Bosniak Fighter Accused of Prisoner Abuse ‘Acted Abnormally’

Prosecution witness Alen Mirzic told the Sarajevo court on Thursday that he was member of Bosnian Army’s ‘Zulfikar’ unit, which was located on Mount Igman, where prisoners were held in cellars under the Hotel Mraziste.

He said that the number of prisoners held there was constantly changing, from 20 up to 100, and that they were put to work by the Bosniak fighters.

“If you consider digging trenches to be forced labour, then yes, prisoners were taken to do forced labour,” said Mrzic.

But he said that he never saw any injuries on the prisoners.

He said that he knew defendant Nedzad Hodzic, who behaved “abnormally” because of the stress of the conflict but “did not shoot at the prisoners”.

He also said he knew the other defendant, Dzecad Salcin, alias ‘Struja’ (‘Electricity’), describing him as a good fighter and a friend who used to like to drink [alcohol]. “I can say all the best things about him,” said Mrzic.

Hodzic and Salcin are charged with the torture, beating and sexual abuse of prisoners held at Mount Igman in 1993.

The defence asked Mrzic if he also knew another fighter named ‘Struja’ from the ‘Cedo’s Wolves’ unit. The witness replied that he did.

“He died after the war. Possibly when the members of the ‘Zulfikar’ unit were arrested because of the events in [the village of] Trusina [when 18 Bosnian Croat civilians and four soldiers were killed in an attack in 1993]. I heard he committed suicide,” the witness said.

The trial continues on March 20.