Tribunal Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

Page 18202

 1                           Tuesday, 22 October 2013

 2                           [Open session]

 3                           [The accused entered court]

 4                           --- Upon commencing at 9.34 a.m.

 5             JUDGE ORIE:  Good morning to everyone.

 6             Madam Registrar, would you please call the case.

 7             THE REGISTRAR:  Good morning, Your Honours.

 8             This is case IT-09-92-T, the Prosecutor versus Ratko Mladic.

 9             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you, Madam Registrar.

10             The Chamber has not heard of any preliminaries to be raised.

11     Therefore, we'll start with the testimony of the next witness, who will

12     testify with face and voice distortion and pseudonym, which means that we

13     have to briefly move into closed session to allow the witness to enter

14     the courtroom.

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Page 18203

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10                           [Open session]

11             THE REGISTRAR:  We're in open session, Your Honours.

12             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you, Madam Registrar.

13             [Interpretation] Good morning, Witness.  I'm calling you

14     "Witness 401" because you have been granted protection measures, and I

15     will now switch to English, and I would like you to take the solemn

16     declaration, according to which you're going to say the truth, the whole

17     truth, and nothing but the truth.

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

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

20             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you very much.  Please be seated.

21                           WITNESS:  RM401

22                           [Witness answered through interpreter]

23             JUDGE ORIE:  You will testify with -- with protective measures.

24     That is, we'll not call you by your own name.  Your face is not visible;

25     your own voice is not audible by the outside world, but apart from that

 


Page 18204

 1     your testimony is public.  Now, if you ever feel that one of your answers

 2     might reveal your identity, please address me so that we can move into

 3     private session so as to avoid that your identity becomes known.

 4             I also welcome the representative of the French government,

 5     Ms. Bass, who is with you; and, as Ms. Bass knows, her role is limited to

 6     considering any possible prejudice to the interests of the French

 7     government.

 8             Witness, you'll now first be examined by Ms. Lee.  Ms. Lee is

 9     counsel for the Prosecution, and you'll find her to your right.

10             Ms. Lee, you may proceed.

11             MS. LEE:  Good morning, Your Honours.  And thank you.

12             On the outset, I would ask -- I had estimated half an hour for

13     this witness.  I may require possibly five to ten minutes in addition to

14     the half an hour, and I would request leave from Your Honours ...

15             JUDGE ORIE:  We'll follow how your examination develops, and then

16     decide on whether you have another five to ten minutes.

17             MS. LEE:  Great.  Thank you, Your Honours.

18             JUDGE ORIE:  Please proceed.

19             MS. LEE:  May we please have 65 ter number 30422, which is under

20     seal, pulled up in e-court.

21                           Examination by Ms. Lee:

22        Q.   Witness, as you've heard this morning, the Court has ordered

23     certain protective measures with respect of you, and this includes the

24     use of a pseudonym.  So I will now refer to you by your name but as

25     Witness or RM401.


Page 18205

 1             I ask that you take a look at this document, and can you please

 2     confirm whether this is your name and your date of birth?

 3        A.   Yes, this is correct.

 4             MS. LEE:  Your Honours, I would tender this document, 30422, into

 5     evidence under seal.

 6             JUDGE ORIE:  Madam Registrar, the number would be?

 7             THE REGISTRAR:  Document 30422 receives number P2536,

 8     Your Honours.

 9             JUDGE ORIE:  P2536 is admitted under seal.

10             MS. LEE:  Thank you.

11        Q.   Witness, did you provide a signed statement under oath in

12     response to questions by the Office of the Prosecutor before the Tribunal

13     de Grande Instance in Paris on the 3rd of March, 1998?

14        A.   Yes, absolutely.

15        Q.   And in preparing to give that evidence -- give evidence here

16     today, did you have a chance to review that statement?

17        A.   Could you please repeat your question, please.

18        Q.   In preparation of your testimony here today, did you have an

19     opportunity to review the statement that you had given to the Tribunal de

20     Grande Instance?

21        A.   No, it wouldn't be necessary.

22        Q.   Witness, my question was:  If you had an opportunity to review it

23     before coming here today.

24        A.   Yes, absolutely.

25             MS. LEE:  May I please have 65 ter number 30392 brought up in


Page 18206

 1     e-court and under seal.

 2             And while the document is being brought up, Your Honour, there is

 3     the witness's signed statement in the form of a proces-verbal given

 4     before a court of justice and we have seen similar statements from other

 5     witnesses.  It is Witness R176, and his statements were admitted under

 6     P640 and P641.  And I just would like to draw your attention to the fact

 7     that statement is given in a form of a response to specific questions put

 8     to the witness, and so pages 1 to 12 of the statement in both English and

 9     B/C/S contains responses given by this witness to specific questions that

10     appear on pages 13 to 19 of the same document.

11             JUDGE ORIE:  Yes, please proceed.

12             MS. LEE:  Thank you.

13        Q.   Witness --

14             JUDGE ORIE:  By the way, I would have, however, one question,

15     unless you want to continue.  I see that something has been attached to

16     the statement, which I did not find.

17             MS. LEE:  I -- I -- I have a -- I have difficulty hearing ...

18             JUDGE ORIE:  You have difficulties hearing my voice or is there

19     anything with your --

20             MS. LEE: [Microphone not activated] I have difficulty hearing

21     your voice.  I don't hear anything.

22             JUDGE ORIE:  If you use another socket, perhaps that may assist,

23     since there's voice distortion.  This may have an impact.

24             Yes --

25                           [Trial Chamber confers]


Page 18207

 1             JUDGE ORIE:  Can you now hear me?

 2             MS. LEE:  Yes, Your Honour.

 3             JUDGE ORIE:  I noticed that, at the end of the statement mention

 4     is made of an attachment, which I did not find; a sketch by the witness.

 5             MS. LEE:  Yes, Your Honour, and that would be an associated

 6     exhibit to the statement which I will be tendering -- which I will be

 7     using during the course of the testimony and I will be tendering into

 8     evidence.

 9             JUDGE ORIE:  Yes.  Yes, okay.  Usually when it's attached, I

10     expect it to be part of the statement.  But if you deal with it in that

11     way, there's no problem.

12             Please proceed.

13             MS. LEE:  Thank you, Your Honour.

14        Q.   Witness, do you recognise this document to be the statement that

15     you had given before the Tribunal de Grande Instance?

16        A.   Yes, absolutely.

17        Q.   And I understand that you would like to have one clarification to

18     the document that you would like to make.  And this is in response to

19     question number 34, which appears on page 8 in e-court for both English

20     and B/C/S.

21             And the question put to you was:

22             "Is that true that during the afternoon, my men and I were forced

23     to give up our UNPROFOR French battalion uniforms and don Serb uniforms?"

24        A.   It is true that I was forced to put on a Serb uniform.  I don't

25     really know why.  I don't know why I had to do this.  And afterwards, I


Page 18208

 1     think that there were other people who had to put on these Serb uniforms,

 2     people who were with me, but -- but it is a little bit vague and blurred

 3     in my mind.  But what is absolutely sure is that I had to put on this

 4     Serb uniform.

 5        Q.   And, Witness, with that clarification, if you were asked about

 6     these matters today, if you were asked the same questions, would you

 7     ask -- would you give the same answers to the answers that you had given

 8     in this statement, in substance?

 9        A.   Yes, absolutely.

10        Q.   And having taken the solemn declaration, do you affirm that the

11     information in the statement is truthful and accurate?

12        A.   Yes, I do.

13             MS. LEE:  Your Honour, the Prosecution tenders this document,

14     65 ter number 30392, into evidence under seal.

15             JUDGE ORIE:  Mr. Ivetic.

16             MR. IVETIC:  No additional objections beyond what we wrote in our

17     Rule 92 ter response.

18             JUDGE ORIE:  Madam Registrar, the number would be?

19             THE REGISTRAR:  Document 30392 receives number P2537, under seal,

20     Your Honours.

21                           [Trial Chamber confers]

22             MS. LEE:  May I proceed?

23             JUDGE ORIE:  One second, please.

24             May I take it that you wanted to tender it under seal?

25             MS. LEE:  Yes, Your Honour.

 


Page 18209

 1             JUDGE ORIE:  Yes.  P2537 is admitted under seal.  Yes, I see that

 2     you asked for it.

 3             Please proceed.

 4             MS. LEE:  Thank you, Your Honour.  And as mentioned earlier,

 5     there is one associated exhibit and it's 65 ter number 11493, which I

 6     will be using with the witness later on.  And with your leave,

 7     Your Honour, I would like to read a brief public summary of this

 8     witness's evidence, the purpose of which has been explained to the

 9     witness.

10             JUDGE ORIE:  Please do so.

11             MS. LEE:  Witness RM401 served with UNPROFOR in Sarajevo in 1995.

12     The witness provides evidence that he and several other UN personnel were

13     taken hostage by the Bosnian Serb forces on the 27th of May, 1995.  The

14     witness and nine other men from his unit were disarmed and taken to

15     various locations in Serb-held territory, including, the Lukavica

16     barracks.  Upon arrival at the Lukavica barracks, the witness saw several

17     other UN personnel detained by the -- by the VRS.

18             For at least two days, the witness and other UN personnel were

19     beaten by their captors, tied to each other and threatened with death.

20     The witness heard a message from the VRS to UNPROFOR stating that if

21     UNPROFOR did not heed to their request, the witness and other UN

22     personnel would be executed.

23             The witness and other UN personnel were released on the

24     13th of June, 1995.

