Defense Witnesses Say Igor Milosevic Deserted Bosnian Serb Army During War

Milosevic has been charged with murdering a civilian on Mount Treskavica in the municipality of Trnovo on February 8, 1995. The civilian had been brought to the frontline on Mount Treskavica to perform forced labour.

Nenad Jokic, a former member of the Trnovska Unit of the Bosnian Serb Army, testified at today’s hearing. Jokic said he knew Milosevic since childhood. He said the defendant “fled, returned and fled again” from the Bosnian Serb Army during the war.

“He was in a trench on Mount Igman with me in 1994. He fled in July 1994,” Jokic said. He said Milosevic didn’t return and he saw him in Novi Sad in Serbia in the summer of 1995.

Jokic said he had never heard that the defendant committed any crime during the war.

Jokic said his unit came to the village of Gaj in the municipality of Trnovo in December 1994 and was stationed there until the summer of 1995. He said Babin Kuk was never within their zone of responsibility.

During cross-examination, Jokic said prisoners were brought to the Trnovo area in order to perform labour.

Vinko Bjelica, also a former member of the Trnovska Unit, was the second witness to testify at today’s hearing. Bjelica said he heard the defendant deserted to Vojvodina in the summer of 1994. He said he saw him again around 2000.

Bjelica said he had never heard that the defendant committed a murder.

Bjelica said there was a work squad in the area which the Bosnian Serb Army used for its needs. He said a work squad from Grbavica in the municipality of Sarajevo was used for a period of time. It was replaced by a work squad from Teslic, and then another squad from Janja in the municipality of Bijeljina.

“They weren’t prisoners, but they didn’t have freedom of movement. They were always accompanied by a soldier, who guarded them for several reasons,” Bjelica said.

The trial will continue on December 23.