100310ED

Page 12614

1 JUDGE PARKER: Good afternoon. Would you please read aloud the

2 affirmation shown to you now.

3 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I solemnly declare that I will

4 speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

5 JUDGE PARKER: Thank you. Please sit down.

6 MR. STAMP: Before he starts, I am told that they were just sent

7 off, the five documents, so I don't know if that's an issue.

8 JUDGE PARKER: Thank you. It seems, Mr. Djurdjic, there may be

9 five documents that even you had not been aware of, so that if a problem

10 arises in respect of those, you can raise it with us. For the moment, I

11 think continue as planned.

12 Mr. Djurdjic has some questions for you.

13 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Thank you, Your Honour.

14 WITNESS: RADOMIR MITIC

15 [Witness answered through interpreter]

16 Examination by Mr. Djurdjic:

17 Q. Good afternoon, Mr. Mitic.

18 A. Good afternoon.

19 Q. For the purposes of the record, could you introduce yourself and

20 tell us your personal details?

21 A. I'm Radomir Mitic. I was born on the 17th of November, 1959 in

22 Pristina. Right now I reside in Podujevac.

23 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us what your present status is?

24 A. I'm a Defence witness.

25 Q. Thank you, but no, you I meant your status at work.

Page 12615

1 A. Right now I'm a retiree. It's been four months now that I've

2 been a retiree.

3 Q. Thank you. Can you tell us briefly about your career, where you

4 worked and what it is that you did?

5 A. I completed the secondary school of the Ministry of the Interior

6 in Vucitrn in 1979. After that as a policeman, as a trainee, I started

7 working at the Urosevac SUP. After that I completed the higher school

8 for the interior as a regular full-time student because I received a

9 scholarship from the SUP. After completing that post-secondary school, I

10 worked briefly as head of a security sector. Then in 1985, I was

11 appointed deputy commander of the police station in Urosevac. Then I

12 became commander of the Urosevac police station, and after that for

13 awhile I was chief of the department for dealing with general crime, and

14 after that I was appointed to a duty and uniform yet again. I was deputy

15 commander of the 6th Battalion, that's what it was called at the time.

16 After that I was appointed commander yet again of the police

17 station, and after that I was appointed chief of the police department of

18 the Urosevac SUP.

19 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us, in 1998 and in 1999, what

20 jobs did you hold?

21 A. In 1998 I was chief of the police department of the Urosevac SUP.

22 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us about the Urosevac SUP.

23 What was its actual jurisdiction, for which territory was this

24 established?

25 A. Within the Secretariat of the Interior in Urosevac, there were

Page 12616

1 the following organisational units: The OUP of Kacanik, then the police

2 station of Urosevac, and the police station of Stimlje, and the police

3 station of Strpci. Within the police station of Urosevac, there were two

4 police departments or branch police stations: One in Nerodimlje and the

5 other one in Srpski Babus.

6 Q. Thank you. You gave us the organisational units outside Urosevac

7 SUP now, but I wanted to ask you briefly which municipalities the

8 Urosevac SUP covered?

9 A. The Urosevac SUP covered the municipality of Urosevac; the

10 municipality of Kacanik; the municipality of Strpci; and the municipality

11 of Stimlje.

12 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us what organisational units

13 the Urosevac SUP had in 1998 and 1999 within the SUP, that is?

14 A. This is the way it was: Within the Urosevac SUP, there was the

15 crime police department, the police department, then the joint affairs

16 department, then -- I omitted to mention the traffic safety department, I

17 think that's what it was called. So there were four departments to the

18 best of my recollection.

19 Then there were divisions: There was one for foreign nationals

20 and administrative affairs, then the fire-fighting police. Roughly that

21 would be about it.

22 Q. Thank you. Thank you. Could you tell us what the tasks were of

23 the police department at the Urosevac SUP?

24 A. The tasks of the police department were first and foremost to

25 follow the activity and work of the police stations that I mentioned a

Page 12617

1 few moments ago. Otherwise, the task of the department was, like of all

2 others, the protection of human lives and property, then crime

3 prevention, and the capture of perpetrators, then ensuring stable law and

4 order in our area and other police work.

5 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us now what the organisation of

6 the police department in the SUP Urosevac was?

7 A. The Urosevac SUP, according to the actual job descriptions, had

8 the post of chief of police. It was myself at the time. Then the deputy

9 chief of police. I didn't actually have a deputy. No one had been

10 appointed. Then there were officers in the police department, several of

11 them at that. One was in charge of public law and order after duty

12 service and the protection of buildings, then there was the officer for

13 defence preparations. The next one was for PJP work, equipment and

14 armament, that is. Then there was the officer for special physical

15 education. And there was a handler of equipment and weapons. There was

16 also a duty service of the police department, and it was headed by the

17 shift leader of the duty service.

18 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us what the relationship was

19 between the police department and the police stations, or rather, the

20 OUPs in the territory of the Urosevac SUP?

21 A. The police department had a function or activity of control and

22 instruction. They monitored their work, checked that it was lawful,

23 et cetera.

24 Q. What was the relationship between the police department that you

25 headed and these police stations in your territory?

Page 12618

1 A. Commanders of police stations were subordinated to myself as the

2 chief of police.

3 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us what the relationship was

4 between the police department of the Urosevac SUP and the police

5 administration at MUP headquarters?

6 A. The police administration at MUP headquarters in Belgrade, or

7 rather, we answer to them for our own work, so they followed our work

8 making sure that we acted in a lawful manner. They actually had a

9 control function, or rather, one of instruction vis-a-vis us, that is to

10 say the police department and police stations.

11 Q. Thank you. And in practice how did that work, this control and

12 instruction function. Can you tell us about that between the police

13 administration and the police department?

14 A. The police administration could exercise control in our

15 territory, announced or unannounced. For the most part it had do with

16 the control of administration, what we did and whether we acted in

17 accordance with the law in particular cases.

18 Then whether we consistently implemented regulations, then also

19 the control of the proper wearing of uniforms and use of weapons,

20 et cetera. So that is what happened in peacetime. Also we had some

21 obligations in terms of reporting to the police administration. So inter

22 alia, we had the obligation to do the following: When the reserve force

23 was engaged on the basis of prior approval, that is to say, up to the 5th

24 of a particular month, it was our duty to provide information as to how

25 many people were engaged. So this engagement takes place in a different

Page 12619

1 order, as it were, so I'm just touching upon the subject right now.

2 Then the report about the work of the police department, through

3 the analysis department or actually, we sent it to them and then they

4 sent it on to the police administration.

5 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us what forms of work the

6 police department has?

7 A. I didn't quite understand your question. Could you be more

8 specific, please. What do you mean?

9 Q. What were the specific activities of the members of the police

10 department in Urosevac?

11 A. The police department followed the work and activities of police

12 stations. They controlled, they checked whether they acted lawfully and

13 implemented regulations. And they also checked their work.

14 Q. Yes, but the policemen that you were in charge of, what did they

15 in reality do?

16 A. Their main task of police members was to protect the life,

17 personal safety of people and their property. Then they had to maintain

18 law and order, and to restore it, if it was disrupted. They were to

19 prevent and capture perpetrators of crime and they were to turn them over

20 to responsible organs, and they also had to perform additional tasks.

21 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Your Honours, could we give a hard

22 copy of documents to the witness. The documents that we will be using so

23 that we proceed in a more efficient manner?

24 JUDGE PARKER: Yes.

25 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see P52, please.

Page 12620

1 Q. Witness, that's tab 1. Can you please tell us in relation to

2 this document what were the duties of the members of the police

3 department?

4 A. See this is an instruction on the organisation and implementation

5 of law enforcement activities in the security sector. By way of these

6 instructions, they defined the activities and duties of police officers

7 within the sector. They had operations. Is there anything else I'm

8 supposed to say?

9 Q. Thank you. All of that are things that policemen do, activities

10 carried out by policemen within the police department and the

11 organisational units in the territory of the SUP?

12 A. That's right.

13 Q. Do you receive information, reports about these activities that

14 are carried out in Urosevac and from the territories of the police

15 station, the OUPs?

16 A. Certainly. However, as for police stations, it is their

17 immediate superiors, the commanders, who are accountable, together with

18 their associates. They are duty-bound -- actually, in practice, we spoke

19 on the telephone every day, and they were supposed to report about the

20 situation in their respective areas.

21 Q. Thank you. You told us that within the police department, you

22 had an officer, if I'm not mistaken, who dealt with the reserve force,

23 and I would be interested in the following: How was the reserve force

24 engaged, and how did that evolve in 1998?

25 A. Yes. In my department there was an officer for defence

Page 12621

1 preparations, and within that, there were duties concerning the

2 engagement of reserve forces. Now, when it comes to engagement of

3 reserve forces, it was done exclusively upon an order or decision by the

4 minister of the interior.