25             Your Honours, this concludes the summary for this witness's

 


Page 18210

 1     evidence.

 2             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you.  If you have any additional questions

 3     please put them to the witness.

 4             MS. LEE:  Thank you, Your Honours.  May we please go into private

 5     session.

 6             JUDGE ORIE:  We move into private session.

 7                           [Private session]

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19                           [Open session]

20             THE REGISTRAR:  We're in open session, Your Honours.

21             JUDGE ORIE:  Please proceed, Ms. Lee.  May I remind you that, in

22     relation to the half an hour, you've taken already seven additional

23     minutes.  Please proceed.

24             MS. LEE:  Your Honours, I will be very brief.

25             I only have two different areas that I'd like to go into, and it

 


Page 18220

 1     won't take more than -- more than ten minutes.

 2             JUDGE ORIE:  Try to keep it as limited as possible and avoid

 3     repetitious evidence.

 4             MS. LEE:  Thank you, Your Honours.

 5        Q.   Now, Witness, you were not executed at that time and you say that

 6     you were brought back to the Lukavica barracks.  Now, may I ask when was

 7     it that you -- you and your men first received food after -- since --

 8     since you were first detained by the VRS?

 9        A.   We received a very small breakfast on the following morning, on

10     the 28th, in the morning.

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17                           [Open session]

18             THE REGISTRAR:  We're in open session, Your Honours.

19             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you, Madam Registrar.

20             Mr. Ivetic, if you are ready to start your cross-examination.

21             Witness 401, you will now be cross-examined by Mr. Ivetic.

22     Mr. Ivetic is a member of the Defence team of Mr. Mladic.

23             MR. IVETIC:  Thank you, Your Honours.

24                           Cross-examination by Mr. Ivetic:

25        Q.   Sir, I would like to first ask you some questions about the

 


Page 18226

 1     proces-verbal.

 2             MR. IVETIC:  Which is P2537, under seal, and the same should not

 3     be broadcast to the public.

 4        Q.   First of all, were you presented with the questions in written

 5     form or orally during that procedure?

 6        A.   During -- in March 1998, this was in an oral form.  During this

 7     interview.

 8        Q.   Did someone meet with you prior to the proces-verbal in order to

 9     obtain preparatory information from you that would be used in preparing

10     the questions that were presented?

11        A.   Could you specify your question or make it clearer, please.

12        Q.   Some of the questions appear to be fairly detailed in nature.

13     Did someone meet with you prior to the proces-verbal in order to obtain

14     preparatory information that would be used in preparing the questions

15     that were to be presented.

16             JUDGE ORIE:  Perhaps it may create some confusion, Mr. Ivetic.

17     Prior to the proces-verbal.  The proces-verbal is the written version of

18     the examination of the witness so perhaps -- did you meet with anyone to

19     give information before you were questioned, which resulted in that

20     proces-verbal to be drafted?

21             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] We first had an informal interview,

22     and then there was a formal interview.  The proces-verbal was taken

23     during the official interview.  A judge from the cour d'appel de Paris

24     put questions to me, and I answered his questions.  My answers are

25     contained, therefore, in this proces-verbal.


Page 18227

 1             MR. IVETIC:

 2        Q.   Apart from the judge and yourself, who else was present for the

 3     informal interview that took place before the generation of the

 4     proces-verbal?

 5        A.   I don't recall.

 6             JUDGE MOLOTO:  Was the judge present during the informal

 7     interview?

 8             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes, he was.

 9             MR. IVETIC:

10        Q.   Do you know if there was a transcript or recording of this

11     informal interview that occurred before?

12        A.   Yes.  After this informal interview, a document was drafted.

13             JUDGE ORIE:  Perhaps there's a misunderstanding there as well.

14     Was there any verbatim recording of the informal interview as it is

15     produced, for example, in this court, verbatim?  Or was it

16     audio-recorded; if you know?

17             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I have a written trace of this

18     informal interview.  Questions were first put to France, and France had

19     accepted some of these questions, and I answered these questions.  This

20     was during the informal interview.

21             After that, it was an informal -- it was a formal interview, and

22     the questions were quasi-identical.

23             JUDGE ORIE:  And could I ask one question in relation to one of

24     your previous answers.  You said you don't remember whether other persons

25     were present during the informal interview.  Now, we know that the formal


Page 18228

 1     interview, it is recorded that a person working for the Office of the

 2     Prosecution of the ICTY was present.  Do you remember whether that person

 3     was present also during the informal interview and whether it was the

 4     same person, or whether there were more or other persons, or was it just

 5     that one person?

 6             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I don't remember.  I had rather not

 7     answer this question because I could answer erroneously.  I remember one

 8     particular person who gave me his or her card.  I don't know if this

 9     person was there during the first interview.  I can't recall.

10             JUDGE ORIE:  Please proceed, Mr. Ivetic.

11             MR. IVETIC:  Thank you.

12        Q.   In relation to the written answers that we have in court, which

13     have now been admitted as P2537, under seal, was that generated after the

14     informal meeting or after the formal meeting?

15        A.   All the interviews I attended have the same content.  The formal

16     interview -- the informal interview led to the formal interview, and I

17     stated again the same positions.

18             JUDGE ORIE:  Mr. Ivetic, it will not change any of the answers of

19     the witness, but when I said earlier that one person is recorded as

20     having been present at the formal interview, I looked at the French

21     version and I overlooked that at the first line of page -- of the next

22     page, it is recorded that a second person was present as well.

23             MR. IVETIC:  That's correct.

24             JUDGE ORIE:  Since the witness has no recollection, we don't --

25             MR. IVETIC: [Overlapping speakers] ...


Page 18229

 1             JUDGE ORIE:  -- have to revisit it.  But I would just like to put

 2     that on the record that I made a mistake there.

 3             Please proceed.

 4             MR. IVETIC:  Thank you.

 5        Q.   Sir, I understand your position that the interviews had the same

 6     content.  My question is:  With respect to the written answers that you

 7     signed every page of, were those generated after the informal interview

 8     or after the formal interview?

 9        A.   I will repeat what I said in order to be more precise.

10             Questions were sent before the informal interview to Paris.

11     Paris accepted some questions, and I was asked these questions during the

12     informal interview, and then the same questions were asked again during

13     the formal interview.

14        Q.   At the time of the formal interview, did you already have the

15     typewritten answers of yourself to those questions which you signed?

16        A.   Given that the answers were the same, there wouldn't have been

17     any difference if I had have them or not.

18        Q.   Then could you tell us whether you had them or not?

19        A.   Yes.  These were my answers.

20        Q.   And am I understanding your answer to be that you did have in

21     your possession a typewritten set of your answers to the questions before

22     the formal interview began?

23        A.   Yes.

24        Q.   When were those answers signed?  Was it before or after the

25     formal interview?


Page 18230

 1        A.   I don't remember.

 2        Q.   For purposes of the formal interview, did you merely read the

 3     answers that had been pre-prepared?

 4        A.   Of course, I reviewed the document; but as I said when I arrived

 5     here, I stood by my answers.  The unfolding of the events and what had

 6     happened to us was in line with my former answers.

 7        Q.   Am I to understand, sir, then, that for the purposes of the

 8     formal interview, there were no questions posed and no answers given.

 9     You stood on the written answers that had been prepared outside of the

10     formal interview?

11        A.   I am not sure I understood your question.

12        Q.   During the formal interview, is it correct that you only stated

13     that you stood by the written answers that had been prepared prior to

14     that interview?

15        A.   At the formal interview, we, indeed, took over the main lines of

16     the -- of the informal interview, but I added some details and some

17     elements.

18             JUDGE ORIE:  Perhaps, Mr. Ivetic -- perhaps this may clarify it.

19             During the formal interview, were the questions again put to you?

20     That is, did the judge read the questions again and did you then give the

21     answers as recorded?  Or how did that happen actually during that

22     interview?  Or did the judge say:  Looking at question 24, would you like

23     to add anything to what you have prepared as an answer?  We're interested

24     in -- to know exactly - Mr. Ivetic, that's at least, I think you're

25     trying to find out - exactly how the formal interview then was conducted.


Page 18231

 1             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] The formal interview happened the

 2     following way.

 3             The judge asked me questions about what happened to me.  In a

 4     chronological order, I told all the details and the different stages of

 5     the hostage-taking and the detention conditions.  He did not say first

 6     question, second question, et cetera.  He asked me questions, and,

 7     actually, he rephrased some of these questions, so this happened without

 8     specific preparation.

 9             JUDGE ORIE:  Now, that about the questions.  Your answers, did

10     you refer to answers you had put on paper already, or did you really then

11     repeat or give the answers by speaking?

12             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] It lasted for more than one day,

13     and I orally repeated everything that had happened to me.

14             JUDGE FLUEGGE:  If I might put one additional question.

15             And how was that recorded?  You say it took a long time.  How was

16     that recorded?

17             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] A courtroom registrar was there and

18     he noted down everything.  It took some time, yes.

19             MR. IVETIC:  Okay.

20        Q.   And now the -- the answers which you signed, were those the

21     result of what the courtroom registrar had recorded or were the answers

22     that you had in your possession -- that you had in your possession before

23     the formal interview?

24        A.   My answers at the formal interview, since questions were

25     basically the same as during the informal interview.  During the informal


Page 18232

 1     interview, we had taken questions in a chronological order.  We did the

 2     same during the formal interview, and I repeated my answers.

