Serbs Invited to Gather

Witness Ilija Jovicic said that he saw indictee Safet Mujcinovic, former Commander of the Police Station in Stupari, and “Commander Hamzic” in the school building. As he said, the Serbs were told that they would stay in the school sports hall for about ten days and that they would then be exchanged.

The witness, who came from Olovci village together with a group of Serbs, said that he proposed to Hamzic to accommodate them in the educational workers’ buildings, which were empty.

“He fulfilled our request. I thank him for that,” he said.

Mujcinovic and Zijad Hamzic are on trial, along with Selman Busnov, Nusret Muhic, Ramiz Halilovic, Nedzad Hodzic, Hariz Habibovic, Osman Gogic and Kahro Vejzovic, former members of the Territorial Defence and military and civil police, for having committed crimes in Kladanj.

According to the charges, in 1992 Hamzic was Commander of the Territorial Defence Company in Stupari. They are charged with the unlawful detention of the Serb population, as well as beating and inhumane treatment.

Instead of ten days, Jovicic spent about a year in the educational workers’ buildings.

“Policemen were sent to guard us immediately,” he said.

According to the witness’ testimony, in the following days “the number of Serbs”, who were held in the educational workers’ buildings, “increased and reached more than a hundred”.

He explained that, as a representative of the Serbs, he used to go to police in order to tell them what was needed in the educational workers’ buildings. He said that he would be escorted by a policeman on his way to the Police Station.

“It would not have been good, had I walked alone. Everybody had a gun,” the witness said.

Jovicic said that Serbs were taken away for examinations and that he and Milos Celic were among them.

“Well, one cannot deny it.Milis was beaten up,” he said.

The witness admitted to police that he had a rifle.

“I knew that they knew that. Therefore, all the data was matching, so there were no problems with me,” the witness said.

During his testimony he praised indictee Halilovic, among other things, due to the fact that he organised the delivery of food to them. He agreed with Defence attorney Vasvija Vidovic that the civilian authorities in Kladanj municipality decided about their destiny.

The trial is due to continue on Friday, July 25.