Witness Describes Capture and Assault by Croat Forces in Capljina Police Station
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The defendants, all former members of police and military police forces, have been charged with war crimes committed against Bosniak civilians in July 1993. According to the charges, Zovko was the commander of the police station in Capljina, Krndelj was the assistant commander, Rajic was the commander of the military police squad, and Cutura was an police officer.
The indictment alleges that members of the police station commanded by Krndelj as well as Croatian Defense Council soldiers participated in a military operation in the village of Celjevo in the municipality of Capljina on July 19, 1993. Three Bosniak civilians were killed as a result.
The indictment further alleges that during the same operation police officers took a wounded civilian to the police station in Capljina, where they beat and mentally abused him. The civilian was taken to a clinic and then to the Gabela detention camp.
Zovko, Krndelj and Cutura have also been charged with the unlawful arrest of civilians from the village of Veledarova Mahala and with transporting them to the Gabela detention camp in July 1993.
Prosecution witness Alaudin Veledar testified at today’s hearing. Veledar said he was in hiding with his nephews before he was wounded and captured by armed forces in Celjevska Ada. He said more than 1000 bullets were fired at him before he was taken to the Capljina police station.
Krndelj’s defense attorney showed Veledar photos which depicted a room in the police station where Veledar claimed 30 soldiers beat him. Veledar was unable to recognize a corridor shown in one of the photos.
“You’re saying it didn’t happen. I was hit and beaten up in the police station in Capljina, where I should have been protected,” Veledar said. He said only three men in the police station didn’t beat him.
Krndelj’s defense attorney asked Veledar whether he proposed that he and his nephews, Nermo, Edin, and Amel, break through to Mostar while hiding in Celjevska Ada. Veledar said they didn’t attempt to go to Mostar when he realized Edin and Nermo couldn’t swim.
Veledar said his nephew, Amel, was brutally killed and his body was never found. He denied that his nephews were killed when they encountered an ambush.
Veledar said after he was beaten at the Capljina police station, he was transported to a health center where he received medical assistance. He said he was then taken to the Gabela detention camp.
Veledar said the village of Veledarova Mahala, where the defendants allegedly arrested civilians, was ethnically cleansed on July 19, 1993.
Responding to a question by Nikola Zovko’s defense attorney, Veledar said he believed civilians Becir Boskailo, a man named Kovac and a 16 year old girl were killed in the village in late June or on July 1, 1993.
He said he hadn’t heard about the mining of the M-6 road on July 13, 1993 or the murder of 25 Croatian Defense Council soldiers in the area.
Veledar said he was a member of the Bosnian Army, while his nephews Edin and Nermo were members of the Croatian Defense Council until Edin’s arrest on the frontline.
The trial will continue on December 30.
