Karadzic: Modified Bombs Hit Residential Building

Suljevic, a former member of counter sabotage protection unit with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, MUP, of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, explained that the unit was given several metal pieces from bomb so they could determine the type of projectile.

“We received a letter from the Safety Services Center saying a projectile came from a west-southwest direction at about 11.30 on May 26, 1995 and asking us to identify the type of the projectile,” Suljevic said, answering a question from Radovan Karadzic.  

Karadzic, the former RS President and Commander of the RS armed forces, is charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war committed from 1992 to 1995 as well as participation in the persecution of the non-Serbian population on the territories controlled by Bosnian Serbs.

The indictment charges him with shelling and opening sniper fire on the city of  Sarajevo. One of the events described in the indictment happened on May 26, 1995 when a modified bomb dropped from the air and several artillery projectiles were fired on residential buildings in Safeta Hadzica Street in Sarajevo injuring 17 people.  

The indictment alleges that the attacks came from positions held by the RS Army, located in a west-southwest direction.

“In our findings and opinion we specified the facts that were non-disputable, also saying that the pieces without any specific marks on them had probably originated from the same projectile. It is undisputable that those were modified air dropped bombs with rocket engine bodies,” Suljevic said. 

Karadzic presented the witness with a report on the incident stating that “German cross” attributes were found on two unexploded projectiles. 

“This referred to two different projectiles which had probably hit the ground at the same time. There was the modified bomb on one side and the artillery projectiles on the other. The Nazi sign containing the German cross was imprinted on it, but there was no color or serial number,” Suljevic said.  Karadzic asked the witness again to whom the projectiles could be attributed considering that the last marks on them were made in the Second World War. Suljevic said they should be treated in the same manner as all other projectiles which hit Sarajevo during the course of the siege and attributed to those who fired them.  

“The projectile was undoubtedly fired from Serbian positions, because so many shells were fired from there. Nazis could not have fired it. There were two conflicting parties. This was not the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s war against itself,” he said.  

Prior to the beginning of the cross-examination, the prosecution presented 45 documents, including requests from the Sarajevo-Romanija Corps, SRC, addressed to the Main Headquarters of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, asking for additional ammunition and bombs dropped from the air.  

The trial will continue on August 17.

E.M.