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Gasal et al: Victims give conflicting statements

02 July 2008  Two Prosecution witnesses, who stayed in the same room during their detention at the stadium in Bugojno, give different statements concerning the events that happened at that time.

Two Prosecution witnesses gave conflicting statements about what they lived through during their detention in "Iskra" detention camp in Bugojno.

The State Prosecution considers Nisvet Gasal, Musajb Kukavica, Enes Handzic and Senad Dautovic responsible for the crimes against more than 300 ethnic Croatian civilians, who were detained at "Iskra" stadium in 1993 and 1994.

Milenko Begic and Zdravko Kezic from Ljubuski said that they were captured as members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, "in the vicinity of Gornji Vakuf" on August 27, 1993. They said they were first taken to the Cultural and Sports House in Bugojno and, "fifteen days later," to the "Iskra" stadium, where the two of them were held in the same room.

Begic told the Court that they did not have "any contact with other detainees" and the guards used to take them out to eat only after the other detainees had finished eating. On the other hand, Kezic said that they "saw other detainees only when they went to the toilet or during meals."

Both witnesses said that, during the course of their detention at the stadium, unknown persons used to come there at night, take them to the playground and beat them.

Begic said that the beating started "five or six days after the arrival," while Kezic said that it started after the visit by the International Red Cross in late September 1993.

"After the Red Cross staff made a list of detainees, we were transferred to another room, but, again, there was nobody else in the room except the two of us. A few days prior to the exchange, which was on October 13, 1993, they brought detainee Anto Marjanovic to that room," Begic said.

Witness Zdravko Kezic told the Court that Marjanovic was brought there a few days after their arrival to the stadium and all three of them were then transferred to another room, together with "ten other detainees."

At this hearing the Trial Chamber announced that it had not made a decision concerning the custody termination motion filed by Nisvet Gasal's Defence.

The Court asked the Prosecution to provide additional explanation concerning the alleged pressure on the witnesses.

Prosecutor Slavica Terzic said that she did not conduct an investigation or detailed checks concerning the allegations made by some witnesses that they were threatened. She said that the Prosecution "concluded that the threats were serious."

The next hearing is due to take place on July 9.