Page 1704
1 Wednesday, 21 January 2004
2 [Open session]
3 --- Upon commencing at 9.01 a.m.
4 [The accused entered court]
5 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Mr. Registrar, please call the
6 case.
7 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, case number IT-01-47-T, the
8 Prosecutor versus Enver Hadzihasanovic and Amir Kubura.
9 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Thank you.
10 Appearances for the Prosecution.
11 MR. WITHOPF: Good morning, Your Honours. Good morning, Counsel.
12 For the Prosecution, Ekkehard Withopf, and the case manager, Kimberly
13 Fleming.
14 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Thank you.
15 Appearances for the Defence.
16 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation] Good morning, Your Honour. On
17 behalf of General Hadzihasanovic, Edina Residovic, counsel; Stephane
18 Bourgon, co-counsel; and legal assistant. We would like to inform the
19 Trial Chamber that in the Chamber -- in the courtroom we still have
20 General Hadzihasanovic with us, and he asked me again to thank the Trial
21 Chamber to be able to be present at his brother's funeral.
22 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Thank you.
23 The Defence of Mr. Kubura.
24 MR. IBRISIMOVIC: [Interpretation] Good morning, Your Honours. On
25 behalf of Mr. Kubura, Mr. Rodney Dixon, Mr. Fahrudin Ibrisimovic, and
Page 1705
1 Nermin Mulalic, legal assistant.
2 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Thank you. We are going to go
3 into private session, Mr. Registrar, please.
4 [Private session]
5 (redacted)
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25
Page 1706
1 (redacted)
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5 (redacted)
6 (redacted)
7 [Open session]
8 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, we are in open session.
9 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Thank you.
10 Mr. Withopf, you can continue with your examination-in-chief.
11 WITNESS: WITNESS XC [Resumed]
12 [Witness answered through interpreter]
13 MR. WITHOPF: Thank you very much, Your Honours.
14 Examined by Mr. Withopf: [Continued]
15 Q. Good morning, Witness XC. Witness --
16 A. Good morning.
17 Q. Witness XC, yesterday before the break you talked about your
18 experiences in the Mehurici Elementary School. Can you please inform the
19 Trial Chamber for how long you have been detained in the Mehurici
20 Elementary School.
21 A. I stayed, together with other civilians, up to 19th or 20th of
22 June in the elementary school in Mehurici. That was in 1993.
23 Q. On the 19th or 20th of June, 1993, what happened to you?
24 A. Representatives of the International Red Cross came. They
25 entered together with some soldiers and some civilian police. The
Page 1707
1 soldiers and the civilian police read out a list with my name on it.
2 They told us to step out of the building. The rest could stay in the
3 sports hall.
4 Q. After this list had been read out and you were ordered to step
5 out of the building, did you go anywhere?
6 A. Yes. They took us to another building nearby. I found some
7 detainees there. They were Croats. Among them there were some women and
8 children. From there, they took some of the women and children into the
9 sports hall, and we were accommodated in that building for a while. The
10 Red Cross was there. They distributed ID cards amongst us in order to be
11 able to identify us. They gave us pieces of paper in case we wanted to
12 write to our family to let them know that we were alive and that we were
13 there.
14 After that, they took us to some sheds which had been used by the
15 forestry office before the war.
16 Q. Witness XC, can you please inform the Trial Chamber how far these
17 sheds have been away from the Mehurici Elementary School.
18 A. I think some 200 or 300 metres, not more.
19 Q. And, Witness XC, can you please inform the Trial Chamber who took
20 you to these sheds.
21 A. We were taken there by the civilian police.
22 Q. Did you go voluntarily to these sheds?
23 A. No. I was already separated from my wife and children. They had
24 stayed behind. They separated me and some others. I believe that there
25 were some 25 of us. After a day or two, some were ordered to return;
Page 1708
1 some new people were brought in. All in all, some 20 of us stayed on in
2 those two sheds.
3 Q. Can you please inform us about the ethnicity of the 20 or so
4 people who stayed in these two sheds.
5 A. We were all Croats.
6 Q. Have you been civilians or were these 20 individuals civilians or
7 soldiers?
8 A. I always declared myself as a member of the HVO. That means I
9 was a soldier. However, there were some elderly people amongst us.
10 There were some handicapped people amongst us. There were even a miner
11 person who was later on transferred to Kapelica to join with his father.
12 In any case, some of us were soldiers, but some of us were also
13 civilians.
14 Q. For how long have you been detained in the shed you were
15 mentioning?
16 A. From the 20th of June to the 4th or the 6th of July. I can't
17 remember exactly. In any case, that's for how long we stayed in those
18 sheds.
19 Q. Do you know the names of the other detainees who stayed with you
20 in the shed? And for the time being, I wish you only to answer with yes
21 or no, either yes or no.
22 A. Yes.
23 MR. WITHOPF: Mr. President, Your Honours, I wish to like -- to
24 go in private session.
25 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Very well, then. We shall go
Page 1709
1 into private session, please.
2 [Private session]
3 (redacted)
4 (redacted)
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24 [Open session]
25 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honour, we are in open session.
Page 1710
1 MR. WITHOPF: Thank you.
2 Q. Witness XC, can you please describe the living conditions in the
3 shed you have been detained with the other people you just mentioned.
4 A. The shed in which I was, there were 12 of us. It was a shed made
5 of concrete, with a concrete floor. The size of the room was 3 by 3
6 metres. We had just one blanket. There were 12 of us. When we wanted
7 to have a rest, we couldn't. We used a bucket as a toilet, and they
8 would also let us use the nearby building as toilet.
9 In the second shed where the others were, I was never there, but
10 they told me that their conditions were even worse. They had to remain
11 seated all the time. And if they wanted to stretch their legs, then they
12 had to make room by one of them lying down and the other stretching their
13 legs over that person. That's what they told me. I didn't see it
14 myself.
15 Q. Witness XC, can you please inform the Trial Chamber for how long
16 you and the other detainees had to live under such conditions.
17 A. From the 20th of June to the 4th or 6th of July, 1993, I had to
18 live like that. For some 15 days or so.