 3        Q.   You said that you added some material to some answers.  Are the

 4     answers that we have in court signed by you now including those additions

 5     that you made during the course of the formal interview?

 6        A.   Yes, absolutely.

 7        Q.   You say the process took over a day.  How long?  Was it a full

 8     second day or ...

 9        A.   The formal interview started around 9.00 a.m., and it ended

10     around 5.00 p.m.

11        Q.   Okay.  Now, I note that some of the answers, for instance,

12     number 15, page 4 in the English, page 7 in the French, page 5 in the

13     B/C/S, begin with the text:

14             "We note that the witness has already provided an answer to this

15     question."

16             Who was it that -- whose words, instead of yours, are recorded as

17     saying this?

18        A.   The person who recorded my words was in the room along with other

19     people in the judge's office.  I cannot say more than this.  The judge

20     must have asked the question, and one of the attendees must have said:

21     This question has already been answered.

22        Q.   Okay.  Now I'd like to move to another topic.  And, again, it's

23     dealing with the -- with this written statement that resulted.  And it's

24     answer number 6, page 3 in the English, page 5 in the French, page 4 of

25     the B/C/S.


Page 18233

 1             Here, sir, you talk of a familiarisation phase before deploying

 2     to Yugoslavia.  How long did this familiarisation phase last?

 3        A.   The familiarisation phase before arriving on the theatre of

 4     operations can vary, depending on the nature of the operation.  This is

 5     what we call operational stage.  And generally, we are given information

 6     about the task itself, and then we have some practical exercises about

 7     the mission that we will have to carry out in the theatre.

 8        Q.   And now specifically focussing on the familiarisation phase that

 9     was held before your deployment to Yugoslavia in 1995, how long did that

10     phase last?

11        A.   If I remember well - this happened more than 18 years ago - it

12     must have lasted between two to three months.

13        Q.   During this familiarisation phase that lasted two to three

14     months, were the Bosnian Serbs described as an actual or perhaps

15     potential enemy or hostile force, or otherwise?

16             THE INTERPRETER:  Interpreter's correction:  One to two months,

17     instead of two or three months.

18             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] When a theatre of operations is

19     presented, the different factions are presented.  Our mission was a UN

20     mission.  We were blue helmets, and we were an interposition force.  So

21     our role was to separate two warring factions.  We were trained for that,

22     unbiased.

23             MR. IVETIC:

24        Q.   If we could move to number 9 in your answers in the proces-verbal

25     interview.  Page 4 in English, page 5 in French, page 4 of the B/C/S.


Page 18234

 1     Here you state that the mission given to you by UNPROFOR was to prevent

 2     the Serbs from gaining access to the Bosnian Presidency building.

 3             What means were you authorised to employ in order to fulfil your

 4     mission to prevent the Serbs from gaining access to the Bosnian

 5     Presidency building?

 6        A.   Our deployment on this post was a really key point in Sarajevo,

 7     as you said.  Our mission was, first of all, to interpose between

 8     Bosnians and Serbs and to prevent Serbs from taking the symbols of

 9     authority, i.e., the parliament and the Presidency building by crossing

10     the Miljacka and the Vrbanja bridge.  Our means of disposal were simply

11     the post being there, to prevent any offensive by car in that

12     neighbourhood of the parliament, and if the Serbs had crossed our post,

13     we would have opened fire legitimately.

14        Q.   If I can ask for one clarification.  In the written statement, it

15     is said "the Bosnian Presidency building."  You have now used the word

16     "parliament" building.  Which is correct?

17        A.   We always talked about the Bosnian Presidency building, but maybe

18     it was the Bosnian parliament.  The inhabitants of Sarajevo, or people

19     who know more about this, could give you a clearer answer.  But in any

20     case, the symbols are what matters here.

21        Q.   Were you also tasked by UNPROFOR with preventing the BiH Muslim

22     side from gaining access to Serb territory?

23        A.   As I said, and I will limit my answer to our mission, I was

24     positioned on the line of the Jewish cemetery that you might know,

25     between the Vrbanja bridge and the Debelo Brdo position, and our mission


Page 18235

 1     was to operate interposition on this line, between the two factions.  I

 2     can only answer about my mission and what I did in the field in the

 3     framework of my mission.  An interposition mission goes both ways, of

 4     course.

 5        Q.   Was it part of your interposition mission to prevent the

 6     BiH Muslim side from staging attacks from their territory against the

 7     Serb side?

 8        A.   Between the Vrbanja bridge and the Debelo Brdo position, on the

 9     posts that we held within the framework of the interposition mission, it

10     would, indeed, have been unacceptable that any faction whatsoever could

11     stage attacks on any side.

12        Q.   In the days leading up to the 27th of May, 1995, am I correct

13     that your post had been caught in a cross-fire between the Army of

14     Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Serb army, just a few days earlier?

15        A.   Yes, absolutely.  When we arrived on May the 12th in Sarajevo,

16     the situation was quiet.  The city was relatively quiet but still quiet.

17     And from the 16th and 17th May on, combats raged between both factions on

18     that line of the Jewish cemetery, that is to say, between the Vrbanja

19     bridge and Debelo Brdo.  And to be completely precise, my post was fired

20     at by mortar fire, 30-millimetre guns and LPG [as interpreted].

21        Q.   And this combat that started on the 17th of May on, was it

22     initiated by the Armija BiH?

23        A.   I don't know.

24        Q.   Okay.  Then I'd like to move to the 27th of May, 1995.  At

25     number 16 of your answers in the proces-verbal - page 4 the English,


Page 18236

 1     page 7 in the French, page 5 in the B/C/S - you state that your post came

 2     under attack from the Serbs at 4.10 a.m. on that date.  Can you please

 3     tell us what form this incoming fire took; that is to say, what type of

 4     weapons were involved?

 5        A.   They did not use weapons.  It was a commando operation, a rapid

 6     one, a brutal one, at night, and many people got into our post.  They

 7     were dressed with UN uniforms, for some of them, and they immediately

 8     captured the two soldiers who were at the observation post facing their

 9     position, and one after the other, we were then captured.

10        Q.   Am I correct no casualties were suffered by your side from this

11     capture?

12        A.   You are absolutely correct.

13        Q.   At the time of the unit's capture, did you have anyone at your

14     location among your fellow soldiers who was able to communicate in

15     Serbo-Croatian with the Serbs?

16        A.   At the time of the capture, I voluntarily wanted to avoid a

17     bloodshed within the observation post, and I'm the one who did not want

18     any fire.

19             As I already commented, the post was in darkness so that no

20     movement could be seen from the outside.  And if fire had been opened, a

21     bloodshed would have resulted from that.  We were blue helmets from the

22     United Nations.  We were on a mission under chapter 6 of the

23     United Nations, and as far as I'm concerned, it was out of question to

24     make any concession.

25             I tried to contact my superiors, to tell them what was happening


Page 18237

 1     in the post, but the Serbs, the Serbian militiamen, pulled all the

 2     communication wires that were in the observation post, and I could not do

 3     that.

 4        Q.   Thank you for the additional information, sir.  Now, could you

 5     answer my question.  Is it correct that none of you -- the French

 6     soldiers could communicate with the Serbs in Serbo-Croatian at that point

 7     in time?

 8        A.   The only words that were exchanged were in English.

 9        Q.   Now, when you say you tried to contact your superiors via radio,

10     was that your attempt to try to peacefully resolve the situation?

11        A.   Yes.

12        Q.   Had UNPROFOR instructed you how to proceed in the event that

13     either party to the conflict took such action in capturing you or other

14     soldiers or the observation post?

15        A.   The instructions were very clear.  I mean the UN instructions.

16     The night before, several WPCs had fallen, as I already said, so we had

17     strengthened our observation posts.  The instructions were then very

18     clear.

19        Q.   Is it correct that UNPROFOR had called in NATO air-strikes prior

20     to the 27th of May, 1995?

21        A.   About these issues, I cannot answer.

22        Q.   Had UNPROFOR -- the UNPROFOR instructions you speak of, did they

23     identify that NATO air-strikes were to be expected?

24        A.   As a leader, I had to operate from a tactical point of view.  The

25     tactical point of view is in the field.  Above me was the operational


Page 18238

 1     level.  Manoeuvres are designed, for instance, with all necessary

 2     support, and above that is the strategic level, including all the

 3     political and military parameters.

 4             So, at my level, at the tactical level, I can give you -- I can

 5     give you answers about the tactical situation at the Jewish cemetery, but

 6     I cannot give you any information about the operational level or the

 7     strategic level.

 8        Q.   Sir, I'm asking you about the instructions that you said were

 9     very clear.  Did those very clear instructions include information that

10     NATO air-strikes called by UNPROFOR were expected?

11        A.   With regard to the air-strikes, I was not aware of the expected

12     air-strikes.  What we knew was that two WCPs had been taken by the Serbs,

13     for them to take over their weaponry.  We also knew that some comrades

14     had been taken hostage in these WCPs, and as far as our posts were

15     concerned, we had to strengthen our protection.

16             These were the instructions that we received.

17        Q.   Okay.  I want to look at number 17 of your answers in the

18     proces-verbal.  Page 5 in the English, page 8 in the French, page 6 of

19     the B/C/S.

20             Here you state that initially you were convinced the assailants

21     were only militiamen, but now you state you believe a majority of them

22     were militiamen.