5 Q. All right. Thank you.

6 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see D101, please.

7 Q. Which is tab 2 in your binder. Could you please comment on this.

8 What is this, Mr. Mitic?

9 A. This is an instruction by the minister of the interior of the

10 Republic of Serbia. And it has to do with the performance of Internal

11 Affairs duties by reserve forces personnel of the ministry.

12 Q. Thank you. And you acted pursuant to this instruction?

13 A. Yes, certainly.

14 Q. Now, was it only pursuant to this instruction that you could

15 engage reserve forces or --

16 A. No, in order to engage reserve forces, the minister had to pass

17 an order on engaging them.

18 Q. All right. Thank you.

19 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see D102, please.

20 Q. Which is your tab 3. Could you comment briefly once we have it

21 on the screen. Please go ahead.

22 A. This is an order of the minister of the interior of the Republic

23 of Serbia to call up and engage reserve forces personnel in order to

24 carry out certain peacetime tasks of the ministry.

25 Q. Thank you. Item 5 specifies the relevant period of time?

Page 12622

1 A. It says here from the 1st of July, 1998, until the 31st of

2 December, 1998.

3 Q. Thank you.

4 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Now, could we see, please, D103.

5 Q. Which is your tab 4. This is yet again an order of the minister

6 of the interior, dated the 25th of December, 1998. Can you please tell

7 me in item 5 what is the relevant period of time that this order pertains

8 to?

9 A. From the 1st of January, 1999, until the 30th of June, 1999.

10 Q. Thank you. Now, tell me, please, Witness, in case of war, or

11 rather, let me withdraw that.

12 Did the Ministry of the Interior have its own reserve forces that

13 were to be used in case of war or an imminent threat of war?

14 A. Yes, in the territory of my secretariat, as far as I know, and in

15 the broader area of Kosovo and Metohija there were reserve forces of

16 police and they were engaged.

17 Q. Now, their deployment, was it a mobilisation deployment or

18 disposition?

19 A. Well, you see here, within the police department, as we have

20 mentioned, there was an officer in charge of these affairs, these duties.

21 Once the minister passes an order that certain number of police members

22 are to be engaged for a certain period of time, then call-up would be

23 announced.

24 Q. Now, you are telling us about the documents, what we saw in the

25 documents. I'm asking you in case of war what would -- whether the

Page 12623

1 reserve forces would respond pursuant to their mobilisation deployment

2 orders or how would it be done?

3 A. Yes, I understood your question. Once a state of war is

4 declared, everybody responds in accordance with their war time

5 assignment.

6 Q. Thank you. Tell me, what was the status of the members of

7 reserve forces once they were called up, be it in peacetime or in war

8 time, to become active?

9 A. Reserve members of police, once they are engaged, have an

10 identical status and identical duties as all authorised officials. They

11 are engaged mostly together with a police member based on an assessment

12 made by the senior officer, but they never work on their own. They never

13 work alone.

14 Q. You told us that they have the status of an authorised official.

15 Tell me, do they have other rights, are they eligible just like other

16 active police members?

17 A. Yes, I said at the beginning, they have the same rights and

18 obligations as active police force members. With one proviso, reserve

19 forces, when they are engaged, they have the same social benefits,

20 retirement benefits as active forces.

21 Q. All right. Once the decision is made to engage members of

22 reserve forces, are they considered members of the police force or

23 members of the SUP which had engaged them?

24 A. Yes.

25 Q. Let me ask you this, when they are not engaged, what do these

Page 12624

1 people do when they are not engaged in the MUP?

2 A. These people when they are not engaged, perform their regular

3 duties and tasks, in companies, in institutions where they have jobs, or

4 they do their farming activities if they are farmers. That is to say,

5 they have no obligations towards the secretariat when they are not

6 engaged.

7 Q. And when they are not engaged, do they have the status off an

8 authorised official?

9 A. No.

10 Q. Thank you. Now I would like to ask you about members of reserve

11 police squads, RPOs. What about these persons. In Kosovo and Metohija

12 in 1998 and 1999, what was their function then?

13 A. Members of reserve police squads, of RPOs, are military

14 conscripts. They are conscripts either of the army or of the police.

15 These people were designated to defend their villages, their streets in

16 case there was a threat of war, and in our particular case, it was in

17 order to prevent a terrorist attack.

18 Q. These persons, members of reserve police squads, when they defend

19 their villages, do they have the status of authorised officials?

20 A. No, because these are the people who have their own jobs and who

21 have no official status within the secretariat. And they differ from

22 members of reserve forces precisely because these are the people who

23 defend their villages or who defend their streets and their towns or

24 elsewhere, whereas members of reserve forces are part of the police

25 structure. They are reserve policemen who have the same rights and

Page 12625

1 obligations as authorised officials.

2 Q. You told us earlier, Mr. Mitic, that these were usually military

3 conscripts or reserve policemen defending their homes. Now, tell me,

4 please, when they defended their homes, were they considered reserve

5 policemen?

6 A. No. See here, when they are not engaged as members of reserve

7 forces, they can be engaged as members of reserve police squads.

8 Q. And when they are engaged as reserve policemen?

9 A. When they are engaged as reserve policemen, then they cannot be

10 engaged as members of reserve police squads at the same time.

11 Q. When these people are engaged as reserve policemen, what kind of

12 duties and tasks do they perform?

13 A. As reserve policemen, they carry out regular police duties.

14 Q. Thank you. Now, one more topic. Once an imminent threat of war

15 is declared or once the war is declared, what happens with the conscripts

16 who are in reserve police forces?

17 A. All of them are duty-bound to respond to the call-up in

18 accordance with their war-time assignment.

19 Q. Are you trying to say that reserve policemen also respond?

20 A. Yes, everybody responds in the territory of their police station.

21 Q. Thank you. Now, tell me, please, those who were members of

22 reserve police squads, once a war breaks out could they remain members of

23 reserve police squads?

24 A. Yes, they could if they were not engaged within the reserve

25 forces. If they were engaged within the reserve forces, then they

Page 12626

1 couldn't be in two places at the same time.

2 Q. That's why I'm asking you. So if they respond to the

3 mobilisation call-up, then what is their status within the reserve police

4 squad?

5 A. Well, they would be engaged as members of reserve forces and the

6 reserve police squad would continue operating without them.

7 Q. Thank you.

8 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Your Honours, I would like to turn

9 to a different topic, so I think that this would be a good time for a

10 technical break.

11 JUDGE PARKER: Very well. We will have the first break now and

12 resume at 4.15.

13 [The witness stands down]

14 --- Recess taken at 3.44 p.m.

15 --- On resuming at 4.18 p.m.

16 [The witness takes the stand]

17 JUDGE PARKER: Mr. Djurdjic.

18 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Thank you, Your Honour.

19 Could we please have P58.

20 Q. It's tab number 6 in your binder. Mr. Mitic, I would like us to

21 discuss PJPs. Tell me, do you know what the task of the PJPs was?

22 A. The task of a PJP is to be engaged in activities aimed against

23 the security of the country, or in a regular situation when there are

24 larger-scale disturbances of war and peace, then also providing security

25 at big sports events and so on.

Page 12627

1 Q. Thank you. Can you please tell us who it was that decided to

2 have PJPs engaged?

3 A. It was only the minister of the interior that could decide.

4 THE INTERPRETER: Interpreter's note: Could all other

5 microphones please be switched off. Thank you.

6 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] I am afraid that the witness

7 doesn't seem to --

8 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes, it's fine now. Thank you.

9 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation]

10 Q. When members of a PJP are not engaged, what work do they do?

11 A. Members of a PJP carry out regular work and tasks within their

12 organisational units. That is to say, that they carry out the work I

13 mentioned a few moments ago only when they are engaged by the minister as

14 members of PJPs.

15 Q. Thank you. In 1998 and 1999, who decided, or rather, tell me

16 first, did the SUP Urosevac have a PJP, and if so, what was its form?

17 A. The Urosevac SUP did have a company of a PJP.

18 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us during 1998 and 1999 who

19 decided on the engagement of your PJP company from Urosevac?

20 A. After the minister of the interior established the staff the PJP

21 was engaged exclusively through the staff of the ministry for Kosovo and

22 Metohija.

23 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us how that PJP unit from

24 Urosevac would be informed that it had been engaged?

25 A. If they were to be engaged, the chief of the Urosevac SUP gets a

Page 12628

1 dispatch on the engagement of that unit. Then he sends it down the line

2 to me because I was in charge of the uniformed police. Then we, from the

3 department, inform the commanders of the regional police stations because

4 the members of that unit originally came from all the police stations

5 there. Once they would receive such orders, then they would bring

6 together their men. They inspect them, they ensure vehicles and other

7 required equipment, and then the unit assembles at the Urosevac police

8 station from which they set out to their destination. And that's where

9 it says who engages them too.