19 Q. Does this also apply to the other detainees who were with you?
20 A. Yes. We all shared the same destiny. Sometimes during the day
21 they would take us out of the shed to do some chores, but we were there
22 all together all the time.
23 Q. During this time period, Witness XC, have you or have the other
24 detainees been taken out for questioning?
25 (redacted)
Page 1711
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18 (redacted)
19 Q. Witness XC, you were mentioning that the persons which you
20 detailed were taken to the school and beaten there. Just for
21 clarification, which school are you referring to?
22 A. The elementary school where we had been detained before and where
23 the army members were on the upper-most floor, so the same school where
24 the detainees were.
25 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] I'm going to ask the Registrar
Page 1712
1 to prepare the order to redact the name in line 25:1, as well as in line
2 12 and the following lines. These are the names which may reveal the
3 identity of Witness XC. We are in open session, as we know.
4 Mr. Withopf, can you please continue.
5 MR. WITHOPF: Thank you.
6 Q. Witness XC, the individuals which were beaten in the Mehurici
7 Elementary School, were they beaten in the building you yesterday made
8 the marks on the photograph?
9 (redacted)
10 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] The Defence, you have the
11 floor.
12 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation] Mr. President, I'm not sure what
13 the witness said earlier; however, I've been following the transcript,
14 and he was talking about the people being taken away. He didn't witness
15 the situation. Later on he spoke about the fact that he must have
16 learned subsequently, and that is that these people were beaten when the
17 rifle and the money were not found. So I believe that the questions that
18 the Prosecution is putting now is not based on what the witness knows
19 personally or what he himself really saw.
20 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Mr. Withopf, have you heard
21 what the Defence has just said?
22 MR. WITHOPF: Mr. President, Your Honours, it's certainly correct
23 that the witness is making reference to facts he got to know from third
24 persons; however, it is the position of the Prosecution that his evidence
25 is admissible.
Page 1713
1 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Very well, then. Would you
2 please continue with your examination-in-chief. And I would also like to
3 ask Mr. Registrar to make whatever is necessary to redact those lines
4 which may identify the witness.
5 [Trial Chamber and registrar confer]
6 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Can you please continue,
7 Mr. Withopf.
8 MR. WITHOPF: Thank you, Mr. President, Your Honours. I'm
9 actually very close to finishing the examination-in-chief of Witness XC.
10 Q. Witness XC, you were informing the Trial Chamber that you have
11 been detained until the 4th or 6th of June, I think -- unfortunately, I
12 can't read it here any more. Can you please confirm for how long you
13 have been detained.
14 A. Yes, yes, that is correct.
15 Q. What happened on the 4th or 6th of June, 1993?
16 A. Before I answer your question, I would like to say something
17 else.
18 On that date, when we were supposed to go, we didn't know where
19 we were going. Some guys who were being taken out came back black and
20 blue from beating. They probably knew that we were being transferred
21 today and they made the most of that opportunity to beat us.
22 On that day, they took us to a bus. We didn't know where we were
23 being taken. Nobody wanted to tell us. They loaded us on the bus, and
24 at one place we stopped, and that's where three other detained Croats
25 joined us. (redacted)
Page 1714
1 (redacted)
2 (redacted)
3 (redacted)
4 (redacted)
5 (redacted)
6 (redacted)
7 MR. WITHOPF: Thank you, Mr. President. I think the witness
8 named a number of individuals, and it needs to be redacted.
9 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Yes. Can we please redact
10 lines in which names were mentioned, line 19, line 20, and Line 21, as
11 well as the reference in line 22 which concerns the schoolmate of the
12 witness. So, 20, 21, and 23.
13 Continue, please.
14 MR. WITHOPF:
15 Q. Witness XC, where have you finally been taken to?
16 A. We were taken to the prison in Zenica. We were registered there
17 by the International Red Cross. And this prison was registered by the
18 International Red Cross as a prison for prisoners of war.
19 Q. And does this prison in Zenica have a name?
20 A. Yes. Even before, it was called the Zenica KP Dom. I think that
21 was still its name.
22 Q. Thank you very much, Witness XC.
23 MR. WITHOPF: This concludes the examination-in-chief.
24 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Thank you, Mr. Withopf.
25 Before the Defence takes the floor for its cross-examination,
Page 1715
1 there is a question I would like to put to you, Witness XC.
2 Questioned by the Court:
3 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] You told us that when you were
4 detained in the school you were transferred to a shed, but that was after
5 representatives of the Red Cross came to visit you in the school and the
6 representatives of the Red Cross had a list of names. Can you confirm
7 that the Red Cross representatives had a list of names?
8 A. I didn't say that the Red Cross had a list, but I said that the
9 people, the civilian police, they read out that list before the Red Cross
10 appeared. They appeared in front of the school. They read out the names
11 of those people and took us to a different building. And the other
12 detainees remained in that hall.
13 The Red Cross visited us in that other building. When they took
14 us there, that is where we were visited and were provided with these
15 records, according to which we'd been registered with them, and they'd
16 give us some sort of questionnaires to send to our parents, but they
17 never came to pick them up. The Red Cross never came to pick these
18 questionnaires up from us.
19 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Thank you for these details.
20 You said that the civilian police had this list of names. The civilian
21 police, as far as you're able to determine this, at the time who were
22 they accountable to?
23 A. Well, I don't know who they were accountable to, but there was
24 cooperation between the civilian police, the army. Some of them had
25 certain duties; others other duties. All I can say is there was
Page 1716
1 cooperation between them, because the civilian police would take us to be
2 questioned. For example, they escorted me to the village. So there was
3 some kind of cooperation between them.
4 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] How do you distinguish between
5 the civilian and the military police? How can you differentiate them?
6 A. Well, the military police, on the whole they had white belts,
7 whereas the civilian police had a different type of uniform. I can't
8 remember what kind of uniform, what colour it was. But that's what
9 helped us identify them.
10 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Very well. Having heard these
11 additional details, the Defence may proceed with its cross-examination.
12 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation] Thank you, Mr. President.
13 Cross-examined by Ms. Residovic:
14 Q. [Interpretation] Witness XC, good day. My name is Edina
15 Residovic, and I'm representing General Hadzihasanovic. I would be
16 grateful if you could answer some of my questions.
