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Gasal et al: A Good and Authoritative Man

Nisvet Gasal

03 March 2010  During cross-examination Nisvet Gasal says indictee Enes Handzic signed all orders for taking detainees from "Iskra" prison "to perform labour or to be questioned".

"All orders were received, were signed by the security service of the 307th Motorized Brigade and Enes Handzic. Therefore, all people who were taken away to perform labour or for questioning in 'BH Banka' premises were taken out on the basis of those orders. (...) I believe the security service kept all lists of prisoners. We never informed them about anything, because they knew everything," Gasal said.

The first indictee said he had never received a written decision saying "the prison was under the command of the 307th Brigade of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH".

The State Prosecution charges Gasal and Handzic, as well as Musajb Kukavica and Senad Dautovic, with crimes committed against Croat civilians in Bugojno during 1993 and 1994. The civilians were allegedly detained in "garages and private houses, furniture shop, gymnasium building, 'BH Banka', 'Iskra' stadium detention camp" and other detention centers.

The indictment alleges that Gasal, as Manager, and Kukavica, as Commander of the Guards, were responsible for the functioning of "'Iskra' stadium detention camp", in which about 300 Croat civilians were held in inhumane conditions.

Enes Handzic, former Assistant Chief for Security with the 307th Motorized Brigade of the ABiH, and Senad Dautovic, former Chief of the Public Safety Station in Bugojno, are charged with participation in making plans and detaining civilians in the town.

Gasal began testifying for his defence at the hearing held on February 17 this year.

Answering cross-examination questions from Prosecutor Slavica Terzic, the first indictee said "the indictment contains an error", as he took over the function of "Iskra" prison Manager on October 21, 1993 and not on September 21, 1993, as stated in the indictment.  

At this hearing Ivan Falatar, a former member of the Military Police Squad with the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, testified for the defence of Gasal and Kukavica. He said he was captured by ABiH members in the summer of 1993 and detained in "the furniture shop basement".

"The floor was covered with water. It was a disaster. It was like being in hell. Men were so afraid that they could not speak. People were brutally beaten every night," Falatar said, adding that he stayed there for about five days before being taken to a location near Prusac to perform forced labour.

"They took us there to dig trenches. They treated us in a correct manner. We were given the same food as soldiers. There were no problems. We stayed there for about 15 days. We were then taken back to 'Iskra' stadium in Bugojno. There was not enough room at the stadium, so we had to sit there as sardines in a can. A few days later we were taken to Prusac, where we worked until mid October 1993," the witness said.

Falatar told the Court he found out, upon his arrival at the stadium, that "the old management was replaced" and Nisvet Gasal was a new manager.

"The replacement was conducted due to abnormal conditions, fights and beatings. A group of people, headed by Gasal, was appointed. They did not let anyone enter the stadium and do what they wanted," the witness said.

Falatar said the conditions in "Iskra" "substantially improved with the arrival of Gasal", adding that prisoners could take a bath, they received food regularly and could be visited by relatives and friends.

"I was horribly sorry when I heard that Gasal had been arrested. He wanted to protect us as much as he could. He was a good and authoritative man," the witness told the Trial Chamber at the end of his examination.

The next hearing is due to take place on March 24 this year, when the Defence of Enes Handzic will examine its first witness.