Memic et al: Questions Aimed at Discrediting a Witness
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Alispago, who, according to the charges, was Commander of Zulfikar Squad with the Main Command Headquarters of ABiH, was interested in witness Ramics movements in the first half of 1993, as he wanted to prove that he knew about the crime in Trusina in April.
The witness began testifying on July 2 this year, when he said that, in his capacity as member of the Fourth Corps Command of ABiH, he was in Bugojno and Gornji Vakuf in April 1993 in order to calm a conflict between the Croatian Defence Council, HVO and ABiH, adding that he was rarely present in the Konjic area.
Attempting to prove that he was deployed to the Konjic area in April 1993, Alispago presented the witness with a number of documents about his activities. The indictee said that one of the documents indicated that the witness was a member of a negotiation commission, whose task was to solve the conflict between the HVO and ABiH in the Jablanica and Konjic area in April 1993.
Ramic did not comment on the presented documents, explaining that they were not authentic, considering the fact that they were not originals and did not contain his signature. The indictee responded by saying that the originals existed and that he would include them in the case file. Trial Chamber Chairwoman Zeljka Marenic asked the indictee several times during the hearing what he was trying to prove.
I am proving that the gentleman was present in that area and that he must have known about Trusina as member of that Commission, Alispago explained. The indictment alleges that he is charged with having failed to undertake the necessary and reasonable measures to punish his subordinates, who committed the crime in Trusina.
Alispago, Mensur Memic, Dzevad Salcin, Senad Hakalovic, Nedzad Hodzic and Nihad Bojadzic are on trial for having participated in the attack on Trusina on April 16, 1993, when 18 civilians and four HVO members were killed.
According to the charges, Bojadzic was Deputy Commander of Zulfikar Squad, while Memic, Salcin and Hodzic were its members. The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina alleges that Hakalovic was member of Neretvica 45th Brigade.
The trial is due to continue on Monday, July 9.
A.J.