17 A. Yes, of course.
18 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation] Could we go into private session?
19 Because my -- the first couple of questions I have to ask might reveal
20 the witness's identity.
21 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Yes, that's what I was going to
22 say. If the questions will be such that the witness will be providing
23 names, yes, let's go into private session.
24 [Private session]
25 (redacted)
Page 1717
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17 [Open session]
18 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, we are back in open session.
19 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation]
20 Q. Mr. XC, would it be correct to say that in April 1992 the Serbian
21 army had already attacked and taken over the television transmitter which
22 was on Mount Vlasic?
23 A. Yes. I said yes.
24 Q. And that was a reason for the population to try to organise
25 themselves in a military fashion in April 1992, in order to protect
Page 1718
1 themselves and their area; is that correct?
2 A. Yes.
3 Q. In fact, that was a period during which the Croatian and Muslim
4 population tried to organise themselves; is that correct?
5 A. Yes.
6 Q. You in your village organised yourselves and you used the weapons
7 that you yourselves had, and your Muslim neighbours in the village which
8 was closest to you, Fazlici, did the same.
9 A. Yes. But Fazlici isn't the village closest to us. My first
10 neighbours are Bosniaks who were about 200 metres from my house. So we
11 organised ourselves and we tried to come to an agreement among ourselves
12 and go on guard duty. So there were no problems of any kind.
13 Q. Would it be correct to say that in May or June 1992 Filip Balta,
14 who was responsible for organising the people, established contact with
15 the HVO Main Staff in Guca Gora, and then you became an HVO squad? Is
16 that correct?
17 A. Yes.
18 Q. In the course of 1993, structures were reorganised in various
19 ways. So finally, in the spring of 1993, you became part of the newly
20 founded Frankopan Brigade, whose headquarters were in Guca Gora. Is that
21 correct?
22 A. Yes.
23 Q. From October 1992 --
24 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation] And could we now go into private
25 session.
Page 1719
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Page 1720
1 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] We'll go back into private
2 session.
3 [Private session]
4 (redacted)
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18 [Open session]
19 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, we are in open session.
20 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation]
21 Q. I have several questions to ask you about a different matter now.
22 In fact, in the course of the examination-in-chief, you said that in 1992
23 the presence of foreigners in the municipality of Travnik was noticed.
24 Is that correct?
25 A. Yes.
Page 1721
1 Q. The foreigners, whom you called the Mujahedin, in the autumn of
2 1992 were noticed in the area of Mehurici too; is that correct?
3 A. In July or August, that's when they were observed in the area of
4 Mehurici.
5 Q. I apologise. I have to turn my microphone off when you are
6 answering my questions, and that is what I was informed of.
7 As you have already explained, these foreigners - that is to say,
8 the Mujahedin - looked different, very different from the Croatian and
9 Bosniak population. They were dark. They spoke a foreign language.
10 They had beards, et cetera. Is that correct?
11 A. Yes.
12 Q. You were aware of the fact that they had moved into an abandoned
13 Serbian house in Poljanice, which is where they set up a camp, and they
14 often went to Mehurici on market day. They left the house on such
15 occasions.
16 A. Yes, that's correct. But they weren't just in one house; there
17 were several houses that they inhabited.
18 Q. When passing through that area, you were able to see that those
19 houses were guarded by the Mujahedin; is that correct?
20 A. At the time, I didn't pass through that part, but our detainees
21 did and on that occasion, they saw that they were in those houses. But
22 there was no need for me to pass through Poljanice. But people who had
23 passed through Poljanice later saw them there, and it was common
24 knowledge that that is where they had found accommodation.
25 Q. Thanks. That explains it.
Page 1722
1 Yesterday you said that part of the local Muslim population and
2 refugees joined the Mujahedin and started emulating them. Is that
3 correct?
4 A. Yes, it is.
5 Q. At the time, you were able to observe that not only the Croats
6 feared them, but many -- but many of the members of the army and the
7 local population.
8 A. Yes. People were afraid of such men.
9 Q. When the Mujahedin, in the autumn of 1992, for no apparent
10 reason, as you said, passed rapidly through your village with a group of
11 local young men, you went to the police station -- you went to the
12 civilian police station in Mehurici and you drew the attention to this
13 fact. You told the chief of the police of this fact. Is that correct?
14 A. Yes, that's correct.
15 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Mr. Withopf.
16 MR. WITHOPF: Mr. President, Your Honours, if my recollection is
17 not completely wrong, the witness did not say that the Mujahedin passed
18 rapidly through the village. The word "rapidly" is something which has
19 been added by Defence counsel.
20 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation] Judge Antonetti, in response to
21 your question, that's what the witness said. He said it seemed to be
22 gymnastics of some kind. The witness can repeat what he said.
23 Q. Did they run through the village or did they linger in the
24 village?
25 A. They were doing gymnastics. They passed through the village.
Page 1723
1 They stayed in the village for a short time. They returned again. You
2 know, they were running slowly and crying out Arabic slogans, that sort
3 of thing. That's the way they do gymnastics.
4 Q. I think that this has clarified the matter, but that is the
5 reason, in any event, for which you went to see the chief of the civilian
6 place in Mehurici, and you drew his attention to this fact; is that
7 correct?
8 A. Yes.
9 Q. The chief of the civilian police at the time was Ferid Muhovic;
10 is that correct?
11 A. Yes. He was Ferid and there was another person. I don't know if
12 that was his name. But we turned to Ferid. I don't know whether he was
13 the main or the deputy commander, but he was responsible there.
14 Q. He promised that he would do what he could; is that correct?
15 A. Yes.
16 Q. I'd now like to discuss another subject. You said that up until
17 spring 1993 you and members of your squad went to the front lines in
18 Vlasic; is that correct?
19 A. Yes.
20 Q. Towards the end of 1992 and at the beginning of 1993, the joint
21 task of the BH Army and the HVO was to protect the lines facing the
22 Serbian forces and to fight the Serbian attackers; is that correct?
23 A. Yes, it is.
24 Q. In April 1993, you and members of your squad stopped going to the
25 front lines in Vlasic and you started holding the lines, securing the
Page 1724
1 lines around your village because of the conflicts that had broken out in
2 the surroundings between the army and the HVO; is that correct?
