Bosnia Arrests 12 Over Prijedor Killings
This post is also available in: Bosnian
The 12 were named as Dusan Milunic, aka Bizon [Buffalo], Radomir Stojnic aka Grom [Lightening], Radovan Cetic called Rade, Zoran Stojnic, Zeljko Grbic, aka Mali Cule, Ilija Zoric, Zoran Milunic, Bosko Grujicic, Rade and Uros Grujicic, Rajko Grbic aka Patak [Drake] and Rajko Gnjatovic called Acim.
Police arrested them under suspicion for participating in crimes against the non-Serbian population in the Prijedor area in 1992.
The Bosnian prosecution said that the 12 men, all former members of the Bosnian Serb Army, police and civil authorities, are suspected of participating in the joint criminal enterprise against Bosnniak population towards the end of 1992.
They are charged with killing 29 women and children in the village of Zecovi on July 25, 1992, Bosnian prosecution said.
“They are suspected of murders, torture, rape and other abuses, as well as robbery and destruction of Bosniak property in the village of Zecovi, and other criminal acts,” the prosecution said.
“More than 150 victims were killed in the attack on the village of Zecovi. The remains of number of victims were discovered in the mass grave Tomasica last year, while the bodies of several dozens of victims are still missing,” the prosecution added.
It also said that an investigation was ongoing against another six persons, two of whom are unavailable; an international arrest warrant will be issued against them.
“One suspect is in prison in Foca and will be detained during the day, while the Federation justice minister Zoran Mikulic did not issue the necessary approval for the other person, who should have been brought from prison in Zenica, which represented an obstruction of justice and influenced the investigation,” the prosecution said.
Members of the State Investigation and Protection Agency carried out raids on four locations in a search of evidence.
“Significant amounts of arms and military equipment were found in the search, as well as other items which can be used as evidence in the investigation,” the prosecution said.
The suspects will be handed over to the Bosnian prosecution, which will decide whether to file a custody motion.