Witness Describes Murder of Family Members on Mount Treskavica

Bunoza, Godinjak and Saric have been charged with participating in a joint criminal enterprise aimed at killing and detaining Serb civilians in the Trnovo area. The indictment alleges that Bunoza was the commander of Croatian Defense Forces units in the area, Godinjak was the chief of police in Trnovo and Saric was the commander of the Territorial Defense in Trnovo.

A protected witness known NJ testified at today’s hearing. NJ said he was eleven when he fled Ledici with his uncles, their wives, their children, and a few other residents. He said two women who had fled Trebeca and made it to Ledici said Bosnian Croat forces were killing Serbs in the area. He said he and his family travelled on foot towards Kalinovik.

He said while they were walking through the woods on Mount Treskavica, they heard people approaching. Male members of the group went to investigate.

“The men went there to see [who it was]. The shooting began. We began running away,” NJ said.

He said soldiers noticed them and fired a warning gunshot. NJ said they surrendered to three soldiers, none of whom he recognized.

“I heard my uncle saying: ‘Mehemed, what’s going on? What’s going to happen to us?” NJ said. He said they were ordered to look for the women who had been with travelling with them.

He said when they began searching for them, he saw Mehemed shooting at his uncle. A short time later one of the women opened fire from a shrub and wounded another soldier. NJ said other soldiers then arrived and began shooting at him and members of his family.

“I was shot by a bullet. I fell down, but I heard them shooting at them,” NJ said. He said he heard a soldier say, “We shouldn’t have killed the children. The children aren’t guilty of anything.”

NJ said he addressed that soldier, who decided to help him. NJ said he was eventually transported to Mount Igman, where doctor Mustafa Pintol offered him medical assistance.

“The doctor said he would protect me,” NJ said. He said Pintol took him to his village, Lukavac. He said he stayed in Lukavac for about five months before being exchanged and handed over to his parents.

Savo Simanic, a resident of Ledici, was the second state prosecution witness to testify at today’s hearing. He said he and a group of others left Ledici in the summer of 1992 and went to Vojkovici, near Sarajevo. He said the elderly women who stayed behind were killed.

The trial will continue on October 6.