23             What I want to know is what you mean when you talk of militiamen?

24     Are you talking about the police, which is the milicija in Serbo-Croat?

25        A.   As far as we are concerned, when I talk about militiamen, I'm


Page 18239

 1     talking about people who take up arms, who put a uniform on, and they put

 2     uniforms that they find on the ground, and they operate with or without

 3     uniforms, and they take part in fightings, in conflicts, next to the

 4     regular army.

 5        Q.   And so just to be clear, the assailants that took over the post,

 6     is it your evidence that they included militiamen and regular army, or

 7     militiamen and other persons?

 8        A.   There were militiamen and military people from the regular army.

 9        Q.   Okay.

10             MR. IVETIC:  If we can turn for a moment to another document but

11     please also not broadcast this to the public.  This document is

12     65 ter number 17449.

13        Q.   It is dated July 8th, 1995, and is a questionnaire drafted by the

14     named UNPROFOR soldier whose name we should not mention.  Looking at the

15     name and position of this individual, but without stating his name or his

16     relationship to you, can you tell us if you recognise or know this

17     individual?

18        A.   You're talking about the first part?  The name which is -- which

19     appears at first?  Because I can see several names on the page.

20        Q.   Sir, the name of the person that appears four lines from the top

21     of the page.

22   (redacted)

23   (redacted)

24        Q.   Do you have reason to believe that this individual would have

25     access to accurate and truthful information as to the incident where you

 


Page 18240

 1     and others were taken captive 27 May 1995?

 2        A.   Yes, absolutely.

 3             MR. IVETIC:  If we can turn to page 3 of the document.

 4             JUDGE ORIE:  Ms. Lee.

 5             MR. IVETIC:  Pardon me, page 2 of the document.

 6             JUDGE ORIE:  Ms. Lee.

 7             MS. LEE:  I'm -- may we move into private session.

 8             JUDGE ORIE:  We move into private session.

 9                           [Private session]

10   (redacted)

11   (redacted)

12   (redacted)

13   (redacted)

14   (redacted)

15   (redacted)

16   (redacted)

17   (redacted)

18   (redacted)

19   (redacted)

20   (redacted)

21                           [Open session]

22             THE REGISTRAR:  We're in open session, Your Honours.

23             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you, Madam Registrar.

24             MR. IVETIC:

25        Q.   Sir, this is not being broadcast.  I would ask that we focus on

 


Page 18241

 1     the last paragraph of item number 2, which is at the bottom of the

 2     screen.  And, again, I will not mention your name, but it says here that

 3     your group was captured by fanatics under the command of Slavko Aleksic,

 4     nicknamed Duke.  And there is no mention of any other forces taking part

 5     in this attack and capture.

 6             Does this refresh and is it in accord with your recollections?

 7        A.   Yes.  Yes, yes, absolutely.

 8             I would like to remind you that this happened at 4 -- at 10 past

 9     4.00 in the morning, so it was still dark.  This group of people acting

10     like a commando overpowered us, and there were militiamen, irregular

11     Serbs, but there were also people of the regular army, because when they

12     took us from Prisunic to Lukavica, there were one or two Serbs who were

13     with us all the time.  They escorted us all the way to Lukavica and they

14     had a Serb uniform.  And I'm absolutely hundred per cent sure about that.

15             So these might be details that the commander of the battalion is

16     not aware of.  Maybe he didn't learn about this.

17             The majority of these commando was militiamen of Duke Aleksic,

18     but amongst them were members of the regular army.

19             MR. IVETIC:  If we can take a look at another document.  And,

20     again, this should also not be broadcast.  65 ter number 17724.  And we

21     only have the B/C/S and the French.  I'm working off the B/C/S.

22        Q.   And item number 4, which is on page 1 of both the French and the

23     B/C/S, indicates that during the capture your captors treated you well.

24             Is that in accord with your recollections?

25        A.   Yes, absolutely.  When I answered this questionnaire, and I'm


Page 18242

 1     just putting things back into their context, this was written when I

 2     reached Split after I was released.  So as I was saying, this was written

 3     once I had been released.  And you cannot disassociate things.  What I

 4     mean is that after what we went through from the morning of the 27th of

 5     May until the following morning, and I'm talking about, generally

 6     speaking, during our detention, we were well treated.  Of course, we had

 7     been captured whilst we were in our post, and this was a first problem.

 8     And blue helmets had been made prisoners.  There was no physical

 9     violence, or no important physical violence, as opposed to what happened

10     during the course of the 27th of May.

11        Q.   If we can look again at item number 4 in both the B/C/S and the

12     French, it states here that the persons who captured you prevented you

13     from making contact with the UN.

14             Is this a reference to the same incident at the observation post

15     where the wires were ripped from the radio that you mentioned earlier, or

16     is this another incident?

17        A.   No, we're talking about the same incident.

18        Q.   Then I'd like to turn to your proces-verbal.

19             MR. IVETIC:  P2537, under seal, should not be broadcast.

20             JUDGE ORIE:  Could I, meanwhile, ask a question clarifying the

21     last answer.

22             You told us that when they entered, you tried to contact your

23     superiors and that they made that impossible.  Did, at any point in time

24     later - for example, being in Lukavica - did you ask to be allowed to

25     contact your superiors?


Page 18243

 1             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] No.  In Lukavica, I did not ask to

 2     contact my superiors.  In Lukavica, I didn't manage to get in touch with

 3     my superiors, because people in Lukavica were totally cut off from the

 4     staff.

 5             JUDGE ORIE:  Yes.  And knowing this, you did not ask for an

 6     opportunity to contact your superiors.  Is that how I have to understand

 7     your answer?

 8             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I could not get in touch with my

 9     superiors to tell them that the post had been taken over by Serbs.  I

10     could not do that.

11             JUDGE ORIE:  And also not any higher-up authority of the

12     United Nations.

13             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] No, no.  Absolutely not.

14             JUDGE ORIE:  Please proceed, Mr. Ivetic.

15             MR. IVETIC:  Thank you.  If we can turn to P2537, under seal.

16     Page 6 in the English, page 10 in the French, page 7 of the B/C/S.  The

17     response to question number 26.

18        Q.   Here, you are talking about an officer who came to the Prisunic

19     building and then later in Lukavica.  And it says:

20             "One of the two men asked me for my radio frequency with a view

21     to making contact with my superiors and I refused.  I understood ... he

22     was distinctly put out by my response."

23             First of all, sir, was this person who asked you for the radio

24     frequency that you refused the request, was he a member of the regular

25     Serb forces?


Page 18244

 1        A.   Yes.

 2        Q.   Was this request of you for the frequency made at Prisunic

 3     building or Lukavica barracks?

 4        A.   In the Lukavica barracks.

 5        Q.   Now, we have talked about how you wanted to make contact via

 6     radio with your superiors to alleviate the situation, and now when a Serb

 7     army officer is asking you for the frequency to effectuate such contact

 8     you refuse.

 9             Can you explain to me why you refused such contact that might

10     have served to alleviate this volatile situation?

11        A.   Well, it's very simple.  I did not have to give the radio

12     frequencies that we were using.  This was just a question of protection

13     for the forces.  In fact, this could have been -- if I'd given the radio

14     frequencies, it could have run counter to the mission.  I wanted to be on

15     top of the situation.  I wanted to control the situation.  I wanted to

16     get in touch with my superiors, but I didn't want to other people to use

17     our radio frequencies in order to get in touch with them.  I wanted to be

18     in charge.

19             I was a prisoner -- well, not.  I wasn't a prisoner, in fact.  I

20     was a hostage.  But I referred to the Law on Armed Conflicts, which means

21     that you give your name, your first name, your date of birth, your grade,

22     and your unit, and that's all.  Nothing else.

23        Q.   Isn't the -- the instructions to give your name, your date of

24     birth, your grade, and your unit, isn't that in relation to prisoners of

25     war, sir?

 


Page 18245

 1        A.   Yes, absolutely.  And this is the -- how paradoxical was the

 2     situation.  I was a blue helmet for the UN, and I ended up as a prisoner.

 3             MR. IVETIC:  Your Honours, I think we're at the time for the

 4     break.

 5             JUDGE ORIE:  We are, Mr. Ivetic.  We first turn into closed

 6     session so as to allow the witness to leave the courtroom.

 7                           [Closed session]

 8   (redacted)

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10   (redacted)

11   (redacted)

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15   (redacted)

16   (redacted)

17   (redacted)

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Page 18246

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20

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Page 18249

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 6   (redacted)

 7   (redacted)

 8   (redacted)

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10   (redacted)

11   (redacted)

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14   (redacted)

15   (redacted)

16   (redacted)

17   (redacted)

18   (redacted)

19                           [Open session]

20             THE REGISTRAR:  We're in open session, Your Honours.

21             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you, Madam Registrar.

22             Mr. Ivetic, once the noise has disappeared, you may continue.

23             MR. IVETIC:  Thank you.

24        Q.   Sir, I'd like next to move to number 30 of the proces-verbal,

25     which is page 7 in the English, page 11 in the French, page 7 of the

 


Page 18250

 1     B/C/S.

 2             And, sir, here, you state that your:

 3             "... guards acted in a strange manner towards us.  On some

 4     occasions they were well behaved; on others they were aggressive."

 5             Did it seem to you like the guards did not know what to do with

 6     you?

 7        A.   I think that they knew what to do with us because they were

 8     guarding us.  But on the other hand, I'm not sure that they knew which

 9     behaviour to have towards us.  So it is true to say that their behaviour

10     was rather strange, as I have indicated.  Sometimes they were violent.

11     At other times, they were calm in order to reassure us.  I have no

12     explanation about the -- this very contradictory behaviour towards us.

