Former Croatian Defence Council Member Accused of Civilian Killings

Nikola Maric, a former member of the Croatian Defence Council, is charged with participating in murder, persecution, torture, and other inhumane acts in the Prozor area from November 1992-October 1993. He is also charged with shooting at a civilian named Becir Motika in Prozor in June 1993.

The witness, Becir Motika, was asked by the prosecution whether he had previously met the defendant. Motika said that he had, at the bus station in Prozor on July 1, 1993.

“The gentleman [Maric] said, ‘What are you doing here?’” said Motika, adding that Maric had cursed his “Turkish mother.”

Maric then allegedly pulled out a gun, and pointed it at Motika. Maric fired three shots in Motika’s direction. Motika ran away in the direction of a stream bed.

Motika said that Maric may have wanted to intimidate him, since he didn’t hit him.

Witness Nijaz Hasanbegovic said he was arrested in the village of Duge on July 6, 1993. Croatian Defence Council members had ordered about fifty local residents to line up. He said that Nikola Maric had brought seventy year old Safet Hadzibegovic to the line up.

“Nidzo [Nikola] Maric brought him from his house to join the line. He was crying. One could see that Nidzo had hit him,” Nijaz Hasanbegovic said. He said Safet had told him that Nikola Maric had hit him.

Another witness was examined at this hearing, but the public was excluded from his testimony.

The trial will continue on March 19.