police of the Croatian Defense Council, killed one civilian and wounded another. According to the charges, members of the Second Light Assault Battalion then wounded a civilian whom Andabak killed.

State prosecution witness and former Croatian Defense Council soldier Drasko Dalic said he knew Andabak from the military police force and said he was the commander of a company.

Responding to questions from the prosecution, Dalic said the situation in Livno was peaceful until an operation aimed at disarming Bosniak members of the Croatian Defense Council in July or August 1993. He said he didn’t participate in the disarmament, and said he didn’t know the reasons for the disarmament.

“At some point the Light Assault Battalion of the military police was formed…I think it happened prior to the disarmament, but I’m not 100% sure,” Dalic said. He said he was a member of an operative unit and didn’t join the light assault battalion.

Prosecutor Lejla Konjic presented Dalic with a statement he gave to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Livno in 2014, in which he said Andabak had established his own light assault battalion.

Dalic said he “couldn’t have known who was member of the Light Assault Battalion and that it may have been an assumption,” because “Andabak was one of the leading men.”

During his cross-examination, Dalic said the statement he gave in 2014 lasted a long time and was given under pressure.

Dalic said Andabak gave him one month’s leave of absence to take care of his sick child.

The trial will continue on September 30.