3 A. Yes. But that was a patrol in the village. It wasn't a line.
4 These were village patrols that we were involved in. There weren't any
5 lines in our village.
6 Q. In fact, because of the large-scale conflicts in the Lasva
7 Valley, the tension among the population in the village had increased,
8 and that was the reason for which you organised yourselves differently;
9 is that correct?
10 A. Yes, that's correct.
11 Q. You then received something against infantry mines from the
12 command in Guca Gora; is that correct?
13 A. We only started laying the mines when we heard about the massacre
14 in Miletici. Up until then, we only patrolled, went on patrol. But
15 after we heard what had happened in Miletici, since there weren't many of
16 us, we weren't able to provide security for the entire village, so we
17 laid infantry mines on our ground and nowhere else.
18 Q. Thank you. We'll now return to the events -- on the 7th of June,
19 1993, you received an order to return to Gornje Maljine, but you returned
20 again because at the time the civilians had withdrawn from your village.
21 A. Yes. We returned that evening in order to patrol the village
22 again.
23 Q. However, on the 8th of June, in the morning, you received an
24 order again according to which you should withdraw to Gornje Maljine; is
25 that correct?
Page 1725
1 A. Yes, it is.
2 Q. When you reached the first houses in Maljine, you hid yourselves
3 in a house, in one of the houses, in order to treat your father, who had
4 been hit by the effect of a bullet ricochetting.
5 A. That's correct. But it wasn't a house; it was a stable.
6 (redacted)
7 (redacted)
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11 (redacted)
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13 (redacted)
14 (redacted)
15 (redacted). Most of all, he sat with us down there.
16 Occasionally someone else would appear. But he was there. He remained
17 there until they took us to Mehurici.
18 Q. He also requested that some young men, so to speak, some soldiers
19 report to go to Gornje Maljine to protect the houses of Croat inhabitants
20 from looters who had already started appearing; is that correct?
21 A. Yes, it is. I remember his words very well, when he said, "Are
22 there any honest men here? Twenty young men have looted our neighbour's
23 houses, and where are our neighbours to return to?"
24 Q. I won't ask you in detail about what the Prosecution discussed
25 with you, but I just want to check something. You said that while you
Page 1726
1 were in the primary school -- in the primary school, they interrogated
2 you on two occasions over a four-day period and you weren't mistreated.
3 A. No one beat me personally, because they knew me in that village.
4 I was well known in Mehurici, both I and my wife, so no one really
5 maltreated me much.
6 Q. While you were in the primary school, you got to know a member of
7 (redacted)
8 A. Yes. If I could add something: He was a member of the military
9 police.
10 Q. And through him, you tried to find out what the fate of certain
11 HVO soldiers was, HVO soldiers who had been captured and hadn't been
12 brought to Mehurici; is that correct?
13 A. Yes, that's correct too.
14 Q. He told you that he too had escorted a group of detainees, that
15 he'd been stopped in Poljanice by the Mujahedin, who put a knife to his
16 throat and took some detainees from him; is that correct?
17 A. Yes, it is.
18 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation] Your Honours, perhaps for the
19 sake of the previous witness, who had been granted protective measures,
20 perhaps it might be a good idea to go into private session.
21 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] We'll go into private session.
22 [Private session]
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11 [Open session]
12 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, we are in open session.
13 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] I would like to ask Madam Usher
14 to accompany the witness out of the courtroom.
15 [The witness withdrew]
16 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] We shall continue this session
17 until half past 10.00, when we are going to have our first break.
18 Before we see the next witness, I would like to indicate that
19 today the break has to last 30 minutes for technical reasons. We shall
20 break at 10.30 and resume our session at 11.00.
21 As for another point which has been raised, and that is that I've
22 promised the Defence -- that I'm going to submit the statistical data on
23 the protective measures for the witnesses. For the time being, out of
24 the 19 witnesses, 5 have been granted protective measures, and that is
25 26.3 per cent. One-fourth of the witnesses so far have been granted
Page 1732
1 protective measures.
2 I would like to invite the Prosecution to tell us whether the
3 witness is here and whether we can see the witness in the courtroom.
4 MR. WITHOPF: Mr. President, Your Honours, I would request to go
5 into private session, since I will orally submit a motion for protective
6 measures for the next witness. It's my understanding that the witness is
7 available.
8 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Let's go into private session,
9 please.
10 [Private session]
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22 [Open session]
23 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, we are in open session.
24 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] In open session, the Chamber is
25 retiring to deliberate on the issue that has been put forth. We are
Page 1739
1 coming back in a minute or so.
2 --- Break taken at 10.21 a.m.
3 --- On resuming at 10.25 a.m.
4 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] We are in open session. I
5 would kindly ask Mr. Registrar to move into public session -- into
6 private session. Sorry.
7 [Private session]
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22 [Open session]
23 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, we are in open session.
24 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] In open session, the Trial
25 Chamber informs the interested parties that we shall now have our first
Page 1740
1 break and that we shall resume at 11.00. We are inviting the Prosecution
2 to tell us at 11.00 whether they want to tender the document that has
3 just been mentioned. The Prosecution is going to tell us at 11.00, when
4 we resume with our session.
5 --- Recess taken at 10.28 a.m.
6 --- On resuming at 11.03 a.m.
7 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] We'll resume now. And Mr.
8 Registrar, could we go into private session.
9 [Private session]
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4 [Open session]
5 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, we are back in open session.
6 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Thank you.
7 You may take the floor.
8 MR. WITHOPF: Thank you, Your Honours.
9 Examined by Mr. Withopf:
10 Q. Good morning, Witness XD.
11 A. Good morning.
12 MR. WITHOPF: Mr. President, may I please ask you to go back into
13 private session, since my very first question may -- the answers to my
14 very first questions may contain details that may identify the witness.
15 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Very well. Let's go into
16 private session.
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12 [Open session]
13 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, we are back in open session.
14 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Thank you.
15 MR. WITHOPF: Thank you very much.
16 Q. Witness XD, did there come a time in 1992 whilst you were working
17 in Travnik when you saw foreigners arriving in this area?
