Koricanske stijene: Detention for four suspects

Partially taking into account the suggestions of the Bosnian Prosecution, the State Court ruled detention for the four suspects for crimes committed in August 1992 at Koricanske stijene.

Reasons for detention are the possibility of influencing witnesses and co-accused and fear that if free they could thwart court proceedings.

Gordan Djuric, Milorad Radakovic, Milorad Skrbic and Ljubisa Cetic are, according to order of the State Prosecution, arrested on Tuesday October 14 for suspicion that they were participating in crimes against humanity at Koricanske stijene.

The Prosecution also proposed detention for the four accused because the risk of them fleeing justice, but this was objected by the Defence.

The court ordered the detention considering “the grave consequences in which the crime in question had on victims and their families” and if free they could disturb the public, which could lead to disorder.

Also in its ruling, the State Court states that “there is no reasonable doubt” that the suspects committed the crime at Koricanske stijene.

By Court order suspects could stay detained untilNovember 14 2008.

All four are suspected of as members of the Prijedor SWAT team on August 21 1992, of participating in the bus and truck convoy escort with more than 1000 civilians, and robbing them of their money and other valuables and shooting over 200 male civilians.

“Members of the SWAT team participated in separating men and escorting them to a location called “Koricanske stijene”, Vlasic Mountain where they were killed by firing from an automatic weapon. After the body of the killed fell down into a pit, grenades were thrown at them and at the bodies of the killed and the wounded were burnt,” stated the report by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.