10 Q. You said the dispatch is received by the chief of the Urosevac

11 SUP. In 1998 and 1999 who did he receive such dispatches from on the

12 engagement of the PJP from Urosevac SUP?

13 A. The chief of the secretariat received dispatches from the MUP

14 staff for Kosovo and Metohija.

15 Q. Thank you. When a PJP from the Urosevac SUP goes out on mission,

16 do you have any knowledge about what their activity is?

17 A. No. You see, once that unit is engaged outside the area of the

18 secretariat, they report at a particular location that is spelled out in

19 the dispatch, so they answer to those who engage them. They have no

20 obligations vis-a-vis us, except if any one of the policemen violates

21 discipline or if, heaven forbid, he is wounded or killed.

22 Q. Thank you. When they are engaged as PJP in accordance with the

23 decision by the staff, did you receive any reports from them about their

24 activities?

25 A. No. No.

Page 12629

1 Q. Thank you. Can you tell us during 1998 and 1999, did any PJP

2 unit outside the Urosevac SUP arrive from Serbia proper to the territory

3 of the Urosevac SUP?

4 A. As far as I can remember, actually I'm sure, that not a single

5 unit was stationed there in my area, was sent to that area to work there.

6 Q. Thank you. Tell me, how was the PJP equipped, the PJP of the

7 Urosevac SUP?

8 A. Within the ministry, there was a department for PJP equipment and

9 armament. That is to say, from the police administration even in regular

10 situations when the training of these members was supposed to take place,

11 we received a plan and programme of their training and their equipment

12 went through the police administration.

13 Q. Tell me, did your department have anything to do with the

14 training?

15 A. No, no, the police department did not have a special role since

16 the company had its own leadership, and then they would receive their

17 training programme and they carried it out on their own.

18 Q. Thank you. Did any of the officers from your department, your

19 police department get involved in this planning and organisation of

20 training for the Urosevac PJP?

21 A. Yes, there was an officer for the PJPs, for their equipment and

22 armament. He was involved in that, and he kept a dossier of the special

23 unit. The company commander, once the unit was established, provided a

24 list of the men engaged in the PJP and the list was updated every now and

25 then because sometimes people would fall ill or other things would happen

Page 12630

1 preventing them from staying in that unit.

2 At the same time, we used that list in order to send it to the

3 logistics department because members of the PJP had a higher salary

4 quotient.

5 Q. Thank you. Would you please tell us about the company of the PJP

6 of the Urosevac SUP. Whose composition did they belong to?

7 A. This company was within the 124th Detachment of the PJP, or later

8 when it grew into the 124th Intervention Brigade, then it was within the

9 124th Intervention Brigade.

10 Q. Thank you.

11 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Can we please have P257 now.

12 Q. It's tab 7 in your binder.

13 A. Yes.

14 Q. This is a decision of the establishment of the 124th Brigade of

15 the PJP. Could you please tell me who reached this decision and when?

16 A. The minister of the interior of the Republic of Serbia on the

17 18th of June, 1998.

18 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us whether you were aware of

19 this decision when it was reached?

20 A. Yes. The chief of SUP familiarised us with it when the decision

21 was actually made.

22 Q. Thank you. A few moments ago you told us how this 124th

23 Intervention Brigade was established. The commander of the brigade,

24 where was he, did you know that?

25 A. Yes. I know that the commander of the 124th Intervention Brigade

Page 12631

1 was Mr. Zarko Brakovic. That unit once it moved to the 124th

2 Intervention Brigade then it was joined by the mechanised brigade from

3 Pristina, so the headquarters were in Pristina, as is stated here.

4 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us when your company was

5 engaged as the PJP, who did the company commander answer to for his work?

6 A. The commander of the company of the PJP from Urosevac answered to

7 the commander of the 124th Intervention Brigade, or rather, the staff.

8 Q. Thank you. A few moments ago you mentioned to us that members of

9 the PJP company from Urosevac had disciplined responsibility within the

10 secretariat that they originally hailed from. Can you please explain to

11 us what the proceedings involved were?

12 A. If a grey violation or breach of official duty occurred, the

13 commander in the field takes all necessary measures to establish the

14 facts involved, and after that he informs the chief of SUP and submits a

15 proposal to initiate disciplinary proceedings.

16 Q. Thank you. And then the SUP where that person is from would

17 conduct disciplinary proceedings?

18 A. Yes, correct.

19 Q. Thank you. Within a PJP unit, be it at the level of a detachment

20 or company, were there any disciplinary organs or not?

21 A. No, there weren't.

22 Q. Thank you. Tell me, engagement in the activities of a PJP unit,

23 was it limited in time, or how long would it normally last?

24 A. As long as needed. We were not the ones to decide on it, nor did

25 we know about it.

Page 12632

1 Q. Thank you. And once the PJP activities were completed, did the

2 members of the PJP go back to their regular duties and tasks within

3 secretariats or units to which they originally belonged to?

4 A. Upon their return from their assignment, company commander would

5 receive instructions from his superior command as to whether they were to

6 report to work on the following day or whether they would have a day or

7 two off. And then he, in turn, would inform the chief of SUP whether the

8 people were given a day off or were supposed to report to work, and then

9 the management of a police station would be informed of it so that they

10 could be put on the schedule for their regular assignments accordingly.

11 Q. Thank you. Now, as to those who had committed some sort of a

12 disciplinary misdemeanour, upon their return, what would happen to them?

13 A. Depending on the disciplinary infraction, if it was a serious one

14 and required that that person be suspended until the end of the

15 disciplinary proceedings, then such a member of a PJP unit would be

16 suspended. That was the term used. He would be suspended until the end

17 of the disciplinary proceedings.

18 Q. Thank you. Can you tell us, please, how was information passed

19 in the Urosevac SUP? I'm referring both to organisational units, or

20 rather, would you please tell us something about the organisational units

21 that were outside of the seat of the SUP?

22 A. There were several kinds of informing. Urgent, daily, and

23 periodical. Organisational units out in the field, depending on the

24 event that took place, were duty-bound to inform the duty service in the

25 Urosevac SUP about anything that may have happened. In some serious

Page 12633

1 cases, they would also inform the chief of the secretariat.

2 Q. Within the Urosevac SUP and within branch units, were there any

3 special services that dealt with these tasks, and if so, which were they?

4 A. Your question is not quite clear. Would you repeat it, please.

5 Q. Within police stations, OUPs, and within the Urosevac SUP, was

6 there a service, were there services that would communicate between

7 themselves in the process of this urgent and daily information provision?

8 A. Yes, there were duty services. Mostly it would be the shift

9 leader that would inform the head of the shift within the Urosevac SUP

10 about anything relevant that may have happened.

11 Q. All right. Now, Urosevac SUP, would it pass on this information

12 further, would its duty service do that?

13 A. The duty service of the Urosevac SUP, or rather, the chief of

14 SUP, depending on the event, if it was, for example, a crime, a serious

15 crime that was committed, then they would inform the operations centre of

16 MUP and they would inform their superiors within their own line of work,

17 that is to say the crime police administration.

18 Q. All right. Could you please look at tab 8, which is D232.

19 Witness, in your work when it comes to informing and reporting,

20 did you implement this instruction that we see on the screen now.

21 A. Yes.

22 Q. Now, in 1998 and in 1999, in addition to persons listed in this

23 instruction who need to be informed, did you inform anyone else?

24 A. Yes. We also informed the staff. The staff was in charge of

25 monitoring the activities and also the events and phenomena that took

Page 12634

1 place in Kosovo and Metohija.

2 Q. Based on your knowledge did the staff regulate how various SUPs

3 need to report on events and phenomena?

4 A. Yes. I think that there was a dispatch, or a memo sent out, and

5 in that document, the staff instructed how they need to report, or

6 rather, what they need to report on.

7 Q. Thank you.

8 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see P1041, please.

9 Q. Which is tab 9 in your binder. This is a memo sent by the staff

10 on the 21st October.

11 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see the B/C/S version

12 page 2, please. And also page 2 in the English version.

13 Q. Witness, is this how you informed the staff, in accordance with

14 item B of this memo? Is this how you informed the staff?

15 A. Yes, precisely. In accordance with the principle stated here.

16 Q. Thank you. We will get to those reports later. Now, tell me,

17 please, these reports that you sent to the staff, did you send them to

18 anyone else?

19 A. No. This information was provided exclusively to the staff and

20 no one else.

21 Q. Thank you.

22 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see 1057, please.

23 Q. Which is tab 10 in your binder. Witness, this is a memo sent by

24 the ministry staff on the 1st of April, 1999. Could you please comment

25 on it briefly. What is regulated in this memo, and how did you act upon

Page 12635

1 it, if at all?