18 A. Yes.
19 Q. Can you please inform the Trial Chamber at what point in time
20 during the year 1992 it was.
21 A. That was in March. It was at the beginning of 1992.
22 Q. Can you please tell us, Witness XD, what sort of foreigners you
23 have seen arriving.
24 A. Well, these people were different from the ones who lived down
25 there. They were different.
Page 1747
1 Q. Can you please explain to us what was the difference between the
2 foreigners you have seen arriving and the people living in your area.
3 A. Well, they were dark. They had beards.
4 Q. Did you get to know from which countries these foreigners have
5 been?
6 A. No, I didn't.
7 Q. Did these foreigners speak the same language as the people in
8 Travnik are speaking and spoke in 1992?
9 A. No, they didn't.
10 Q. Can you please inform the Trial Chamber, Witness XD, as to
11 whether these foreigners wore uniforms.
12 A. Yes.
13 Q. And these uniforms, have these uniforms been military uniforms?
14 A. Yes.
15 Q. And can you please, Witness XD, also inform the Trial Chamber as
16 to whether these foreigners were armed.
17 A. Yes, they were.
18 Q. And can you please tell us what sort of arms they had.
19 A. Well, they had automatic rifles and knives.
20 Q. Do you know, Witness XD, what sort of automatic rifles?
21 A. Some kind of Kalashnikovs, something like that.
22 Q. And can you please inform us, Witness XD, what sort of knives
23 they had.
24 A. It depends. Some of them were a little longer. They were
25 sheathed, so I couldn't see them very well, but they were long.
Page 1748
1 Q. Was there a certain word, Witness XD, you used whenever you
2 talked about these foreigners?
3 A. No.
4 Q. Are you familiar with the word "Mujahedin"?
5 A. Well, I later found out that they were called the Mujahedin.
6 Q. For clarification, you later found out that these foreigners in
7 military uniforms and having arms such as Kalashnikovs and long knives
8 were referred to as Mujahedin; is that correct?
9 A. Yes. Yes.
10 Q. Witness XD, the uniforms the Mujahedin wore in 1992, the
11 Mujahedin you've seen in the area of Travnik in 1992, did these uniforms
12 have any military insignia on them?
13 A. Yes.
14 Q. Can you please describe to the extent possible how these military
15 insignia looked like.
16 A. Well, there were two sabres. There was something written in
17 Arabic, and there was the sun and a book.
18 Q. Have you, Witness XD, seen such Mujahedins also in the beginning
19 of 1993 in the area of Travnik?
20 A. Yes, that's when I saw them the most.
21 Q. And do you recall, Witness XD, where in the beginning of 1993 you
22 have seen the Mujahedin the most?
23 A. It was near the mosque. I think it was in Osulje. There was a
24 Medresa there, a school. And they were also seen in the cafe, where I
25 worked.
Page 1749
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Page 1750
1 Q. The cafe in which you worked, was it located in Travnik?
2 A. Yes.
3 Q. And can you please inform the Trial Chamber where this location,
4 Osulje, is situated.
5 A. It's right at the beginning of the entrance to Travnik.
6 Q. Witness XD, I'm now going to show you a board showing a number of
7 military insignia. It's Prosecution Exhibit P4. And, Witness XD, it
8 will appear on the screen in front of you.
9 Do you see, Witness XD, the photo board with the military
10 insignia in front of you?
11 A. Yes, I do.
12 Q. Witness XD, you have just a few minutes ago described the
13 military insignia the Mujahedin were wearing in 1992 and 1993 in the area
14 of Travnik as showing two sabres and something written in Arabic and
15 there was the sun and a book.
16 MR. IBRISIMOVIC: [Interpretation] Your Honour, the Defence would
17 like to object because the witness did not state that the insignia were
18 military insignia.
19 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] The witness spoke about
20 insignia on the uniform. Very well. Please rephrase your question more
21 precisely.
22 MR. WITHOPF: Mr. President, Your Honour, the witness was making
23 reference to the fact that the Mujahedin were wearing military uniforms,
24 and I have asked him whether there were any insignia on such military
25 uniforms. I think the only logical conclusion is these were military
Page 1751
1 insignia. However, I'm going to ask the Witness XD the following:
2 Q. The insignia you were describing a few minutes ago, do you see
3 any of such one or even more of such insignia on the board in front of
4 you that is similar or identical to the ones you have seen in 1992 and in
5 the beginning of 1993 were worn by the Mujahedin?
6 A. I see a similar one. I'm not sure that it is an identical one.
7 Q. And, Witness XD, can you please identify the similar one you are
8 referring to by telling the Trial Chamber the number which is shown on
9 this photo board in front of you.
10 A. Number 1.
11 Q. Is there any other of the insignia you see in front of you which
12 is similar or identical to the one -- to the ones you have seen the
13 Mujahedin wearing?
14 A. Another similar one is number 22. The only difference is that
15 this is an inscription in Arabic, instead of Muslim forces.
16 MR. WITHOPF: Very well. For the record, the Witness XD has
17 identified on the Prosecution Exhibit P4 the military insignias number 1
18 and number 22 as being similar to the ones which have been worn by the
19 Mujahedin in 1992 and in the beginning of 1993 in the area of Travnik.
20 Q. Thank you, Witness XD. The Mujahedin, what was their relation
21 with the local people in the area of Travnik?
22 A. They moved around accompanied by local population.
23 Q. They moved around accompanied by local population. The local
24 population you are referring to, Witness XD, were these civilians or were
25 these soldiers or were these a mixture of both?
Page 1752
1 A. Both.
2 Q. Both means including local soldiers?
3 A. Yes, both civilians and soldiers.
4 Q. And the local soldiers, were these Muslims or Croats?
5 A. Muslims.
6 Q. And, Witness XD, to which army did the Muslim local soldiers
7 belong to in the beginning of 1993?
8 A. The Green Berets.
9 Q. Can you inform the Trial Chamber, Witness XD, to which military
10 formation the Green Berets you are referring to were later on
11 transferred.