13        Q.   Now, this is, again, still on the 27th of May.  Would it be fair

14     to say that on that day, both Serb civilians and the Serbs in uniform

15     appeared upset and distraught, not only over the NATO air-strikes but

16     over the deaths of Serbs in the UN recapture of the observation post?

17        A.   It's difficult to answer this question.  Were they dissatisfied

18     or angry because there were two dead people and four wounded people when

19     our unit recaptured the post?  We also suffered two dead and 17 injured.

20     Or is it -- or were they like this because the negotiations were failing

21     and they didn't manage to get back their dead, their wounded people, and

22     the captured people?

23        Q.   Did you have knowledge of the fact that forward air controllers

24     capable of guiding the NATO air-strikes to their targets were embedded

25     with various UNPROFOR and UN units on the ground?


Page 18251

 1        A.   I didn't know that.  And I don't know whether this is true.

 2        Q.   Were any of the men in the same unit as you with sufficient

 3     training and NATO credentials to act as forward air controllers?

 4        A.   You asked me a question about air controllers, but they did not

 5     belong to our units, so I cannot answer this question.

 6        Q.   Sir, my second question was in relation to the men in your unit,

 7     whether they had training and NATO accreditation to act as forward air

 8     controllers.

 9        A.   Absolutely not.  This is a skill that we did not have, but we

10     were rather well trained in order to comply with our mission.  The -- and

11     I'm talking about the interposition mission that was ours.

12        Q.   Did you at any point, sir, either during your captivity or

13     thereafter, learn that the International Red Cross had proclaimed that

14     you and other UNPROFOR men should be regarded as prisoners of war because

15     of the acts undertaken by UNPROFOR of calling in NATO air-strikes against

16     the Serbs?

17             JUDGE ORIE:  Ms. Lee.

18             MS. LEE:  I would like to have the foundation of this information

19     or a source of this information.

20             JUDGE ORIE:  Mr. Ivetic.

21             MR. IVETIC:  Well, Your Honours, I -- I -- most of the -- most of

22     the law review articles on the topic reference it.  I didn't think it was

23     a disputed fact that the ICRC had made such a proclamation.  I'm asking

24     the witness if he knows of it.  I'm not going to rely upon it as positive

25     proof without bringing other witnesses and other evidence, but that is


Page 18252

 1     the foundation of my question.

 2             JUDGE ORIE:  Yes.  Could be a bit more precise.  Most of the law

 3     review articles on the topic.  I take it if the position of the ICRC is

 4     invoked, that there is a source for the ICRC expressing itself on it.

 5             MR. IVETIC:  If I may have a moment, I think we have a source for

 6     the [overlapping speakers] --

 7             JUDGE ORIE:  But if the witness -- if the witness never heard

 8     about it, then it's irrelevant whether -- so, therefore, Witness, before

 9     we further explore the basis for the question, did you ever learn about

10     an ICRC position that you should be regarded as prisoners of war?

11             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Not at all.

12             JUDGE ORIE:  Then, still, the basis for the question, I think it

13     would be fair, Mr. Ivetic, if you would inform Ms. Lee about it so that

14     if the same question would come up anywhere in the future, that she would

15     know what the basis for it was.  And, meanwhile, we can continue.

16             MR. IVETIC:  I can at the moment refer to an article by

17     Lieutenant-Colonel H. Wayne Elliott of the JAG Corps, retired in --

18             JUDGE ORIE:  As I said before, it is irrelevant at this moment.

19     If you would reveal that information to Ms. Lee, then the purpose of it

20     is served sufficiently for this moment.

21             MR. IVETIC:  Thank you, Your Honours.

22        Q.   Now, did it appear to you, sir, that the -- that the Serb

23     soldiers at Lukavica barracks were undertaking to protect you from harm,

24     including protecting you from both Serb civilians and so-called

25     militiamen?


Page 18253

 1        A.   I don't know.  They were assigned to guard us - no more, no

 2     less - in these barracks.  That's it.

 3        Q.   While in the barracks, did they prevent civilians from coming in

 4     contact with you?

 5        A.   Yes, they did.  Yes, they did.  When we had our daily meals,

 6     let's say, in an area of the barracks, civilians had their meals also,

 7     but we were never in contact with them.

 8        Q.   You've mentioned the daily meals.  Is it correct during the

 9     entirety of your stay at Lukavica barracks you ate the exact same food as

10     did the Serb soldiers at the barracks?

11        A.   Yes, we did.

12        Q.   Now, if we can --

13             JUDGE ORIE:  Mr. Ivetic, I would like to seek a clarification of

14     one of the previous answers.

15             You were asked whether they did prevent civilians from coming in

16     contact with you.  Your answer was that there was no contact, and you

17     referred to the daily meals.  Did you gain the impression that those

18     civilians that were there would have been hostile so as to be prevented

19     from having any contact with you?

20             In other words, did you consider the fact that no contact was

21     allowed or made to be in order to protect you against those civilians?

22             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] That's possible.

23             JUDGE ORIE:  Please proceed, Mr. Ivetic.

24             MR. IVETIC:  Thank you, Your Honour.

25             If we could return to the proces-verbal at number 31, which, I


Page 18254

 1     believe is on the screen in both languages.  For the record that would be

 2     page 7 in English, page 11 in French, page 8 of the B/C/S.

 3        Q.   Here you describe that some high-ranking Serb soldiers came to

 4     visit you, although they were not wearing any combat gear so as to permit

 5     to you identify their rank.

 6             How is it, then, that you were able to discern that these were

 7     high-ranking officers rather than ordinary officers, or someone else, if

 8     you could not discern their rank?

 9        A.   When I talk about combat gear, I'm not talking about battle

10     dress.  They were wearing uniforms, but they were not in combat gear.

11     They were wearing shirts and trousers but not in battle dress.  Let's

12     say, these were uniforms they wore when they wanted to go out and one

13     could identify them thereby.  These people were of a certain age and had

14     a certain authority.  I saw them at a meeting, and they were discussing

15     things.  So I can say that these were people with a high level of

16     authority.

17        Q.   Is that merely based upon their age and the fact that you

18     believed them to be officers of unknown rank?

19        A.   I state that these were high-ranking officers.  They were not

20     wearing battle dress, like what can be seen in war operations.  These

21     were staff officers who were wearing uniforms, and that's why I can say

22     that these people were high-ranking officers.

23        Q.   If we can look at number 42 of the proces-verbal.  That is at

24     page 9 in the English, page 14 in the French, page 9 of the B/C/S.  And

25     this is the incident you talked of where you were forced to kneel in the


Page 18255

 1     middle of the road.

 2             First of all, sir, this is all still happening before you were

 3     taken to Lukavica barracks and taken into possession by the regular army;

 4     is that correct?

 5        A.   We were forced to kneel at that time, but I state that at that

 6     particular location, which was close to a square, militiamen were

 7     present.  There were soldiers of the regular army that were there, and a

 8     host of civilians that was there also.

 9        Q.   I -- I understand that, sir, and I believe that's contained in

10     your written statement.

11             My question is:  Was this before you were transferred into the

12     custody of the regular army at Lukavica barracks?

13        A.   This occurred before we were transferred to Lukavica.  What I

14     would like you to understand is that when we were in this negotiation

15     phase and when the negotiations had floundered, these things were tied

16     together.  In the building where we were detained, there were militiamen

17     who were guarding us.  There were these staff officers of the regular

18     army that there were too.  This was to-ing and fro-ing, incessant to-ing

19     and fro-ing in this building.  And when we went down and were forced to

20     kneel down before our UN post and before the Bosnian sector, the

21     militiamen, the civilian population, and the regular army were all

22     connected to one another.

23        Q.   At paragraph number 43 of the proces-verbal, which is on the same

24     page in the English and the French and the B/C/S, too, I believe, you

25     state that the crowd showed hostility toward you.  Are you here talking


Page 18256

 1     about the civilians, the mixed group of militia and regular army that

 2     that were at this square, or are you talking about only specific elements

 3     of them?

 4        A.   I mean everyone.  Tensions were running very high.  People were

 5     screaming, were shouting.  The attempted exchange failed.  We were at a

 6     time when the French vehicle had brought back these two dead Serb people.

 7     When the bridge was taken back, you can imagine that when the soldiers,

 8     the civilians, and the families came to fetch the bodies, the two bodies,

 9     you must understand that everybody was in a highly tense state, and

10     people were mad at us.  You can imagine that perfectly well, can't you?

11        Q.   Yes, and we'll get to that.  I'd like to now move to -- to the

12     question -- or to the answer number 46 of the proces-verbal - page 10 in

13     English, page 15 in French, page 10 of the B/C/S - and, first of all,

14     sir, the French-speaking woman whom you describe here, how would you

15     describe her knowledge of the French language?  Was it fluent in nature

16     or basic, rudimentary, in nature?

17        A.   She spoke French extremely well.  That struck me at the time.

18        Q.   Okay.  Now, in this answer number 46 of the proces-verbal, you

19     say that you "now recall."  What was it that caused you to recall that

20     she said you were to die.  Why had that not been recalled earlier?

21        A.   Could you rephrase your question more clearly, please.

22        Q.   Yes, sir.  The last paragraph of number 46 of the proces-verbal

23     states -- and I will not use the names, of course, states:

24             "In fact, I now recall that she indicated that," and she mentions

25     a name, "and I were to die and that I was to designate two other


Page 18257

 1     individuals."