2 A. Yes, we did act upon it because this memo of the ministry staff

3 pertained to all secretariats in Kosovo and Metohija. And this was an

4 instruction about sending such reports to the staff.

5 Q. Thank you. Now, tell me, please, in the dispatch in tab 9 on the

6 dispatch of the 21st of October, to whom was it sent?

7 A. This too is a memo. It was sent by the ministry staff to all

8 secretariats in Kosovo and Metohija.

9 Q. Thank you. I'd like to ask you something about the communication

10 process before the war and during the war, in the technical sense. How

11 was the reporting done in the technical sense before the war broke out?

12 A. Well, before the war broke out, the reporting was regular. One

13 could send reports via a dispatch. Information could be sent in a

14 dispatch. One could also make a phone call on the special line if

15 information needed to be passed on, and we also used other kind of means

16 without any problems.

17 Q. Thank you. Now, what about during the war starting from the 24th

18 of March, 1999, until the combat continued throughout 1999. Tell me, how

19 was this reporting done in the technical sense, and when did they began

20 with this method?

21 A. See, during the war and after NATO bombing, a lot of

22 communication lines were disrupted. Some of them didn't function at all.

23 Namely when the post office building in Pristina was bombed, and also the

24 SUP building in Pristina, many communication lines were destroyed and

25 stopped functioning.

Page 12636

1 Q. Thank you.

2 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we see D798, please.

3 Q. Which is tab 11 in your binder. This is a memo by the MUP staff

4 dated 10th of April, 1999. Could you please comment on it and give us

5 some details about how the reporting was done in practice?

6 A. See, this is a memo that was sent to all chiefs of secretariats,

7 as far as I can see, and the names of secretariats are given here. This

8 letter was sent to the chiefs of SUPs personally, and what I see here are

9 phone numbers of some members of the staff. Their names are listed here.

10 Q. Yes. And then further on?

11 A. Based on this memo, we were duty-bound to inform the staff.

12 However, the communication lines were extremely poor, and I guess that

13 there was just one PTT line that the chief of SUP was aware of. And in

14 addition to this means of communication, we had nothing else except for

15 courier service.

16 Q. Tell me, please, how did this courier service operate?

17 A. Based on my recollections, I think that couriers operated on a

18 daily basis.

19 Q. And when were these reports sent via couriers, to whom and to

20 which locations?

21 A. After all organisational units of the secretariat who had an

22 obligation to inform the secretariat daily up until 7.00, they would send

23 it in and then that would be compiled, and it would be sent to the staff

24 via courier service.

25 Q. Thank you. Now, tell me, please, in the territory of the

Page 12637

1 Urosevac SUP, what communication channels were available to you?

2 A. See here, the special communication channel didn't function due

3 to the fact that the NATO had bombed the PTT building in Pristina, as

4 well as the building of the secretariat in Pristina. So there was --

5 there were telephone lines, PTT lines, as I can see from this memo, that

6 they were available occasionally. This is how chief would contact this

7 staff. And in addition to these PTT lines, we also had radio connection.

8 However, both during the war and before the war, the PTT lines with

9 Stimlje operated very poorly.

10 Q. You said what communication channels you had within Urosevac.

11 Could you from Urosevac call somebody in Prizren or Kosovska Mitrovica?

12 A. No, we couldn't. That means that only within the secretariat, we

13 could contact the chief in Strbac, and as I said to you, with Stimlje

14 with great difficulty.

15 Q. What about radio communications?

16 A. When the transmitter at Goles and Bukova Glava were bombed, that

17 made radio communication very difficult. I remember that we mostly used

18 channel 42, even though as far as I can remember we mostly operated on

19 channel 57.

20 Q. Thank you. Could you tell me, please, what was the security

21 situation in Kosovo and Metohija in mid-1998?

22 A. You said mid-1998?

23 Q. Yes.

24 A. In that period of time in my area, in the area of the Urosevac

25 secretariat, the situation was extremely difficult. The security

Page 12638

1 situation was extremely difficult. It was characterised by frequent

2 attacks, by members of the so-called KLA against members of the police,

3 army. There were provocations all the time. Then they consolidated

4 their forces as they took other territories, main roads. I can say for

5 my own area, and I know less about others, that the road between Stimlje

6 and Suva Reka was disrupted in the area of the village of Crnoljevo.

7 Also, there was a growing number of kidnappings of persons of

8 different ethnic backgrounds, that is to say ethnic Serbs, Albanians,

9 Roma, and others.

10 Q. Thank you. You said that the road was disrupted in the Crnoljevo

11 area. What was it that this road linked, can you tell us?

12 A. Well, you see, this road was very important for our area. It

13 meant a great deal. This is the road that leads to Prizren. Suva Reka,

14 Prizren, Djakovica, Pec, that is to say Metohija. At that time the

15 economy practically ground to a halt. It could not function. The

16 population had no supplies, so things became more difficult in that

17 period.

18 Q. Thank you. Could you please tell us since you could not take

19 that road from Crnoljevo towards Prizren, which road had to be taken in

20 order to reach Prizren and later these other towns that you mentioned in

21 Metohija?

22 A. Well, one had to go all the way around. You had to go from

23 Urosevac via Doganovici, then Strpci, Prevalce [phoen], Sredska to

24 Prizren. That is to say a great big circle had to be made in the area of

25 Kosovo in order to go around that road.

Page 12639

1 Q. Thank you. The territory of the Urosevac SUP, does it have a

2 border with foreign states?

3 A. Yes. The Urosevac SUP, or rather its territory in the area of

4 Strpci and Kacanik is about -- went along the border with the Republic of

5 Macedonia for about 40 kilometres.

6 Q. Thank you. So let us put this in more specific terms. The state

7 border included 40 kilometres that bordered on the territory of the SUP

8 of Urosevac; isn't that right?

9 A. Yes.

10 Q. Now, tell me, what was the situation like at the border facing

11 Macedonia in 1998 in the period that we are discussing now, mid-1998?

12 A. You know what, on the Macedonian side from the direction of

13 Tetovo, we learned that at that time in 1998 there was increased arming

14 of Albanian terrorists, and they were also training their men. They did

15 that all the time because on the other side of the border in Tetovo, the

16 population is predominantly Albanian as well.

17 Q. Can you tell us what the area is on this other side of the SUP

18 Urosevac? What are the towns and villages there that were relevant in

19 terms of what you were telling us about, the training of personnel and

20 arming and so on?

21 A. From the border post of Djeneral Jankovic, the villages in that

22 area, Godance, then as far as I can remember, Globocica. Globocica is

23 also a border crossing. In that area -- well, there's also the village

24 of Pustanik, then Kotlina, Ivaja and other villages, so in that area

25 there was a major concentration of terrorist groups that attacked the

Page 12640

1 army and police practically every day. Also they concentrated in that

2 area because most probably based on the intelligence we received, they

3 were supposed to support NATO forces in case of a land invasion of the

4 FRY.

5 Q. Thank you. In view of the situation that you described to us, do

6 you know whether there was a reaction on the part of state organs of

7 Serbia and Yugoslavia in mid-1998?

8 A. Yes, as far as I can remember, the reaction was as follows: A

9 MUP staff was established for Kosovo and Metohija for suppressing

10 terrorism in the area of Kosovo and Metohija.

11 Q. When and from whom did you hear about the establishment of the

12 staff for suppressing terrorism in Kosovo and Metohija?

13 A. Well, we received all such information from the chief of the

14 secretariat. After that staff was established, the chief of the

15 secretariat informed us about it at regular morning meetings.

16 Q. Can you tell us what it is that the chief of secretariat told

17 you?

18 A. As far as I know, as far as I can remember because I know that

19 the staff functioned later on, the chief of the secretariat conveyed the

20 following to us: That staff for suppressing terrorism in Kosovo and

21 Metohija was established, and that both the public security and the state

22 security sectors were brought together, and that the chief of secretariat

23 belonged to the expanded composition of that staff, as a member.

24 Q. Thank you. Can you tell us who had contacts with this staff and

25 how was that actually done?

Page 12641

1 A. Well, for the most part, it was the chief of the secretariat who

2 had contacts with the staff.

3 Q. Do you know in which way he had these contacts?

4 A. Well, by way of special lines, PTT lines, et cetera. Then he

5 took part in the meetings of the staff and in that way, he had contact

6 with them. I don't know if I'm expressing myself properly.

7 Q. Thank you. You say at meetings, and how did he make you aware of

8 tasks that might have stemmed from that?

9 A. After such meetings at the staff in Pristina, the chief of the

10 secretariat regularly conveyed orders and tasks to us, those that he had

11 received over there from the staff, he would tell us at these morning

12 meetings that we had with him.