12 A. The BiH army.
13 Q. Witness XD, how would you describe the situation in the area of
14 Vitez and Travnik in the middle of 1993?
15 A. I would say that it was tense.
16 Q. And can you please explain why you would say that the situation
17 was tense.
18 A. It was the foreigners who caused that, and there had already been
19 a conflict. A conflict had already broken out.
20 Q. For clarification, the foreigners who caused that, are these the
21 foreigners you later on got to know that these were referred to as the
22 Mujahedin?
23 A. Yes.
24 Q. Did there come a time when fighting broke out between the ABiH
25 and the HVO in your area, meaning in the area of Vitez and Travnik?
Page 1753
1 A. Yes.
2 Q. Can you please inform the Trial Chamber when this actually
3 happened.
4 A. This was two months before.
5 Q. Witness XD, "this was two months before." Before what?
6 A. Before a conflict broke out in Travnik.
7 Q. Again, for clarification purposes only, can you inform the Trial
8 Chamber about the month when the conflict broke out in Vitez and in the
9 area of Travnik.
10 A. Vitez and Travnik?
11 Q. Right. And if there is a distinction, could you please
12 distinguish it.
13 A. The time was not the same. It was in Novi Travnik that the
14 conflict broke out first, and then Travnik followed after that.
15 Q. And again, can you please tell us during which month in 1993 the
16 conflict broke out.
17 A. In Vitez and in Travnik, I'm not sure. I believe that this was
18 in March or in April.
19 THE INTERPRETER: The interpreter corrects herself: In the
20 previous answer, the witness said that the conflict broke out in Novi
21 Travnik first and then in Vitez.
22 MR. WITHOPF:
23 Q. Did there come a time, Witness XD, when you surrendered to the
24 ABiH?
25 A. Yes.
Page 1754
1 Q. And do you still have a recollection as to when this was?
2 A. This was on 18 or 19 September 1993 in Zabrdje, near Vitez.
3 Q. Can you please, Witness XD, provide us some more detail with
4 respect to your surrender.
5 A. We were in trenches. An attack started around 2.00 in the
6 afternoon. Two or three shells fell very close to my trench. An
7 infantry attack followed after that. They came close to us and started
8 throwing bombs into our trenches. The guy that was next to me in the
9 trench, he got killed. I was wounded, and one guy came from one of the
10 lower trenches to look for his co-fighters. He wanted to return, but as
11 he was coming out of the trench they started shooting at him. They hit
12 him in the legs. I pulled him back into the trench. A few more bombs
13 were thrown into the trench. Some got activated; some didn't. And then
14 they started shouting at us, asking us to surrender, which I did,
15 eventually.
16 Q. Witness XD, you just informed us that on the 18th or the 19th of
17 September, 1993 you surrendered to the ABiH. Do you still have a
18 recollection as to which unit or members of which unit you surrendered?
19 A. They were MOS members.
20 Q. Witness XD, "MOS," for what does it stand for?
21 A. Muslim armed forces.
22 Q. The members of the Muslim armed forces you surrendered to on the
23 18th or 19th of September, 1993, did they wear military uniforms?
24 A. Yes, they did.
25 Q. Were there any military insignia on these uniforms?
Page 1755
1 A. Yes, with the inscription "MOS" on them.
2 Q. Do you recall any further detail of the military insignia -- of
3 the military insignia other with the -- other than the inscription "MOS"?
4 A. There were two sabres and the inscription "MOS," and they were
5 green.
6 Q. Do you recall any further details of the military insignia?
7 A. No, I don't.
8 Q. Very well. After your surrender to MOS units of the ABiH, did
9 there come a time when you have been brought to some barracks in Travnik?
10 A. Yes.
11 Q. Can you please inform the Trial Chamber as to how many days
12 passed by between your capture on the 18th or 19th of September, 1993,
13 and the day you have been brought to the barracks in Travnik.
14 A. I can't say with any certainty. I was in a very bad shape. I
15 believe that it was five or six days.
16 Q. And, Witness XD, can you please briefly describe for the Trial
17 Chamber what happened to you within these five or six days.
18 A. I was captured and taken some 50 away from -- 50 metres away from
19 the trench to an open field. All the fighters who had participated in
20 the battle were gathered there. There were a number of them. The
21 fighters bore the insignia of the BiH army. One of them that I knew from
22 before ran up to me and kicked me; another one took a knife, ran up to
23 me, but I pushed him away; then their commander intervened and told them
24 to leave me alone.
25 Then they took me to a little wood and ordered me to sit down.
Page 1756
1 As I was sitting down, those who were passing by me kicked me. One of
2 them allegedly recognised as a guard of a prison in Busovaca - although I
3 had never been there - and he wanted to take his revenge on me.
4 Then I was taken some 2 or 3 kilometres uphill to another open
5 field. There I was administered first aid. They dressed the wounds on
6 my face. My face was covered in blood. They gave me some water to
7 drink. Then two guys came. I don't know who they were. They took me 50
8 metres away from that place and started interrogating me at gunpoint.
9 They would put the barrel of their rifle into my mouth and against my
10 forehead, threatening me and asking me to give them information that I
11 couldn't give them, because I didn't know what to say.
12 Then they took me back to the place where I had been administered
13 first aid, and then I was put on a tractor and taken to the school in
14 Tornica. While I was riding on the tractor, I was also beaten. And when
15 I was in Tornica, they gathered around me. Some of them hit me and
16 kicked me, and then I was taken for another interrogation. I wasn't
17 beaten or ill-treated there, during that interrogation. And then I was
18 taken to my cell.
19 Q. Witness XD, whilst you were riding on the tractor, you were
20 beaten. The ones who beat you, were they soldiers?
21 A. Yes.
22 Q. And were they soldiers of the ABiH?
23 A. Yes.
24 Q. You were informing us, Witness XD, that five to six days after
25 your surrender to MOS units of the ABiH on 18th or 19th of September,
Page 1757
1 1993, you were finally brought to some barracks in Travnik.
2 Witness XD, I'm now showing you a photograph. And this
3 photograph will appear on the screen in front of you.
4 MR. WITHOPF: And the Prosecution, for the information of Your
5 Honours and Defence counsel, will provide hard copies of this photograph
6 at a later point during today's proceedings.
