Samardzija: Defence case launched

The first defence witnesses in the Marko Samardzija case said that on July 10, 1992, “men from the villages Brkici and Balagica hill who were over the age of 18 and capable for labour were detained”.

The witnesses, three former members of the Sana battalion of the Republika Srpska army, also said that civilians were beaten in the courtyard of the elementary school in the village of Biljani, and then taken to other locations.

Witness Nikola Kuridza, former commander of the battalion’s first detachment,admitted that he took part in detaining civilians and bringing them to the school, where military policemen were waiting for them in the courtyard.According to this witness, the civilians were forced to “run the gauntlet” through lines of military policemen, who then beat them with rifles.

He also added that he saw a bus in the school courtyard, in which the detained men were taken to a direction unknown to him.

By his own admission, witness Milenko Tesic – former commander of second detachment of Sana battalion – also participated in the detention of Bosniak civilians who were beaten in front of the school.

“We were all disgusted by those events. We did not understand what was going on,” Tesic told the court.

Witness Drago Banjac, a former commander of backup platoon of Sana battalion,said that while he had not taken part in the detention, he had heard from other soldiers that civilians were taken to the school after which “some were taken to Manjaca and others in an unknown direction”.

All three defence witnesses confirmed that civilians were killed, but none of them said who was responsible for the murders.

The defence is trying to prove that Samardzija did not order nor participate in the crimes against Bosniaks in the village Biljani.

Continuation of the trial is scheduled for August 2.