Klickovic et al: Preparing for Conflict

Gojko Klickovic, one of the indictees charged with crimes committed in Bosanska Krupa, has introduced several pieces of material evidence that he says show that Serbs were not prepared for war, and show “organized and planned” preparation for conflict by Bosniaks.

Klickovic said a report on the gathering and activities of one part of the Mobile Police Unit, MPU, of the Safety Services Center in Bihac in the territory of Bosanska Krupa represented proof of “approximately authentic events”.

“The documents show that everything was planned and known in advance, which means that the allegations by the State Prosecution that poor Muslims knew nothing are not correct. This proves that there were respectable forces on the right bank of the Una which did not defend Muslims, because there were no Muslims there,” Klickovic said.

Prosecutor Philip Alcock said that this document proved that “there was no plan”, adding that the MPU of the SSC in Bihac had the task of “guarding buildings of vital interest and facilitating evacuation of the population”.

The State Prosecution charges Klickovic, Mladen Drljaca and Jovan Ostojic with crimes against humanity committed in the Bosanska Krupa area during 1992.

The three men are charged with participation in a joint criminal enterprise which began in the summer of 1991. The aim of the enterprise was to divide Bosanska Krupa Municipality by establishing the so-called Serb Municipality of Bosanska Krupa, using military force, whose population would be predominantly Serb.

Klickovic told the Court that the document titled Request for Division of Weapons of the Territorial Defence in Krupa shows that weapons were distributed to reserve policemen, mostly Bosniaks, during 1991.

“At that time they were already stronger, in military terms, than Serbs. This Request is proof that we were deceived, which meant that we had to ask the Yugoslav National Army, whose calls were responded to by Serbs, to provide us with arms,” Klickovic said.

Some documents presented by the Defence of Gojko Klickovic had already been introduced by the Prosecution as evidence at previous hearings.

The Defence reintroduced these pieces of evidence because it considers them important in proving facts pertaining to the events that took place in Bosanska Krupa. It offered its own explanations of the conflict and of the indictees’ participation in it.

One of these documents was an order issued by the Commander of the General Staff Headquarters of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The first indictee said that this document “cannot be used for anything, because it is unsigned” and does not refer to the indictees.

“We have introduced it simply to show that this piece of evidence was unnecessary,” Klickovic explained.

The Defence of Gojko Klickovic has presented 14 pieces of material evidence until now.

The trial is due to continue on August 11.
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