7 Q. Witness XD, can you please tell us what you can see on the
8 photograph in front of you.
9 A. This is a building within the barracks compound where I was
10 detained.
11 Q. Do you know, Witness XD, as to whether this is a military
12 barracks which has been used prior to the war by the JNA?
13 A. I know that. It was.
14 Q. Can you please clarify for the Trial Chamber as to whether this
15 is the military barracks you have been brought to five or six days after
16 your surrender on the 18th or 19th of September, 1993.
17 A. Yes, this is the barracks.
18 MR. WITHOPF: Mr. President, Your Honours, once the hard copies
19 of this photograph is available, we intend to tender it into evidence.
20 Q. Witness XD, were these soldiers of the ABiH who brought you to
21 the former JNA barracks in Travnik?
22 A. Yes.
23 Q. Once you arrived in the former JNA barracks in Travnik, where
24 have you been taken to?
25 A. They brought me to the entrance. Then I descended down a flight
Page 1758
1 of stairs. There were two guards there. They took my first and my last
2 names there and made a note of that.
3 Q. The two guards who were there and took your first and your last
4 name, were these soldiers?
5 A. Yes. They wore uniforms.
6 Q. And the uniforms they wore, were they ABiH uniforms?
7 A. Yes, they were.
8 Q. Witness XD, after you have been registered, meaning that your
9 first and your last name was taken and the note of that has been made,
10 where have you been brought to?
11 A. They took me to a cell.
12 Q. This cell, where in the building of the former JNA barracks,
13 where was this cell situated?
14 A. It was in the basement.
15 Q. Do you have a recollection, Witness XD, whether there have been
16 other cells in the basement different from the one you have been taken
17 to?
18 A. Yes. There were four cells all together.
19 Q. And can you please describe for the Trial Chamber how these cells
20 were situated in relation to each other.
21 A. They were next to each other.
22 Q. Can you please inform us about the size of the cells.
23 A. Approximately 6 by 4 metres or 4 by 5 metres.
24 Q. Witness XD, I will now show you - and again on the screen in
25 front of you - a further photograph, and copies of this photograph will
Page 1759
1 be made available to both the Chamber and Defence counsel in due course.
2 Witness XD, what do you see on the photograph in front of you?
3 A. This is the corridor and the cells where I was.
4 Q. You were brought to one of these cells, Witness XD. Were there
5 already any further detainees in the cell you were brought to?
6 A. No. There were some detained Muslims there.
7 Q. How did you get to know, Witness XD, that the other individuals
8 detained in the prison cell you have been brought to were Muslims?
9 A. I introduced myself to them and vice versa. And some of them I
10 knew from before.
11 Q. Did these Muslim detainees or some of them wear any military
12 uniforms?
13 A. Some did; some didn't.
14 Q. And the ones who actually wore military uniforms, were these
15 military uniforms of the ABiH?
16 A. Yes.
17 Q. After you were put in the prison cell together with the ABiH
18 soldiers which were detained there, what happened to you?
19 A. I wasn't maltreated there at all, and then they transferred me to
20 another cell. I was right next to this cell, and there were Muslims
21 there too.
22 Q. Can you please inform the Trial Chamber how many Muslims were in
23 the first cell you were detained.
24 A. Well, it varied. Between seven and ten. One day two would
25 appear, and two or three would leave. So there were people coming and
Page 1760
1 going.
2 Q. And can you please inform the Trial Chamber as to how many
3 Muslims were detained in the second cell you were imprisoned.
4 A. About ten people in the second cell.
5 Q. And the Muslims in the second cell, were they soldiers or
6 civilians?
7 A. They were all soldiers.
8 Q. And the soldiers in the second cell, members of which army were
9 they?
10 A. The BH Army.
11 Q. And how did you get to know this?
12 A. Well, by talking to them. And on the basis of the uniforms that
13 they were wearing.
14 Q. For verification, the uniforms they were wearing, were these ABiH
15 uniforms?
16 A. Yes.
17 Q. Did there come a time, Witness XD, when you have been transferred
18 to another cell?
19 A. Yes, to the cell in which the Croatian people had been detained.
20 Q. The Croatian people which were detained in the third cell, were
21 these soldiers or civilians?
22 A. They were soldiers, but one of them was a civilian.
23 Q. For clarification, were they HVO soldiers?
24 A. Yes, they were.
25 Q. And how many detainees were in the third cell you have been
Page 1761
1 transferred to?
2 A. In that cell, there were nine of us. First of all, there were
3 nine of us, and then others arrived later.
4 Q. The others who arrived later, were they also Croat soldiers?
5 A. Yes, they were. But I wasn't with them. I was transferred to
6 another prison.
7 Q. The size of the third cell you were imprisoned, was it identical
8 or similar to the size of the first cell you have been imprisoned with
9 the Muslim soldiers?
10 A. Similar. It was similar.
11 Q. Can you please inform the Trial Chamber for how long you have
12 been detained in the first cell with the ABiH soldiers.
13 A. Oh, a few days in the first cell.
14 Q. And can you please inform the Trial Chamber for how long you have
15 been detained in the second cell, again with the ABiH soldiers.
16 A. I spent a day in the second cell. I spent the night there too.
17 Q. Can you please inform the Trial Chamber for how long you have
18 been detained in the cell with the HVO soldiers.
19 A. Well, about six months.
20 Q. Witness XD, I'm now going to ask you whether you still recall the
21 names of the other Croat detainees. And for the time being, I ask you to
22 only respond by either yes or no.
23 A. Yes, I do remember them.
24 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Very well. We will now go into
25 private session.
Page 1762
1 [Private session]
2 (redacted)
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21 (redacted)
22 [Open session]
23 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, we are back in open session.
24 MR. WITHOPF: Thank you.
25 Q. Witness XD, you were mentioning a few minutes ago that you
Page 1763
1 haven't been beaten in the first cell. Did there come a time during your
2 detention in the former JNA barracks in Travnik when you have been
3 beaten?
