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At the end of the presentation of evidence against Milorad Trbic, charged with genocide committed in Srebrenica, the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina announced that it would “reduce” the indictment by dropping some charges and by describing the indictee’s activities “in a more concrete way”.
The revised indictment is due to be filed at the next hearing, scheduled for March 2. The Defence will have an opportunity to respond to this at that hearing.
The State Prosecution charges Trbic, as Assistant Commander for Security with the Zvornik Brigade of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, with participating in the execution of more than 7,000 Bosniaks in Srebrenica in July 1995.
The indictee is charged with having facilitated and supervised the burial of bodies exhumed from primary mass graves in the period between August 1 and November 1, 1995.
At this hearing the Defence cross-examined witness Mile Babic, a former military policeman with the Bratunac Brigade, whose statement had been taken earlier by the Trial Chamber. This witness spoke about events in the Srebrenica area in July 1995.
Babic said that he could not remember whether his unit undertook any “joint actions” with the Zvornik Brigade. He recalled an event that took place in the school building in Bratunac, when he heard shooting and saw many buses, prisoners and soldiers.
“Ten days later we went to Glogova. I heard some dredgers doing something in the woods. However, I did not personally see that. They told us that we would guard somebody and they would bury some victims,” Babic said, adding that Glogova was situated “within the zone of responsibility of Bratunac Brigade”.
The Defence cross-examined protected witness A46, whose personal data and statement were to remain confidential although the public was present during the course of his testimony.
At the end of his examination Milan Trbojevic, Defence attorney of the indictee, said he rejected this witness’ statement, arguing that it was “contradictory to numerous other statements given in the course of this trial”.