13 Q. Thank you. Did you get any dispatches or letters from the Chief

14 of Staff according to various lines of work, those that arrived from the

15 staff were combatting terrorism in Kosovo and Metohija?

16 A. Yes, I received such dispatches too. Depending on one's line of

17 work, the chief of secretariat forwarded such instructions, either to the

18 chief of the police department, to the chief for traffic police, and so

19 on.

20 Q. Thank you. You told us a moment ago that the chief -- the chief

21 said to you that there should be co-ordination and co-operation with the

22 state security sector, and I would like to know in which way that was

23 supposed to take place and whether it actually did take place at all?

24 A. If my memory serves me well, I know that the chief of secretariat

25 mentioned that General Lukic, the head of the staff was the head of

Page 12642

1 staff, and I think it was David Gajic if I remember correctly, who was in

2 charge of state security. I may have forgotten the person's name

3 actually.

4 Q. I'm asking about the Urosevac SUP, whether at that level there

5 was co-operation with the organisational units of state security?

6 A. Well, that is precisely why the staff was established. That is

7 to say, to promote co-operation between the two services. After the

8 staff was established, the state security in Urosevac also had closer

9 co-operation with our chief.

10 Q. Thank you. And in relation to the police department, how did

11 this co-operation evolve specifically, or within some other

12 organisational unit within the Urosevac SUP?

13 A. Well, the state security department in Urosevac for the most part

14 had closer co-operation with the crime police department of the Urosevac

15 SUP. We took certain operative and tactical measures. For example, when

16 premises were supposed to be searched and so on, when they had plans for

17 searching someone's home, then we would be involved, and the crime police

18 department, and the state security people.

19 Q. Thank you. Was there any co-operation in terms of bringing

20 persons from the territory that your police department covered when

21 carrying out its regular work?

22 A. Yes, members of the police, as they carried out their regular

23 work and tasks through patrols, sectoral work, check-points, and so on --

24 actually, after that if there were persons who were assumed to have

25 something do with the implementation of terrorist actions, such persons

Page 12643

1 were brought in as suspects to the police station and the policemen would

2 compile reports and hand them over to the OKP, that is to say the crime

3 police department and the state security department there.

4 Q. Thank you.

5 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we please have D106.

6 Q. It's 12 in your binder. Witness, this is a decision of the

7 minister of the interior dated the 19th of July, 1998. It was Vlajko

8 Stojiljkovic at the time. Could you please tell us whether you are aware

9 of this decision, and could you please explain to us what this is all

10 about and what action was taken on the basis of this decision?

11 A. As you have said, this is a decision made by the minister of the

12 interior of the Republic of Serbia, Vlajko Stojiljkovic. He says:

13 "For having distinguished themselves in carrying out the security

14 task of prevention of terrorism in the area of the Autonomous Province of

15 Kosovo and Metohija in the period since the 20th of July, 1998, I hereby

16 award members of the PJPs, active and reserve force, members of the SAJ

17 and members of the JSO 50 dinars per person per day for every day of

18 engagement in the tasks relating to item 1 of this decision."

19 Q. Thank you, we can read that. However, in the Urosevac SUP, were

20 payments made on the basis of this decision?

21 A. Yes, indeed.

22 Q. Tell me just one more thing: The JSO unit, who do they belong

23 to, which sector?

24 A. The state security. They were linked to them, organisationally

25 speaking.

Page 12644

1 Q. Thank you.

2 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now please have document

3 D109.

4 Q. It's number 13 in your binder, sir. Here we have a letter by the

5 staff in Pristina dated the 3rd of August, 1998. Can you tell us who

6 this was addressed to?

7 A. Yes, this is again a letter of the staff sent to the all

8 secretariats in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija.

9 Q. And to whom in the secretariat?

10 A. To the chief -- to the chiefs.

11 Q. Were you aware of this letter?

12 A. Yes, certainly. Yes.

13 Q. We see here in this first paragraph that there was an assessment

14 that terrorist attacks on cities were possible. So did you take any

15 measures based on this letter? Did you take any measures in the

16 territory of your SUP?

17 A. We certainly did. We would always act upon every letter. We

18 would take up certain measures and activities, and I'm sure that we

19 informed the staff of this and most likely we reinforced our coverage of

20 the territory.

21 Q. Do you know whether any attacks did transpire? Were any cities

22 attacked in the summer of 1998?

23 A. Well, in my territory, or rather, in the outskirts of Kacanik the

24 town, a police patrol there was attacked as a result of which eight

25 policemen were severely injured. Urosevac, Strpci, Strpci is a small

Page 12645

1 town, were not attacked literally, but the village of Gornje Nerodimlje

2 near Urosevac was. That's in Urosevac municipality. It's a mixed

3 village.

4 Q. And what about outside of the Urosevac territory, were there any

5 attacks to your knowledge on other cities and towns in Kosovo and

6 Metohija?

7 A. Well, I just know from what the media reported that in Orahovac

8 and in some other cities there were attacks.

9 Q. Thank you.

10 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see D108, please.

11 Q. That's your tab 14. Witness, this is a letter by the MUP staff,

12 letter number 10 from the 3rd of August, 1998. Can you tell us to whom

13 it was sent?

14 A. This letter of the staff was sent to the secretariats in

15 Pristina, Pec, Prizren, Djakovica, Gnjilane, Urosevac, and Kosovska

16 Mitrovica, which is to say to all secretariats in Kosovo and Metohija.

17 To the chiefs and commanders of the PJP detachment.

18 Q. Thank you. We can see the contents of this document, but I'm

19 interested especially in paragraph 2. What did the police department of

20 Urosevac SUP do in relation to what is stated there?

21 A. Well, most likely intelligence was received indicating that

22 Albanian terrorists had used medical prescriptions and the like in order

23 to safely leave the area where there were combat operations. It says

24 here what procedures should be used if we come across such persons.

25 Q. Did your policemen act in accordance with this letter?

Page 12646

1 A. Well, I can't remember specifically whether we had such cases,

2 but we certainly abided by this letter.

3 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see D240, please.

4 Q. That's tab 15 in your binder. We have here a letter of the MUP

5 staff in Pristina dated 9th of August, 1998. So could you please comment

6 on paragraph 3. Did you implement any measures in your territory, and if

7 so, then which police department did?

8 A. Yes. As I have said earlier, we were duty-bound to act upon any

9 letter or memo we received. But as far as I remember, in relation to the

10 paragraph you mentioned is that we took up measures in the area of

11 village Zborce and Crnoljevo.

12 Q. All right. And what particular measures did you take?

13 A. In that area, there were trenches and other fortifications

14 erected and they needed to be filled in, and we thought that terrorist

15 actions would be terminated by the mere fact that OSCE Mission had

16 arrived.

17 Q. We'll see that this letter is from August?

18 A. Yes, you are quite right, but it was already announced that the

19 OSCE Mission would arrive. Therefore, we started filling in those

20 bunkers, trenches, and shelters in order to continue with our regular

21 work so that people could live normally.

22 Q. All right. And who used those trenches and shelters and so on?

23 A. Well, the Albanian terrorists.

24 Q. And what did they do from them?

25 A. Well, they attacked members of the army and police, they

Page 12647

1 kidnapped persons, they engaged in activities that were hard to

2 understand.

3 Q. Tell me, please, Crnoljevo and that area, why were they

4 important?

5 A. Crnoljevo was important for them in order to paralyse the traffic

6 in that direction in order to cut off the road so that factories and

7 institutions would stop working.

8 Q. All right. Now, what road is it that leads to Crnoljevo?

9 A. That's the Pristina-Stimlje road. And then to Dulje, Suva Reka,

10 and Prizren. This is the road which represents the connection with

11 Metohija.

12 Q. All right.

13 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see D242, please.

14 Q. This is tab 16 in your binder.

15 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we see page 2, please.

16 Q. This is a dispatch of the MUP staff in Pristina dated 16

17 September 1998. Could you please tell me, Mr. Mitic, whether you

18 received this dispatch and whether you acted in accordance with it?

19 A. All right. I managed to read the first paragraph. I remember

20 this dispatch. This dispatch was sent to all SUPs and all chiefs in the

21 territory of Kosovo and Metohija and to the commanders of PJPs in

22 Pristina, Kosovska Mitrovica, Pec, Djakovica, and Prizren.

23 Yes, I remember this dispatch. We undertook all measures

24 pursuant to it because there had been such cases and events with certain

25 policemen developed a relaxed attitude when it comes to wearing uniform,

Page 12648

1 they had unkempt appearance and so on, and we undertook all of these

2 measures pursuant to it.

3 Q. Thank you.

4 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see D243, which is

5 tab 17 in your binder, sir.

6 Q. This is a dispatch from the 17th of September, 1998. A dispatch

7 of the MUP staff.

