Stanisic at Forward Command Post During Petkovci Attack, Witnesses Say

Milisav Hajdukovic, a former member of the Sixth Battalion of the Zvornicka Brigade of the Bosnian Serb Army, testified at today’s hearing. Hajdukovic said he saw Ostoja Stanisic, the commander of the Sixth Battalion, one day before the attack. He said Stanisic was visiting the frontline with Marko Milosevic and Milan Eric.

“One day prior to the attack, on July 14 or 15, I think, Stanisic visited the frontline and told us to be ready, because big battles were expected to happen. I know he mentioned he would also visit the Mortar Squad after visiting us and that he would then go to the forward command post from which he communicated with everybody in the upcoming days,” Hajdukovic said.

Hajdukovic said the attack began the morning after Stanisic’s visit. He said he spoke to him over the phone several times during the attack.

“I was in constant contact with the commander. He was at the forward command post the entire time. He called me from there and inquired about possible problems in the trenches,” Hajdukovic said.

During cross-examination, Hajdukovic said he thought Stanisic was at the forward command post the entire time. he said “there was no way he could be at the command in Petkovci.”

“That is impossible, because, in order to reach the command in Petkovci, he would have had to pass by our lines and trenches. He didn’t pass us by for three days after the beginning of the attack,” Hajdukovic said.

The defense asked Hajdukovic if he heard that the commander or any other members of the Sixth Battalion had anything to do with the captives from Srebrenica. Hajdukovic said they didn’t.

Marko Zeljko, a former member of the Mortar Squad with the Sixth Battalion of the Zvornicka Brigade of the Bosnian Serb Army, testified at today’s hearing. Zeljko was also the commander of the Mortar Squad in July 1995. Zeljko said Stanisic visited him in the hamlet Delici one evening prior to the attack. He said he visited him in Krsto Delic’s house, where the Mortar Squad was located.

Zeljko said Stanisic told him to be ready, because they had been informed that Srebrenica residents would pass through that area.

“The attack began the morning after Stanisic’s visit. I think it was July 14 or 15. We responded to the attack. I was on the frontline with Ostojic the entire time. We opened fire after receiving his calls,” Zeljko said.

Responding to questions from the defense, Zeljko confirmed that commander Ostojic could not have commanded them from Petkovci. He said he was at the forward command post during the attack.

At the next hearing, scheduled for March 16, Stanisic’s defense will examine two additional witnesses.