 2             What caused it to -- for you to now recall such a significant

 3     fact?

 4        A.   I'm trying to put my -- to return to that formal interview as

 5     opposed to the informal interview.

 6             As I said earlier, when I came to the formal interview, I

 7     provided more details.  My answers were more accurate.  This is

 8     undoubtedly due to the fact that a request had been put to me.  I

 9     remember this now, today, but you can check in the -- in the informal

10     interview, I have always said that I had been designated, and I was to

11     die, and I had drawn up a macabre list of people who were to die.

12        Q.   Now, sir, in the -- in the information report arising from your

13     proofing with the Prosecution yesterday, the Prosecution reports as

14     follows, and I will not use the -- neither your name, nor the name of the

15     position.  But it says:

16             "On 27 May 1995, during the collection of Serb bodies from," and

17     then it names the post, "the witness was told that if anything went wrong

18     during the process, he would be released into the Bosnian front lines

19     while wearing the Serb army uniform."

20             Does that version from the proofing session you had the past few

21     days with the Prosecution more accurately depict what, in fact,

22     transpired during this occasion?

23        A.   As regards this particular incident, the Serbs had told me that:

24     In any case, if things go wrong, you will be released on the Bosnian

25     front line.


Page 18258

 1        Q.   And, so, sir, were you told that you would be shot or that you

 2     would be released towards the Bosnian lines?  Which is it?

 3        A.   I don't know.

 4        Q.   Now, while this all is going on, isn't it a fact that prior to

 5     this instance, that is to say, when the Serbs encountered casualties and

 6     the French encountered casualties in taking over the post, isn't it

 7     correct that the UNPROFOR forces participated in joint combat with the

 8     Armija BiH to take over that check-point, thus causing the casualties

 9     among both the French and the Serbs?

10        A.   That's totally wrong.  I have had a lot of questions about that

11     particular issue.  The French blue helmets just re-took the post they had

12     lost, and our president of the republic gave an order for that.  We had

13     been humiliated for long enough.  We needed a striking fact and the

14     Vrbanja bridge was the pretext.  We wanted the blue helmets to be

15     considered legitimate.  And what the Bosnians do -- did when they re-took

16     the bridge was an action which was undertaken by them and by them only.

17     That decision was theirs.

18             JUDGE ORIE:  Could I just intervene for one second.  Mr. Ivetic,

19     you're held holding the paper at such a position that it can be caught by

20     the cameras, which is to be avoided.  So would you please -- I take it

21     that you were unaware of that, but could you please leave them on your

22     desk.

23             I interrupted you.  Apologies for that.  You said:

24             "... it was an action which was taken by them and by them only.

25     That decision was theirs."


Page 18259

 1             Could you please resume from there.

 2             And could Mr. Mladic remain seated and speak at a low --

 3             MR. IVETIC:  If I may --

 4             JUDGE ORIE:  -- volume.

 5             MR. IVETIC:  -- seek leave to consult briefly.

 6             JUDGE ORIE:  Well, let's be polite and first --

 7             MR. IVETIC:  After the answer.

 8             JUDGE ORIE:  -- ask the witness to complete his answer and then

 9     you have an opportunity to consult, Mr. Ivetic.

10             You said it -- that action was theirs and theirs only.  Did you

11     want to add anything to that when I interrupted you?

12             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] At no point in time - I wish this

13     to be very clear - were the Bosnians informed about the fact that the

14     bridge had been re-taken.  They noticed this when French soldiers started

15     infiltrating and moving towards the bridge.  They realised then that

16     something was happening and that some action was undertaken.  Because on

17     the other side of the Miljacka, the river, we had established armoured

18     support to control the takeover of the bridge.  We did not need the help

19     of the Bosnians to take back the bridge.  The Bosnians benefitted from

20     this action --

21             JUDGE ORIE:  Could I ask you also to slow down a bit.

22             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes, Your Honour.  The Bosnians

23     benefitted from this action, and then -- let me remind you that the

24     Bosnians were never informed about our desire to take back the post, and

25     we never turned to them for support or help.  What they initiated, they


Page 18260

 1     initiated themselves.

 2             JUDGE ORIE:  Mr. Ivetic, you have an opportunity to consult with

 3     Mr. Mladic if you wish to do so.

 4                           [Defence counsel and accused confer]

 5                           [Trial Chamber confers]

 6             JUDGE ORIE:  Low voice, please.  Low voice, please.

 7             Please proceed, Mr. Ivetic.

 8             MR. IVETIC:  Thank you, Your Honour.

 9        Q.   Sir, again, according to the information report given to us by

10     the Prosecution resulting from the last two days of meetings that you've

11     had with them, it is recorded as follows, and I will, of course, edit out

12     the names involved, but it reads:

13             "Two French soldiers were killed during the re-taking of the

14     Vrbanja bridge," and then it names them.  "17 other French soldiers were

15     wounded.  The ABiH assisted the UNPROFOR in the retaking of the," and

16     then it names the post.  "At that time, the UNPROFOR and the ABiH were

17     not aware that two French soldiers," and then it names them, "were

18     present in the post."

19             Then it says that:

20             "One of the French was wounded in the knee by support fire by the

21     ABiH."

22             Sir, is everything that I've just read you to the truth?

23        A.   The Bosnian army started shooting when the Vrbanja bridge was

24     re-taken - that's a fact - which made the fire more intense, of course,

25     but I challenge the fact that this was a joint operation.  You can't deny


Page 18261

 1     the fact that they shot at the post while we were re-taking it.  We have

 2     a proof of that.  There was a stray bullet that wounded (redacted)

 3   (redacted) tendered mentions the

 4     fact that this injury might have been caused by the Bosnians.  No one at

 5     the post was aware of the fact that two French soldiers were still

 6     manning the post.  They were hostages --

 7             THE INTERPRETER:  Interpreter's correction:  They were not

 8     manning the post.  They were hostages of the Serb soldiers.

 9             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] As I told you, I was unable to

10     contact my superiors to describe them what had happened at the Vrbanja

11     post.

12             MR. IVETIC:

13        Q.   And so at that time, prior to the threats being issued to you,

14     prior to you being forced on your knees, the combined crowd of civilians,

15     Serb soldiers and Serb militiamen, as you call them, had witnessed the

16     French forces taking the check-point with the ABiH forces offering

17     support fire and assisting the French, causing Serb casualties.  That all

18     happened before the threats that occurred that you testified about.  Is

19     that correct?

20             JUDGE ORIE:  Ms. Lee.

21             MS. LEE:  First of all, I -- I believe it is fair to ask the

22     witness whether or not he is aware if the crowd of civilians of Serb

23     soldiers and militiamen witnessed the French forces taking the

24     check-point back, because that statement has been put to him.  And I

25     think it is only fair to the witness to ask him whether or not he was


Page 18262

 1     aware of that and then the subsequent question could be asked.

 2             JUDGE ORIE:  I understand there's a request to split up the

 3     question, including the part that the combined crowd of civilians had

 4     witnessed the French forces taking the check-point.

 5             Would you please split it up, Mr. Ivetic.

 6             MR. IVETIC:  Yes, Your Honours.

 7        Q.   Is it your testimony that this crowd of mixed civilians,

 8     soldiers, and militiamen had witnessed the re-taking of the check-point

 9     and the support fire by the ABiH?

10        A.   I don't know.  I don't know whether they had seen the post being

11     taken over.  I myself was unaware of it.  I heard about it in the

12     afternoon.  I inferred that that must have been the case.  And then when

13     we moved into the negotiation phase for a potential exchange, what

14     happened in Grbavica is something I know nothing about it.  I don't know

15     what people knew about it and I don't know how much they knew about it.

16        Q.   And the re-taking of the check-point, the support fire from the

17     ABiH and the casualties resulting therefrom had all occurred before there

18     were any threats to your life, whether to execute you or to release you

19     to the Bosnian army positions?

20        A.   Yes, this happened before.  But the casualties on the French

21     side, the wounded on the French side, and the casualties on the Serbian

22     side and the dead people on the Serbian side was -- happened because a UN

23     bridge had initially been taken by the Serbs.

24        Q.   If we can focus on your proces-verbal at number 48, which is on

25     page 10 in the English, page 16 in the French, page 11 of the B/C/S.  And


Page 18263

 1     again, this is where you say that at Lukavica you were read the

 2     Geneva Conventions by the Serb commander.

 3             Can we mark this as the first time in the proces-verbal where you

 4     felt or understood yourself to be in the custody of the regular Bosnian

 5     Serb army?

 6        A.   When the Geneva Conventions were read, I first was surprised in

 7     my head because I thought, Hmm, I'm a blue helmet, and I'm a prisoner.

 8     There's something wrong here.  And then I thought that I was no longer,

 9     along with my fellow soldier, in that hell we experienced on the Vrbanja

10     bridge.  We were in a more quiet and peaceful environment.

11             So you can imagine how we felt at that moment.  We were quite

12     reassured, actually.  We were reassured because we had escaped this hell

13     that we were in during 24 hours on the Vrbanja bridge.

14        Q.   At Lukavica, at the time that the Geneva Conventions were being

15     read to you, isn't it also correct that the Serb officers explicitly

16     stated that they regarded you as prisoners of war?

17        A.   I remember very well this officer who told us, You are going to

18     be treated according to the Geneva Conventions, and he added that we

19     would be treated as prisoners of war, yes.  Maybe it was a bit too late

20     to mention that.

