Unknown Perpetrators Arrested Bosniaks in Bileca Area, Witnesses Claim

The state prosecution has charged Miroslav Duka, Goran Vujovic and Zeljko Ilic with the abuse of Bosniak and Croat civilians in Bileca in 1992. According to the charges, Vujovic was the chief of the Bileca public safety station, Duka was the station commander and Ilic was a policeman.

Slavko Ilic, a former policeman in Bileca, testified at today’s hearing. Ilic said unknown perpetrators abducted Bosniaks from their homes and brought them in front of a police station in May 1992.

Ilic said he wrote receipts on confiscated weapons as per an order by deputy police commander Miomir Milosevic. Ilic said Milosevic was under pressure “by those people from other places.”

“There were many Muslims. That man, Milosevic, tried to protect those people, but they were pushing them…At some stage one of them pushed Miomir away,” Ilic said.

Ilic said he didn’t see police commander Miroslav Duka in the area at the time.

“According to rumour he was on a battlefield in Mostar,” Ilic said.

Ilic said Bosniaks were detained in an old prison building behind the police station. He said the prison was locked to ensure the safety of the detainees, because individuals who were armed and sometimes inebriated would try to enter the building by force.

He said Zeljko Ilic’s wife gave food and cigarettes to the detainees.
Reserve policeman Zdravko Albijanic was the second witness to testify at today’s hearing. Albijanic also said he didn’t see Duka when Bosniaks in the area were apprehended. He said he heard Duka was on the Mostar battlefield.

“They were arrested and detained in the prison behind [the police station],” Albijanic said.

Zoran Vujovic, a former policeman at the Bileca police station, also testified at today’s hearing. He said he didn’t see Duka when Bosniaks in the area were apprehended.

“Some unknown men appeared. All of a sudden they started bringing Muslims to the station,” Vujovic said.

Vujovic said he remembered extinguishing a fire that broke out in the old prison where Bosniaks were held in detention. He said he didn’t know what caused the fire.

“Later on I heard that some men were shooting in the prison,” Vujovic said.

Milac Pavicic was the last witness to testify at today’s hearing. He said he had no problems in Bileca during the war, even though he was a Croat.

“I never heard that anyone had or has any problems,” Pavicic said.

The trial will continue on February 22.