8 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we see page 2, please.

9 Q. Witness, did you receive this dispatch at the Urosevac SUP, and

10 did you act pursuant to it?

11 A. The chief certainly received this dispatch. I remember it. In

12 paragraph 1 we can see that the quality of work, safety of police

13 officers, tidiness, and the uniformity of the setup need to be improved.

14 So what were we supposed to do in relation to this? It is stated here in

15 the letter and we acted pursuant to it.

16 Q. Did your policemen man the check-points that are mentioned in

17 this dispatch?

18 A. I know that we had a traffic check-point in the village of

19 Grlica. Now, whether it was during this period of time, I think it was,

20 17th of September, yes.

21 Q. Thank you. Were regular police duties performed at those

22 check-points?

23 A. Yes, yes. Routine police work was performed at those

24 check-points. Members of the traffic police from the police station were

25 also present at those check-points, and also general policemen, to call

Page 12649

1 them that. So those were joint check-points, everybody did their work,

2 traffic policemen inspected driving licences, car papers and their

3 validity; whereas, the other policemen inspected trunks, vehicles in

4 order to possibly find unlawful items indicating that there had been

5 crimes.

6 Q. Was there any discrimination when it comes to inspections at

7 these check-points?

8 A. No, there certainly wasn't any discrimination because criminals

9 are criminals regardless of their ethnicity. Certainly the inspection

10 was stepped up so that maybe not all of the vehicles, but most of them

11 were inspected.

12 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Thank you. Your Honours, I think

13 it's time for a technical break.

14 JUDGE PARKER: Yes, Mr. Djurdjic. We will have the break now and

15 resume at 6.00. There will be an adjournment now for half an hour. The

16 Court Officer will assist you during the break.

17 [The witness stands down]

18 --- Recess taken at 5.31 p.m.

19 --- On resuming at 6.03 p.m.

20 [The witness takes the stand]

21 JUDGE PARKER: Mr. Djurdjic.

22 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Thank you, Your Honour.

23 Could we please see D1202.

24 Q. Which is tab 18 in your binder. This is a dispatch by the public

25 security department of the MUP of the Republic of Serbia dated 18

Page 12650

1 September 1998. And somebody signed it on behalf of General Vlastimir

2 Djordjevic, chief of the public security department, and I would like to

3 know to whom this was sent, sir?

4 A. This was sent to all of the secretariats in Serbia, from the

5 first one to the 33rd one. It was also sent to the head of the MUP staff

6 in Pristina, to border police stations, to all them, to their chiefs, to

7 the chief of Internal Affairs, to the chief of crime police

8 administration, to the chief of border police administration for

9 foreigners and administrative affairs, to the fire prevention police

10 administration, and to the operations centre chief.

11 Q. Did you receive this dispatch from the chief of the SUP to whom

12 it was sent concerning your line of work?

13 A. Yes, certainly.

14 Q. Did you acted in accordance with this dispatch?

15 A. Yes, certainly.

16 Q. Tell me, please, in view of its nature, what kind of a dispatch

17 is this?

18 A. This dispatch requests that activities of all services be stepped

19 up. In the security sector, they were supposed to conduct beat patrol,

20 operative and other activities, observe and inspect locations and

21 features in the security sector where explosive devices could be planted

22 and activated.

23 Q. Tell me, please, does this pertain to the secretariats of the

24 Republic of Serbia?

25 A. Yes, to the entire territory of Serbia.

Page 12651

1 Q. Thank you.

2 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now please see D244,

3 please.

4 Q. Which is your tab 19.

5 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we see the next page,

6 please.

7 Q. Witness, this is a dispatch from the MUP staff in Pristina dated

8 20th of September, 1998. Can you tell me to whom it was sent?

9 A. This dispatch was sent by the staff to all SUPs in the territory

10 of Kosovo and Metohija to their chiefs.

11 Q. Thank you. Now, tell me, please, the issue of surrender of

12 weapons in September of 1998, what was happening in relation to it and

13 what activities did you undertake regarding it?

14 A. When it comes to voluntary surrender of weapons, as far as I can

15 remember contact was made with certain individuals from local self-rule

16 organs, contact was made with them to urge citizens to surrender weapons

17 voluntarily. If police knew that there were weapons in certain

18 locations, they would try to use these peaceful means to urge people to

19 surrender these weapons, to get rid of weapons and to go back to normal

20 life.

21 Q. Thank you.

22 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see D245, please.

23 Q. Which is your tab 20. Witness, this is a document sent by the

24 MUP in Pristina on the 2nd of October, 1998. Who to, could you tell us?

25 A. This was also sent by the staff of the Ministry of the Interior

Page 12652

1 in Pristina for Kosovo and Metohija to all the police stations -- or

2 rather, all the SUPs, actually, secretariats, in Kosovo and Metohija.

3 Q. Thank you. Are you familiar with this dispatch, and was it

4 carried out in relation to the persons that it pertains to? Could you

5 give us a bit more detail?

6 A. Yes. The content of the dispatch was conveyed to us. We were

7 told that the session of the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia that was

8 held on the 28th of September, 1998, called upon all of those citizens

9 who had been forcefully armed by Albanian terrorists to continue

10 surrendering their weapons and military equipment to the security organs

11 and they would suffer no consequences as a result of that.

12 Q. Thank you. In the territory of Urosevac where you were, were

13 there any areas where these weapons were voluntarily surrendered, and

14 these people were pardoned?

15 A. As far as I can remember, the villagers from Damjak and Varus

16 [phoen] they voluntarily surrendered their weapons.

17 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Thank you. Could we now please

18 have P1230, or rather, 1203.

19 Q. It is tab 22 in your set of documents. Witness, this is a

20 dispatch sent on the 7th of October, 1998. It was sent by the chief of

21 the public security sector Vlastimir Djordjevic. Could you please tell

22 us what the situation was? It's number 21 in your binder.

23 A. Yes.

24 Q. Tell us what was the security situation like at the moment when

25 this dispatch arrived, and what did you do specifically in relation to

Page 12653

1 this dispatch that arrived at the Urosevac SUP? Who was it sent to?

2 A. You see, this dispatch was sent to all the chiefs of SUPs from 1

3 through 33 throughout Serbia. Then to all border police stations; then

4 to the ministry staff in Pristina, to the head; then the security

5 institute, to the director; the police academy, to the dean; the college

6 of Internal Affairs to the director; and the secondary school of Internal

7 Affairs, to the director.

8 This dispatch has do with the following: There is a fear that

9 there might be a NATO aggression against our country.

10 Q. What measures did you take at the Urosevac SUP in relation to

11 this dispatch?

12 A. Well, we took the measures that we were instructed to take on the

13 basis of this dispatch, that is to say, to update the defence plans, the

14 mobilisation plan in particular, then to ensure that all work lines are

15 functioning on the territorial and line principles, to raise the overall

16 mobility of the service so that all tasks may be accomplished as

17 efficiently as possible from the entire domain of work of the ministry,

18 and so on and so forth. We took appropriate measures in all of these

19 fields.

20 Q. Thank you. This update of the defence plans, especially the

21 mobilisation plan, which organisational unit did that in the Urosevac

22 SUP?

23 A. The police department, or rather, an officer from that

24 department, the late Grade Zivic.

25 Q. Thank you.

Page 12654

1 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we please have D433.

2 Q. Witness, could we please have page 2 of the document immediately

3 actually. This is a dispatch of the MUP of the Republic of Serbia dated

4 the 8th of October, 1998. Again it's from the public security sector. I

5 would be interested in the following: Did you receive this dispatch, did

6 you act in accordance with it, who was it sent to, which secretariats?

7 A. All the secretariats in the Republic of Serbia, 1 through 33.

8 All of them. And the rest as is stated here. Then there is a reference

9 here to the decree on special measures under conditions of the threat of

10 NATO armed attacks on our country.

11 Q. Thank you. Did you discuss this decree at a meeting?

12 A. Yes, most probably with the chief of the secretariat. That was

13 discussed at a meeting, and we acted upon it accordingly.

14 Q. Thank you. We see that we are already well into October 1998.

15 We saw that there was a threat of NATO bombing and that plans had to be

16 updated. Do you know anything about the October Agreement that was

17 reached, and what you as the secretariat were supposed to do by way of

18 your own tasks?

19 A. Yes, of course I remember it very well. The agreement between

20 the then-president of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic and Holbrooke. On

21 the basis of this agreement, we took all the measures envisaged in the

22 agreement.

23 Q. Thank you.

24 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we please have D107.

25 Q. Witness, I think it is tab 23 in your binder. It is a dispatch

Page 12655

1 of the MUP staff from Pristina. The date is the 20th of October, 1998.