21        Q.   Now I'd like to move to number 50 in the proces-verbal, page 11

22     in the English, page 17 in French, page 11 of the B/C/S.

23             And, first of all, I'd like to focus on the first incident on the

24     29th of May, 1995, the other men that you learned had been taken away and

25     filmed handcuffed to military equipment.


Page 18264

 1             First of all, did you ever learn or did they tell you what kind

 2     of military equipment this was?

 3        A.   On May 29, two of my soldiers were, indeed, taken away to be

 4     filmed near some equipment.  I don't know which equipment it was exactly.

 5     They did not report that to me.  They did not tell me the type of

 6     equipment they had been handcuffed to.

 7        Q.   Did they tell you how long approximately they had been handcuffed

 8     to such equipment?  Was it a matter of minutes, dozens of minutes, hours,

 9     et cetera?

10        A.   It was very, very short.  And then these images were relayed

11     around the world, in newspapers, on television, to put pressure on the

12     international level about this conflict.

13        Q.   During the time that they were very shortly handcuffed, is it

14     correct that there were no actual ongoing air-strikes in their immediate

15     vicinity?

16        A.   Yes, that is absolutely correct.

17        Q.   And they were uninjured and unharmed when they returned to be

18     rejoined with the rest of you at Lukavica; is that correct?

19        A.   Yes, that is correct.

20        Q.   And now I want to focus on the second incident in answer number

21     50 to the proces-verbal, that is, the 30th of May, 1995, when two other

22     men were taken for the same purpose and you served as the English

23     interpreter for the same.

24             First of all, am I correct that you yourself were not handcuffed

25     to any structures or equipment?  It was just these two other men?

 


Page 18265

 1        A.   Yes, that is correct.

 2        Q.   On the 30th of May, 1995, were these two men beaten or mistreated

 3     in any way?

 4   (redacted)

 5   (redacted)

 6   (redacted)

 7   (redacted)

 8   (redacted)

 9   (redacted)

10   (redacted)

11   (redacted)

12   (redacted)

13   (redacted)

14                           [Private session]

15   (redacted)

16   (redacted)

17   (redacted)

18   (redacted)

19   (redacted)

20   (redacted)

21   (redacted)

22   (redacted)

23   (redacted)

24   (redacted)

25   (redacted)


Page 18266

 1

 2

 3

 4

 5

 6

 7

 8

 9

10

11 Page 18266 redacted. Private session.

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

 


Page 18267

 1   (redacted)

 2   (redacted)

 3   (redacted)

 4   (redacted)

 5   (redacted)

 6   (redacted)

 7   (redacted)

 8   (redacted)

 9   (redacted)

10   (redacted)

11   (redacted)

12   (redacted)

13   (redacted)

14                           [Closed session]

15   (redacted)

16   (redacted)

17   (redacted)

18   (redacted)

19   (redacted)

20   (redacted)

21   (redacted)

22   (redacted)

23   (redacted)

24   (redacted)

25   (redacted)

 


Page 18268

 1

 2

 3

 4

 5

 6

 7

 8

 9

10

11 Page 18268 redacted. Closed session.

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

 


Page 18269

 1   (redacted)

 2   (redacted)

 3   (redacted)

 4   (redacted)

 5   (redacted)

 6   (redacted)

 7   (redacted)

 8   (redacted)

 9   (redacted)

10                           [Open session]

11             THE REGISTRAR:  We're in open session, Your Honours.

12             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you, Madam Registrar.

13             Mr. Ivetic, same as before.  We wait until the noise disappears.

14             Please proceed.

15             MR. IVETIC:  Thank you, Your Honour.

16        Q.   Sir, I'd like to again focus on the 30 May 1995 second incident

17     in answer number 50 of the proces-verbal.

18             These two men that were affixed to a military structure or

19     equipment, how long did they remain affixed to the military structure or

20     equipment in question?

21        A.   A few minutes.

22        Q.   What kind of military equipment or structure were they affixed to

23     for those few minutes?

24        A.   I do not remember exactly.

25        Q.   Now, during the few minutes that these two men were handcuffed to

 


Page 18270

 1     whatever it was they were handcuffed to, am I correct that there were no

 2     actual air-strikes in that area in their immediate vicinity at that time?

 3        A.   That is absolutely correct.

 4        Q.   Looking now at number 51 of the proces-verbal, which is at

 5     page -- it's the same page in both the French and the English, and

 6     page 11 of the B/C/S.  Can we conclude that, apart from these two

 7     incidents which we have now described, there were no other incidents

 8     where you witnessed men being taken away from Lukavica to be handcuffed

 9     to equipment or structures and taped -- or filmed?

10        A.   These are the only two moments when my men were asked to follow

11     the Serbs to be filmed.  The only two moments.

12        Q.   Now, if we could focus on number 54 of the proces-verbal, and

13     that's on page 12 in both the English and the B/C/S, page 18 of the

14     French.  And this is the visit from the Serb Orthodox priest that you

15     mentioned.  Did he have a translator or were you able to speak directly

16     to him in a language that you understood?

17        A.   The visit of the Orthodox priest happened in English.  He had no

18     interpreter.  And one of my soldiers who was fluent in the language acted

19     as an interpreter.

20        Q.   When you say one of the soldiers who was fluent in the language,

21     are we talking about English or Serbo-Croatian?

22        A.   English.

23             JUDGE ORIE:  Could I --

24             MR. IVETIC:  Yes --

25             JUDGE ORIE:  -- ask one clarification.  I think earlier you said


Page 18271

 1     you served as an interpreter for - let me see - it's --

 2             MR. IVETIC:  Number 50, Your Honours.

 3             JUDGE ORIE:  Yes, 50.  I'm just -- you said you served as an

 4     interpreter and you gave responses.  What language did you serve as an

 5     interpreter?  French/English or ...

 6             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes, French/English.

 7             JUDGE ORIE: [Previous translation continues] ...

 8             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] As I added, I do not speak English

 9     fluently, and I acted as an interpreter for those people.  But when the

10     Orthodox priest came to visit us, since the conversation was longer, I

11     was helped by one of my men who was fluent in English.

12             JUDGE ORIE:  So you speak English, but you preferred here to be

13     assisted by someone who better speaks English.  Is that -- yes.  It was a

14     bit surprised by at one moment serving as an interpreter yourself and

15     then -- but let's leave that aside.

16             Please proceed, Mr. Ivetic.

17             MR. IVETIC:  Thank you.

18        Q.   And during the course of your stay at Lukavica barracks, did you

19     get the impression that the regular Serb army did not condone of the

20     treatment that you had received during the first day from those men of

21     Duke Aleksic who had captured you and held you during that time-period?

22        A.   When we were in detention at the Lukavica barracks, the people

23     who guarded us and us had polite relations.  At no time they told us what

24     they thought about the men of Duke Aleksic, and at no time we told them

25     what we thought about them.


Page 18272

 1        Q.   Okay.  Did you happen to know the -- with -- in respect to the

 2     Serbian Orthodox priest, was he just a priest or was he a higher

 3     official?  Did you have any further information of where he came from?

 4        A.   I had no information.  He introduced himself as an Orthodox

 5     priest.  He was wearing the insignia of the Red Cross.  He told us that

 6     he represented the Red Cross, and he said that as -- in this capacity he

 7     came to visit us.  At no time he introduced him and told us the details

 8     about his rank within his church.

 9        Q.   And is it correct that this priest who introduced himself as from

10     the Red Cross, when you say that you received correspondence, would it be

11     correct to say that he had correspondence that had been written

12     directly -- specifically for yourselves as recipients from -- from --

13     from -- from persons outside of the -- from back -- back -- from

14     UNPROFOR?

15        A.   The Orthodox priest gave us letters.  Among the letters was one

16     letter from my superior.  I think, but I'm not sure about that, I think

17     that there were also letters from our relatives.  I don't remember that

18     very well.

19        Q.   Okay.  Now, when you say that you were released and went via Pale

20     and Belgrade, during that travel, is it correct that you were not

21     mistreated in any way?

22        A.   That is correct.

23        Q.   Sir, I thank you for your patience in answering my questions.

24             MR. IVETIC:  Your Honour, I have completed my cross-examination.

25             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you, Mr. Ivetic.

 


Page 18273

 1             Ms. Lee, any requests in re-examination?  I take it from what you

 2     told us earlier that you have a few.

 3             MS. LEE:  Yes.  And I would require about ten minutes.

 4             JUDGE ORIE:  Yes, we have.

 5             MS. LEE:  Yes, Your Honour.

 6             JUDGE ORIE:  Please proceed.

 7             MS. LEE:  Thank you, Your Honours.

 8                           Re-examination by Ms. Lee:

 9        Q.   Witness, you were -- you were just asked during cross-examination

10     about any mistreatment that you have -- you and your men may have

11     received on the 30th of May, 1995, and I refer you to transcripts 64,

12     lines 17 until 65 and line 4.  And this was -- and this was in relation

13     to your men who were being handcuffed to equipment and structure.  And

14     we've heard more evidence on that just now on pages 67 and 68.

15             And I would like to just read you the question that was put to

16     you, and it was at -- line 64, 17 says -- 64, line 17, and it says:

17             "My question had been specifically related to the 30th of May,

18     1995, when two men were taken with you acting as the English interpreter

19     to a site, a factory near Lukavica, and were handcuffed to something

20     there."

21             And the question put to you was:

22             "On that date, is it correct that neither you nor those other two

23     men who -- were beaten or mistreated in any other way?"

24             And then it was said:

25             "I'm not talking about the time-period prior."


