veličina fonta

verzija za štampu

copyright

pošalji komentar

Memic et al: Custody Debate

Konjic

12 March 2010  The State Prosecution asks the Court to extend custody of three former members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are charged with crimes committed in Trusina village, Konjic municipality, in April 1993.

Prosecutor Vesna Budmir requested the extension of custody of Mensur Memic, Dzevad Salcin and Senad Hakalovic on grounds that "they might seek to influence witnesses and accomplices" as well as the fact that they might disturb public order if at liberty.

The Defence of the three indictees asked the Court to reject the Prosecution's motion as without merit, proposing that it order "some less strict prohibiting measures" against their clients.  

The Court will render a decision at a later stage.

Memic, known as Menta, and Salcin, known as Struja, former members of the "Zulfikar" Special Purposes Squad, and Hakalovic, a former member of the "Neretvica" 45th Mountain Brigade with the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, are charged, under the indictment filed by the State Prosecution, with having participated in an attack on Trusina village on April 16, 1993, when 18 civilians and four members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, were killed.

Budimir said that during the course of examination of witnesses she learned that "those people were threatened", adding that as many as 19 witnesses had asked for protection measures, which, she said represented sufficient reason for extending custody of the indictees.

Hamdija Veladzic, Memic's Defence attorney, said it was "impossible" to influence witnesses "once they have been examined".

"The investigation has been completed. Witnesses have been examined. The Prosecution associates, in a mysterious and mystic way, the potential influence on witnesses with the extension of custody. We consider the Prosecution has had plenty of time and it has misused the custody institution," Veladzic said.

The Defence of indictee Salcin said "the same results would be achieved by prohibiting measures and custody", adding that it considers "the indictees are being punished by being held in custody although their guilt has not been determined". The Defence of Senad Hakalovic agreed with this statement.

"The Prosecution bases its allegations on what some Zuka, Zuka's subordinates and Zuka's men, or some Nihad and his cousin do in Novi Pazar. You know how much this means to my client, who is neither Zuka nor Nihad, nor has he ever seen those people, except maybe once during the course of the war," Kadrija Kolic, Defence attorney of Hakalovic, said.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina suspects Zulfikar Alispago, known as Zuka, former Commander of the "Zulfikar" Squad, and Nihad Bojadzic, his Deputy, as well as Jusuf Hadzajlija, former Assistant Commander for Security with the "Neretvica" 45th Mountain Brigade, of the attack on Trusina village.

The same crime is charged upon Nedzad Hodzic, known as John Wayne. The Prosecution has submitted an indictment against Hodzic to the State Court for confirmation.  

Edin Dzeko and Rasema Handanovic are reported to have been arrested in the US on suspicion that they participated in the murders committed in Trusina village.