Fadil Covic Wouldn’t Have Allowed War Crimes, Witness Says
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Fadil Covic, the former chief of the Hadzici public safety station, is on trial with Mustafa Djelilovic, Mirsad Sabic, Nezir Kazic, Becir Hujic, Halid Covic, Serif Mesanovic and Nermin Kalember for crimes committed in the Hadzici area. According to the charges, they were members of military and police authorities, as well as managers or guards in detention camps.
Defense witness Tihomir Glavas said he was appointed the chief of the Serb police station in Hadzici in mid-April 1992. He said initial conflict in the area broke out soon afterwards. Glavas said he couldn’t stop the arrests of Bosniaks in Hadzici.
“Following the division of the public safety station, the crisis committee was formed. We worked according to its decisions,” Glavas said. He said the arrests were conducted by active and reserve policemen, as well as military police.
He said Bosniaks who were suspected of possessing weapons were mainly detained in the sports center in Hadzici.
Glavas said he went to Serbia in May or June 1992 and found out that all the prisoners had been transferred to Kula. After his return from Serbia in August 1992, Glavas became the chief of Serb police forces in Ilidza.
He said his parents stayed in Donja Bioca in Tarcin and that his two brothers and father were detained in Silos. He said he tried to rescue them several times. He said he succeeded after an exchange of “Juka Prazina’s men,” who were also captured. Glavas said this was the first exchange involving people from Silos. He said the detainees were treated poorly and beaten in Silos.
Glavas said he had “full trust” in defendant Covic. He said he wouldn’t have allowed the commission of war crimes.
“I have read numerous documents. I have not come across anything that would compromise his character,” Glavas said.
During cross-examination, Glavas said he knew defendant Mirsad Sabic before the war. He described him as a traffic policeman and a “correct and decent man.” He said he had read many statements in which Sabic’s name was mentioned.
The trial will continue on March 17.