Page 18274

 1             And you responded:

 2             "Yes, we were not beaten then."

 3             What -- my question to you, Witness, is:  The fact that you were

 4     handcuffed to military equipment, do you consider that to be a

 5     mistreatment or not?

 6        A.   Yes, this is part of mistreatment.  That's obvious.  I'm sure

 7     that you have understood that I'm talking about a global event.  It is

 8     the same event, the taking over of the Vrbanja bridge.  And I compare

 9     what happened afterwards with what had happened during the 27th of May.

10             So, sure, we were handcuffed to -- we were handcuffed, we were

11     tied to military equipment.  This is not acceptable, of course.  But

12     compared to what we had gone through during the 27th of May, this was a

13     better treatment.

14        Q.   And ...

15             MS. LEE:  May I proceed --

16             THE INTERPRETER:  Microphone, please.

17             MS. LEE:  May I please have 65 ter number 30424 on the screen and

18     not to be broadcast because this is a statement that this witness had

19     given, and we have heard evidence about the statement earlier today.  It

20     is the informal statement.  And -- and if I could have page 5 and focus

21     on paragraph 5 near the bottom of the page.

22        Q.   And before -- before looking into this document, Witness, today

23     you were asked at line 40 [sic], you know, whether your captured treated

24     you well.  At any time, did you or your men -- I mean, were you or your

25     men ever told the reason for being held at Lukavica barracks?


Page 18275

 1             JUDGE ORIE:  Mr. Ivetic.

 2             MR. IVETIC:  Where's this document on the exhibit list?  It's not

 3     on the one that I have.

 4             MS. LEE:  I mean, yes, but this -- this document arises from

 5     Mr. Ivetic's cross-examination and so I still do not intend to tender

 6     this document.  However, I would like to refer to it.

 7             MR. IVETIC:  I'd like to know where we were given notice of it.

 8      I would not have asked the questions if I had that --

 9             JUDGE ORIE:  But if it arises from cross-examination, then, of

10     course, the situation is different.

11             Ms. Lee, put the question and ask yourself whether you really

12     need this or perhaps first could have put the question --

13             MS. LEE: [Overlapping speakers] ...

14             JUDGE ORIE:  -- to the witness in a -- please proceed.

15             MS. LEE:  Yes.  I will get straight to the question, then.

16        Q.   You were asked several questions during cross-examination on the

17     NATO bombing air-strikes.  And I would like to know, first of all, if

18     you -- if NATO bombings continued during your detention at Lukavica

19     barracks?

20        A.   I do not know.

21             THE INTERPRETER:  Microphone, please.

22             JUDGE ORIE:  Microphone, please.

23             MS. LEE:

24        Q.   And if you could now -- if -- read paragraph 5 at page 5, and --

25     where it says:


Page 18276

 1             "During the remainder of our captivity, we were well treated.

 2     The only threat when the commander told us that if NATO resumed its

 3     air-strikes, things would go badly for us."

 4             Now, were you ever told that -- the -- the reason of your

 5     detention at Lukavica barracks, whether or not it was in any way related

 6     to the NATO bombing attacks?

 7        A.   I do not know.  During my detention in the Lukavica barracks, I

 8     heard -- I didn't hear air-strikes.

 9             JUDGE ORIE:  Microphone, please.

10             MS. LEE:  May I please have page 2 of this -- the same document.

11             JUDGE ORIE:  But just for our information, was NATO air-strike,

12     were they mentioned in your presence, Witness, and that things would turn

13     out badly if they would continue?

14             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes, absolutely.

15             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you.

16             Please proceed.

17             THE INTERPRETER:  Microphone, please.

18             MS. LEE:  I apologise.

19        Q.   I see that we're on page 2.  And I would refer to paragraph 2.

20             Now, Witness, in relation -- during cross-examination today, and

21     this figures at line -- at page 35, lines 12 to 23, and you were asked --

22     and this relates to the time you were held -- you were taken hostage on

23     the 27th of May, 1995.  And the question put to you was -- was:

24             "Can you please tell us what form this incoming fire took; that

25     is to say, what type of weapons were involved?"


Page 18277

 1             And your response was:

 2             "They did not use weapons.  It was a commando operation, a rapid

 3     one, a brutal one, at night, and many people got into our post."

 4             And I refer you to paragraph 2 of your informal statement that we

 5     had discussed prior -- previously, and you said:

 6             "The one who was the leader held me with a Kalashnikov at my

 7     temple so that I would go to wake up the others.  I had already been

 8     struck with a rifle-butt by him when I wanted to alert my superiors, and

 9     he ripped out all the radio wires which then became inoperable."

10             This portion of your informal statement that I have just read to

11     you, does it accurately illustrate the incident as it happened on -- in

12     the morning, in the early morning of the 27th of May, 1995?

13        A.   The commando that took control of the post, that surrounded the

14     post, did not use its weaponry.  In other words, not a single shot was

15     fired but they all had weapons.  They all had Kalashnikovs.  They had

16     daggers and pistols.  After having briefly assessed the situation, I

17     decided we should not have a face-to-face combat to avoid a bloodshed.

18             JUDGE FLUEGGE:  May I put one question.

19             In this statement we have on the screen, I read:

20             "I had already been struck with a rifle-butt ..."

21             Does that mean this weapon was used?  Not by firing a shot but in

22     another way?

23             THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes, that's right.  Yes, I'd

24     been -- I was hit by the rifle-butt.

25             JUDGE FLUEGGE:  Thank you.

 


Page 18278

 1             Ms. Lee.

 2             MS. LEE:

 3        Q.   And my final question to you is:  Today, do you have any

 4     knowledge of the reason of your detention from --

 5        A.   No, still not.

 6             JUDGE ORIE:  No further questions.

 7             MS. LEE:  This concludes my re-direct.

 8             MR. IVETIC:  Just one or two on this document, Your Honours.

 9             JUDGE ORIE:  Yes, please proceed.

10             MR. IVETIC:  If we could turn to the first page of this document,

11     and again not broadcast the same.

12                           Further Cross-examination by Mr. Ivetic:

13        Q.   Sir, this document that we have before us, is this the informal

14     interview that you mentioned took place before the formal interview, or

15     is this something else?

16        A.   This is the document that coincides with the informal interview.

17        Q.   Looking at the first paragraph of the same, it would appear to me

18     that, apart from French army personnel and personnel from the Office of

19     the Prosecutor, there are no court personnel from the court in Paris.  Is

20     that accurate?

21        A.   I can't remember anymore.

22        Q.   Thank you.

23             MR. IVETIC:  Your Honours, those are my questions in relation to

24     these documents.

25             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you, Mr. Ivetic.


Page 18279

 1             It seems that Mr. Mladic wants to consult with you.

 2             MR. IVETIC:  If I may have one moment.

 3             JUDGE ORIE:  Yes.

 4                           [Defence counsel and accused confer]

 5             MR. IVETIC:  Just one question, with Your Honours' leaves, in

 6     relation to the priest that represented himself to be a representative of

 7     the International Red Cross.

 8        Q.   My client would like to know whether that priest was dressed in

 9     civilian, military, or church clothing?

10        A.   I cannot answer that question.  I'm unable to.

11             MR. IVETIC:  Thank you, Your Honours.

12             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you, Mr. Ivetic.

13             [Interpretation] Witness, this concludes your testimony.  I'd

14     like to thank you for having come to The Hague and by having answered all

15     the questions that were put to you by both parties.  I wish you a safe

16     journey home.

17             [In English] For the witness to leave the courtroom we turn into

18     closed session.  But before doing that, I wonder whether it is of any use

19     to start with the testimony of the next witness.  Perhaps we should

20     rather delay that until tomorrow.

21             MS. MARCUS:  Yes, Your Honour, if we could delay it until

22     tomorrow, please.

23             JUDGE ORIE:  Yes.  I take that all parties agree that that's the

24     most sensitive conclusion.

25             Then we turn into closed session in order for the witness to

 


Page 18280

 1     leave the courtroom.

 2                           [Trial Chamber confers]

 3                           [Closed session]

 4   (redacted)

 5   (redacted)

 6   (redacted)

 7   (redacted)

 8   (redacted)

 9   (redacted)

10   (redacted)

11   (redacted)

12   (redacted)

13   (redacted)

14   (redacted)

15                           [Open session]

16             THE REGISTRAR:  We're in open session, Your Honours.

17             JUDGE ORIE:  Thank you, Madam Registrar.

18             I would like to give a follow-up on some outstanding issues

19     relating to Emir Turkusic's testimony.

20             Regarding the 82-millimetre and 120-millimetre mortar manuals,

21     the Chamber would like to put on the record that it agrees with the way

22     of proceeding as proposed by the Prosecution in its e-mail dated the

23     21st of October, 2013.  That is, to tender excerpts of both manuals

24     during Richard Higgs' testimony.  The Defence is instructed to provide

25     the Prosecution with the 82-millimetre mortar manual by the

 


Page 18281

 1     28th of October, 2013.

 2             Then with regard to the line on D351, the Chamber hereby confirms

 3     that this is for demonstrative purposes only.

 4             Then we adjourn for the day, and we'll resume tomorrow,

 5     Wednesday, the 23rd of October, in this same courtroom, I, at 9.30 in the

 6     morning.

 7                           --- Whereupon the hearing adjourned at 2.10 p.m.,

 8                           to be reconvened on Wednesday, the 23rd day of

 9                           October, 2013, at 9.30 a.m.

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