Memic et al: Conversation with Nihad Bojadzic

The former member of “Zulfikar” Special Purposes Squad of the Main Command Headquarters of ABiH, who testified under the pseudonym of N, said that he spoke to Bojadzic in Bradina, near Konjic. As he explained, in mid-April 1993 he participated in military operations in the Homolj area, near Konjic, along with his comrades.

“I went back to Bradina with Irfan Maslesa in order to take some batteries. I saw Nihad in front of the school building. He was crying. He told me that Samko got killed,” said the witness, whose face was protected from the public too.

The witness went from Bradina to the Homolj area, along with some members of “Zulfikar” Squad, while the remaining members went towards Buturovic polje, which was close to Trusina village.

Bojadzic, Mensur Memic, Dzevad Salcin, Senad Hakalovic, Nedzad Hodzic and Zulfikar Alispago are on trial for the attack on Trusina village on April 16, 1993, when 18 civilians and four members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO were killed.

Alispago, the then Commander of “Zulfikar” Squad, is charged with having failed to punish his subordinates, who committed the murders, while his Deputy Nihad Bojadzic is charged with having commanded the attack.

The indictment alleges that Memic, Salcin and Hodzic were members of the “Zulfikar” Squad and Hakalovic was member of the 45th Mountain Brigade of ABiH.

The protected witness said that he supposed that indictee Memic could not have participated in military operations in mid April 1993, because he joined the Squad at the beginning of that month. As he explained, according to “an unwritten rule”, new soldiers, who had just joined the unit, did not participate in operations until they adapted to the new environment.

He said that he was transferred to the reconnaissance unit of “Zulfikar” Squad prior to the conflict with HVO in March 1993, adding that indictee Memic and Rasema Handanovic were not members of that Unit.

During her testimony Handanovic, who was sentenced, after having admitted guilt, to five and a half years in prison for crimes in Trusina, said that she was a member of the reconnaissance unit of the “Zulfikar” Squad.

Prosecutor Vesna Budimir said that the protected witness told her, prior to the trial, that he was visited by Kemal Suljevic of the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina and told him what data, contained in his statement given during the investigation, had not been redacted.

It was not explained how Suljevic found that out, knowing that the public was excluded from this trial twice.

The trial is due to continue on Friday, May 25, when Jovan Divjak will continue testifying.
A.J.