2 So could you please tell me who it was sent to?

3 A. This dispatch -- yes, this dispatch was sent to the police

4 administration to the chief for reference, to the administration for

5 joint affairs, to the chief for reference, then all the SUPs in the

6 territory of Kosovo and Metohija, or rather, the chief and the commander

7 of the PJP, SAJ, and JSO.

8 Q. Thank you. What was the topic dealt with in this dispatch?

9 A. The engagement of PJP, SAJ, and JSO members is being rewarded.

10 Let me just have a moment, please. Yes, yes, to compile lists for the

11 period from the 18th of September until the 17th of October, 1998, and

12 that payments be made to the members of those units at a rate of 50

13 dinars per day.

14 Q. Thank you. This was sent to the PJP, SAJ, and JSO commander?

15 A. Yes.

16 Q. Tell me, this JSO unit, which sector did it belong to?

17 A. JSO is an abbreviation for the unit for special operations, and

18 it belonged to the state security sector.

19 Q. Thank you. And was -- was the PJP of the Urosevac secretariat

20 rewarded in this way on the basis of this dispatch?

21 A. Yes.

22 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] P769, please. Could we have that

23 now.

24 Q. It should be tab 24 in your binder. These are conclusions of the

25 MUP staff dated the 26th of October, 1998, in relation to a meeting held

Page 12656

1 on the 25th of October, 1998 at the staff headquarters in Pristina with

2 the chiefs of secretariats, chiefs of police departments and commanders

3 of PJP detachments. Tell me, did you attend this meeting?

4 A. Yes, I did.

5 Q. Thank you. I see here that the meeting was chaired by the

6 assistant minister, Lieutenant-General Obrad Stevanovic. Can you tell us

7 a bit about the subject matter dealt with at that meeting?

8 A. Yes, the meeting was chaired by assistant minister

9 Lieutenant-General Obrad Stevanovic. He informed all of us present there

10 about the latest developments concerning the threat of bombing. As well

11 as with the tasks arising from the agreement on the OSCE Verification

12 Mission in Kosmet.

13 Q. Thank you. Tell me, as for the reduction in the number of

14 police, did the assistant minister inform you about that, and was action

15 taken accordingly?

16 A. Yes. That is to say that we were made aware of this and the

17 number of policemen was reduced, and as far as I can remember, the army

18 also withdrew from some of its positions. They withdrew into barracks,

19 and all other measures were taken in accordance with the agreement.

20 Q. Thank you.

21 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Can we please have page 2 in both

22 versions.

23 Q. And you can also look at your second page. One of these

24 agreements also envisaged observation points, and I see here Dulje, 6 in

25 parentheses. Did you have any observation posts after the agreement was

Page 12657

1 signed, and if so, where and for what purpose?

2 A. Yes, because this was envisaged by the agreement, and we had six

3 of these observation posts. The reason why they were there was to secure

4 the Stimlje-Dulje road.

5 Q. Thank you. These observation posts, was it their task to check

6 traffic that was there on that road?

7 A. No, no way. It was just important that the road not be

8 threatened by Albanian terrorists who often attack the road, kidnap

9 people, et cetera, so then these post remained and even possession of

10 arms was observed. 7.9 millimetres was the largest calibre that could be

11 used from that moment onwards.

12 Q. Thank you. In accordance with this agreement to the best of your

13 knowledge what did the members of the police and the army do?

14 A. Both fully complied with the agreement.

15 Q. The army and the police, did they go back to their regular

16 activities after the agreements were signed?

17 A. Yes, yes, indeed. The police and the army did their regular work

18 except for these observation posts that we referred to. The police

19 remained there to protect the road from possible attacks by terrorists.

20 Q. Thank you. Tell me, in the period after this agreement was

21 signed, to the best of your recollection what did the KLA do?

22 A. Well, to the best of my recollection, after the OSCE Mission

23 arrived, the Albanian terrorists took advantage of that period of time to

24 consolidate their forces, to regroup, and they even took territories that

25 had been cleansed of terrorists, if I can put it that way, beforehand.

Page 12658

1 From these territories they continued even more fiercely with

2 kidnappings, attacks against the army and police, that is to say, there

3 was an increase in number of provocations, and many soldiers and

4 policemen got killed, even on the road.

5 Q. Thank you. Tell me, please, in your jurisdiction was the Kosovo

6 Verification Mission set up, and did you have any contact with them?

7 A. In our region, the OSCE had its headquarters in the town of

8 Urosevac and from the very beginning we had frequent contacts with them.

9 The co-operation started out successfully. However, there were problems.

10 The Albanians frequently complained, they invented certain events and

11 phenomena; whereas, Serbs who sometimes wanted to contact them were not

12 taken seriously, so problems were encountered by both of them.

13 Q. As for the verification of events, what were your relations with

14 KVM like, and what kind of co-operations did you have with them?

15 A. Could you repeat your question, please.

16 Q. When it comes to verification of events, what was your

17 co-operation with KVM like, or rather, with the OSCE?

18 A. As for that co-operation, they had full access everywhere. They

19 could even monitor and visit policemen at the check-points. They would

20 come to us, heads of organisational units, they had contact with us, they

21 would inform us of problems that had been pointed out by Albanians. We

22 solved those problems and initially all of that functioned without any

23 problems, I think.

24 Q. Were you going to complete your thought or have you completed it?

25 A. I have completed it.

Page 12659

1 Q. You said that there had been attacks on the police and the army

2 after the Verification Mission arrived. Did they go out to verify those

3 events? Did they visit the sites with some sort of, or rather, aiming to

4 make a record of it? How did that transpire?

5 A. We informed the OSCE Mission in our area regularly about all of

6 the problems. However, when on-site investigations were conducted, they

7 did not come there. They would come a day later or if the event happened

8 in the morning, they would come in the afternoon. They would come to

9 inform themselves of what had happened. On many occasions we tried to

10 get the OSCE Mission to resolve the issue of persons who had been

11 kidnapped, and we always received a negative response from them, which

12 irritated even further people, particularly villagers of Gornje

13 Nerodimlje.

14 Q. Now that you've mentioned kidnapped persons, were Albanians

15 kidnapped by KLA?

16 A. In my territory, people of all ethnicities were kidnapped. All

17 ethnicities. They were Albanian, Serbs, Roma, even Turks and Muslims and

18 others who had been kidnapped. Literally all ethnicities.

19 Q. Do you know of the reasons for kidnapping Albanians by the KLA?

20 A. One of the reasons was to spread fear among the population. That

21 was the main reason. The second one, when it comes to Albanians they

22 mostly kidnap persons who co-operated or had some other sort of contacts

23 with police or the army, or people who socialised with Serbs. This is

24 why some Albanians were kidnapped.

25 Q. Thank you. In the Prizren SUP, and I'm referring to all

Page 12660

1 organisational units now, were there any members of Albanian ethnic

2 community who worked there in 1998 and 1999?

3 A. Yes, in my secretariat there were Albanians who worked both for

4 the public and for the state security.

5 Q. Thank you. Could you give us names of some persons who were

6 active in 1998 and 1999?

7 A. Well, I'll try to remember all of them, but I'm sure that I'll

8 miss someone. I know that Hebib Koka worked in Kacanik. He was an

9 inspector of property crime. Then there was Aziv Haliti from Urosevac

10 also dealing with property crime. Avdi Musa also an inspector for

11 property crime from Urosevac. Bekim Komorani [phoen]. I think he was a

12 traffic policeman. Then the Qerimi brothers. I think they were from

13 Godance village. I don't know if it was Gornje Godance or Donje Godance,

14 but one of them worked in Stimlje, and the other brother worked in

15 Liplje.

16 Q. Thank you. Tell us, among the members of reserve forces, were

17 there any Albanians?

18 A. Yes, there were some in reserve forces as well. One was killed.

19 I think his name was Olluri, Nazmi.

20 Q. Did you invite representatives of the KVM when you went out on

21 routine police business such as patrols, touring certain places and other

22 activities?

23 A. Yes, we did. Most often I contacted a gentleman called Jeff. I

24 think he was from the Netherlands. I had the closest co-operation with

25 him. We would visit certain Albanian families and whatever he insisted

Page 12661

1 on, I tried to help him out with it so that he would gain a realistic

2 picture of what was happening in the territory of our secretariat.

3 Q. You said that Jeff came to your secretariat in Urosevac. Now,

4 what about in areas where you had OUPs and police stations, what happened

5 there?

6 A. Yes, certainly, there as well. Commanders of police stations

7 contacted representatives of OSCE without any problems. They would come

8 regularly to police stations and inquire about certain events. I think I

9 need to point out that those were mostly cases where certain Albanians

10 had been apprehended at check-points and brought in for an interview to

11 the police station, then the OSCE would react, they wanted to inquire

12 about those who had been apprehended and brought in and we would give

13 them information that was relevant, that they were interviewed and

14 released or that they were interviewed and kept in custody if there was

15 evidence to support it.

