Witness Describes Murder of Family in Zecovi

Defendants Dusan Milunic, Radomir Stojnic, Radovan Cetic, Dusko Zoric, Zoran Stojnic, Zeljko Grbic, Ilija Zoric, Zoran Milunic, Bosko Grujicic, Ljubisa Cetic, Rade Grujcic, Uros Grujcic, Zdravko Antonic and Rajko Gnjatovic have been charged with committing acts of murder, torture, sexual violence, as well as destructing and confiscating property from the local residents of Zecovi.

According to the charges, they participated in a joint criminal enterprise with the civil and military authorities of the municipality of Prijedor, which involved a widespread and systematic attack on the village, conducted by the Bosnian Serb military and police from July 23-28, 1992. The indictment states 29 women and children were also killed in the nearby village of Gradina.

Milunic was the commander of the Rasavacka Company of the Sixth Battalion of the 43rd Brigade of the Bosnian Serb Army. Stojnic was the commander of the reserve police station in Rasavci. Cetic was the president of the Serbian Democratic Party and crisis committee in the village of Rasavci. The other defendants were members of the Bosnian Serb military, police and other formations.

A protected witness known as Z-11 testified at today’s hearing. He was ten years old when two soldiers approached his house in Zecovi one evening. He said he was at home with his family and others.

He said two civilians in the house looked out through the window. He said one of the soldiers began shooting at them. Z-11 said another soldier came to the door.

“Grandma told him, ‘Women and children are here.’ He did not react to that at all,” Z-11 said. He said the soldier continued shooting.

Z-11 said his grandmother, mother, sister, brother and others were killed. He said he and his other sister were wounded and pretended to be dead. He said they left the village on the following morning. He said he saw his father, who’d been taken away from Zecovi, later on. He said they left Prijedor together in a convoy a short time later.

Z-11 said both soldiers had masks on their faces. He said he recognized the voice of the soldier who entered his house and started shooting. He said it was Grbic’s voice. He said the soldier who opened fire at the window entered the house later on. Z-11 said the other soldier told Grbic to set the house on fire. Z-11 said he then recognized Zoric’s voice.

Z-11 said he knew Grbic. He said he had visited him to get puppies from him. He said he also used to see Zoric in the village, and his sister told him that his name was Ilija Zoric.

The trial will continue on October 30.