16 Q. Thank you.

17 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see D246.

18 Q. Which is your tab 25. This is a dispatch by the MUP staff or a

19 memo, I'm not sure. No, it's a dispatch, dated 11 November 1998. Tell

20 us, please, who was it addressed to?

21 A. This is a dispatch, and it was sent by the staff to all

22 secretariats of the interior in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija.

23 Q. Thank you. Were you aware of this dispatch, and if so, how, and

24 what did you do pursuant to this dispatch?

25 A. Well, from what I could read just now, yes, I was aware of this

Page 12662

1 dispatch. The chief of the secretariat made me aware of it. And it says

2 here that permanent duty service of the officer complement should be

3 established and that one platoon for an OUP or police station should be

4 established. So certain measures were envisioned.

5 Q. All right. Thank you. Was this duty service of the officer

6 complement established?

7 A. Yes. We certainly did.

8 Q. And how did you organise this duty service?

9 A. To tell you the truth, I can't tell you how we organised this

10 duty service until what hour in the day. I think maybe I should read

11 this dispatch, but I know for a fact that we had people on duty at least

12 until 2200 hours.

13 Q. Thank you.

14 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see P1204.

15 Q. Which is tab 26 for you.

16 A. Should I comment this?

17 Q. Yes, let's wait until we have it on the screen.

18 This is a dispatch of the public security department, signed by

19 chief of the department, General Vlastimir Djordjevic. Tell me, please,

20 to which SUPs was this dispatch sent?

21 A. It was sent to all SUPs in the Republic of Serbia from 1 to 33,

22 to their chiefs.

23 Q. Thank you. What was the topic of this dispatch, and when it

24 comes to state holidays, what was the procedure?

25 A. Well, I retired four months ago, but I can tell you that such

Page 12663

1 dispatches arrived always, even during that period of time. This was

2 written on 25th of November, and always on the eve of the holidays

3 certain measures, security measures were stepped up.

4 Q. Thank you.

5 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now see D003-1200.

6 Q. Which is your tab 27. Witness, please look at the screen. You

7 see the Serbian version. Can you tell us, please, what is this document,

8 who wrote it, and how, and what is it about? So this document is from

9 1998. We can't really see the date. It was signed by you.

10 A. Yes, I signed it. And I wrote this report following my contact

11 with the OSCE Mission. I wrote there what was it that interested the

12 OSCE Mission and what we did in relation to that.

13 Q. Thank you. Were such reports written by other individuals in

14 your branch offices outside of Urosevac in relation to their contacts

15 with KVM representatives?

16 A. Every contact, if OSCE representatives inquired or requested

17 anything, then the person who was in contact with them was duty-bound to

18 write such a report.

19 Q. When the reports came from outside of the city of Urosevac, whom

20 were they sent to?

21 A. If these reports were written by police members, rather by

22 commanders and their associates, then it was sent to me. And then I

23 would convey this to the chief of the secretariat via the unit for

24 analysis.

25 Q. Thank you.

Page 12664

1 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we have this admitted into

2 evidence.

3 JUDGE PARKER: What is the year of this report?

4 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] This report was written in 1998 at

5 the time when the Kosovo Verification Mission was set up. This is one of

6 the documents --

7 JUDGE PARKER: Mr. Djurdjic, I think we need to learn from the

8 witness, and the reason for my asking is that in the heading those typing

9 the translation have put 26 of 1998, whereas in the body of the report,

10 the date is illegible but the year is 1999.

11 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] I apologise, Your Honours, this is

12 a huge omission on my part.

13 Q. Witness, would you please explain this document to us. What is

14 this about? What year --

15 JUDGE PARKER: Just the date, Mr. Djurdjic.

16 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Mr. President, from this document I

17 really can't see the date. However, it was registered under number 26,

18 that's certain. So the number of this document is 26. At this moment I

19 can't remember the date.

20 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation]

21 Q. Witness, there's a different problem here. What the presiding

22 judge spoke about, do you see here where it says date -- first it says

23 "report" and then it says "date" and then it says "hours." Can you read

24 to us, please, the year?

25 A. I think it says 10 and then another date and then 1999.

Page 12665

1 Q. All right. And in the heading what does it say there?

2 A. It says that the number of this report is 26 and then it gives

3 the date, and the date is illegible.

4 Q. What about the year?

5 A. I think that it was corrected to 1998, but it pertains to 1999.

6 Q. What do you mean it was corrected to 1998, but it pertains to

7 1999?

8 A. In the heading where it says "date" I think that the third figure

9 9 has been corrected. It's either a 8 or a 9.

10 Q. Let's take it slowly. What is the first figure?

11 A. It says 26/1998.

12 Q. All right. What about the line underneath, it says something

13 there, can you read it for us, I can't?

14 A. It says "date" and then I can't see what date this is, and then

15 it says 199, and I think that the last figure has been changed.

16 Q. And what figure is it?

17 A. Most likely 1998, but I'm not sure.

18 Q. So you think that the last figure is 8. All right. And in

19 translation it's also 8. Now, in the body of the text, it says "date"

20 and then it says "1999?"

21 A. Yes. And there are also some 4s, but I can't really read this.

22 Q. All right. And in the left corner is the registry stamp right?

23 A. Yes, it was registered under number 26.

24 Q. Which year?

25 A. I think 1998.

Page 12666

1 Q. And it was signed by?

2 A. By me.

3 Q. And who did you contact?

4 A. All right. The team comprised, Lesi Piper Tagle, head of the

5 group; Mehmed Akalin; Diego Tramontana; and Ali Maralusi [phoen],

6 interpreter from Prizren.

7 Q. Thank you. When did you start having contacts with the members

8 of the Kosovo Verification Mission?

9 A. As far as I can remember immediately upon their arrival we

10 established contact and started communicating regularly.

11 Q. And when did they arrive?

12 A. I can't really remember exactly, but I think it was in October.

13 Q. Thank you. So starting from October until what time were they

14 there, do you know?

15 A. I think until the very beginning of the NATO bombing.

16 Q. All right. Thank you.

17 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Your Honours, I don't know whether

18 a document of this kind and with these explanations can be admitted into

19 evidence. If not, let's move on.

20 JUDGE PARKER: The document will be received as an exhibit. The

21 date of it or the year of it being unknown, probably either 1998 or 1999.

22 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, the document will be Exhibit

23 D00826.

24 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Thank you, Your Honour. Could we

25 now please have Exhibit D436.

Page 12667

1 Q. It should be tab 28 in your binder. This is a dispatch of the

2 chief of public security, General Vlastimir Djordjevic, dated the 11th of

3 December, 1998. First of all, which SUPs was it sent to, this dispatch?

4 A. This dispatch was sent to all the SUPs, from 1 through 33 of the

5 Republic of Serbia.

6 Q. Thank you. Were you aware of this dispatch at the time when it

7 was sent?

8 A. Yes, I was. Although, as regards the buying and selling of

9 foreign currency, action Valuta, it was the crime police department that

10 was charge of it.

11 Q. Thank you. And tell me covering market squares, et cetera, did

12 members of your department do any work in that respect, and did they

13 react to these things that were supposed to be curbed?

14 A. As far as I can remember, there were joint actions organised to

15 deal with these problems, so it was the police department and the crime

16 police department that did this, so it was policemen working with

17 inspectors in civilian clothes that handled this, to put it simply.

18 Q. Could you tell us more about paragraph 2?

19 A. It is stated here that immediately on the 11th of December, 1998,

20 from 7.00 onwards action should be taken.

21 Q. Thank you.

22 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Could we now please have P717.

23 Q. It's tab 29 in your binder. This is a dispatch of the head of

24 the public security department dated the 21st of December, 1998, General

25 Vlastimir Djordjevic. Tell me, which SUPs was it sent to?

Page 12668

1 A. This dispatch was also sent to all the SUPs, 1 through 33

2 throughout Serbia.

3 Q. Thank you. Were you aware of this dispatch, and did you act

4 accordingly, according to the instructions contained in this dispatch?

5 A. Yes, I did.

6 Q. Thank you.

7 MR. DJURDJIC: [Interpretation] Your Honours, I would now like to

8 move on to a completely different topic that will take awhile and our

9 time is almost up for the day. It's just a few minutes that are left, so

10 perhaps we could call it a day.

11 JUDGE PARKER: We will adjourn for the evening, Mr. Djurdjic. We

12 resume tomorrow morning at 9.00. A Court Officer will assist you when we

13 leave the court.

14 [The witness stands down]

15 --- Whereupon the hearing adjourned at 6.59 p.m.

16 to be reconvened on Thursday, the 11th day of

17 March, 2010, at 9.00 a.m.