4 A. Yes, on one occasion.
5 Q. Can you please go into some detail in that respect.
6 A. Well, that was in the morning, when we were supposed to go and
7 wash. In fact, we had to go to the toilets. We had to go up a flight of
8 stairs. And usually BH Army troops would wait for us there, the troops
9 who slept over at the barracks. They'd wait for us in order to give us a
10 bit of a beating.
11 Q. Were there any beatings in respect to the other Croat detainees?
12 A. Yes. The others fared worse than I did. I can say that I fared
13 quite well.
14 Q. The other Croat detainees fared worse than you did. Can you
15 please provide us with some more detail in respect to the fact that they
16 fared worse than you did.
17 A. Well, individuals were able to get out of it. Guards would
18 prevent beatings. So we would rush into the cells while others were on
19 the floor because they didn't manage to get out in time.
20 Q. And, Witness XD, do you still recall whether the ones who beat
21 you and the other detainees were members of a particular ABiH unit?
22 A. Well, there were these members of the Coyotes, the Black
23 Coyotes, as they were called.
24 Q. And do you have a recollection of another particular unit which
25 has been involved in the beatings?
Page 1764
1 A. No.
2 Q. Did you ever hear, Witness XD, of a military unit called
3 Krajisnici?
4 A. Yes. In fact, they were all members of the Krajisnici. They
5 were all Krajisnici people on the grounds of the barracks.
6 Q. And do you know, Witness XD, who has been the commander of the
7 Krajisnici?
8 A. Alagic.
9 Q. And do you know, Witness XD, where this commander named Alagic
10 had his headquarters at the time you have been detained?
11 A. Well, across the road from our prison, 50 to 60 metres away there
12 was a building there, and rumour had it that he was billeted in that
13 building.
14 Q. During the time of your detention, of your six-month detention in
15 the former JNA barracks in Travnik, did there come a time when you have
16 been taken out for whatever reason?
17 A. Yes.
18 Q. And can you please explain us for what reasons you have been
19 taken out.
20 A. Well, I was taken out for a trial. And we also went to do work;
21 for example, if a central heating pipe broke, we had to repair it. So
22 there was work we had to do.
23 Q. Coming back to the ABiH soldiers which were detained together
24 with you in the first cell and in the second cell, do you know, Witness
25 XD, why these ABiH soldiers have been detained?
Page 1765
1 A. Well, because of theft, murder, desertion.
2 Q. How did you get to know that these ABiH soldiers were detained in
3 the former JNA barracks in Travnik because of theft, murder, and
4 desertion?
5 A. Well, because people speak about everything in the cells.
6 Everything was known.
7 Q. Does that mean that the ABiH soldiers detained together with you
8 told you about that?
9 A. Yes.
10 Q. If my recollection isn't wrong, you said there were some ten ABiH
11 soldiers in the first cell and some ten ABiH soldiers in the second cell.
12 Is that correct?
13 A. Yes.
14 Q. Were these 20 ABiH soldiers -- about 20 ABiH soldiers all
15 detained for the reasons you just mentioned, namely, theft, murder, and
16 desertion?
17 A. Yes.
18 Q. And did you get to know about this fact because they told you?
19 A. Yes, by listening to them speaking to each other.
20 Q. Did there come a time, Witness XD, when you got to know a bit
21 more about the crimes for which they were detained in the JNA barracks in
22 Travnik?
23 A. Yes, for some individuals.
24 Q. And can you please share with us the knowledge you have about
25 these individuals.
Page 1766
1 A. Well, those who were there for murder, yes, they were there for
2 murder and then for black marketeering, for theft, stealing flour, for
3 fleeing from the front line.
4 Q. Is there anything else you got to know?
5 A. Well, that's about it.
6 Q. The ones who have been detained in the JNA barracks in Travnik,
7 the former JNA barracks in Travnik, for murder, did you get to know about
8 any details in respect to the murders?
9 A. I don't know the details.
10 Q. Have you, Witness XD, ever been informed why you have been
11 detained in the former JNA barracks in Travnik?
12 A. Yes, for extremist action within the HVO, allegedly; simply on
13 the basis of the fact that I was an HVO member.
14 Q. How did you get to know, Witness XD, that there was an allegation
15 against you for extremist action within the HVO?
16 A. Well, because I went to court to be tried.
17 Q. Can you please tell us to which court you went to be tried.
18 A. It was a military court.
19 Q. And can you please tell us where this military court has been
20 situated.
21 A. In Travnik.
22 Q. Did you go to the military court in Travnik during the time you
23 have been detained in the former JNA barracks in Travnik?
24 A. I was in the barracks, and afterwards, when I was transferred to
25 this other place.
Page 1767
1 Q. Do you recall the month when you have been or when you went to
2 the Travnik military court?
3 A. The first time was in December.
4 Q. For clarification --
5 A. Something like that.
6 Q. -- was it December 1993?
7 A. Yes, it was.
8 Q. You are saying it was the first time in December 1993. Did there
9 come a second time when you went to the Travnik military court in the
10 course of your detention?
11 A. Well, then I received a decision on the extension of my time in
12 detention.
13 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation] I apologise. The witness didn't
14 say that he went there the first time in December. He said he went to
15 trial in December.
16 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] The Trial Chamber has taken
17 note of this comment.
18 The Prosecution should rephrase the question to ask him whether
19 he went to the military court before the month of December.
20 MR. WITHOPF: Mr. President, Your Honours, I refer to the
21 transcript. The question has been: "Do you recall the month when you
22 have been or when you went to the Travnik military court." And the
23 answer has been: "The first time --"
24 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Mr. Withopf, the transcript is
25 in English. It seems that the Defence heard the witness's answer in the
Page 1768
1 B/C/S language, and according to his answer in the B/C/S language it
2 doesn't tally with the English version.
3 Witness XD, when you went to the military court, you were -- you
4 went there in December. But did you go before the month December.
5 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] No.
6 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] The first time you went to the
7 military court was in the month of December, then.
8 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I think it was in the month of
9 December. That's when I received -- I've received a decision, and I
10 think it is noted in the decision.
11 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] And you only went there once?
12 Or did you go there several times?
13 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Later I went again. I was first
14 given decisions about the extension of my period of detention, for 30 or
15 40 days, and then I went to trial, where they appointed Defence counsel
16 for me.
17 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Very well. It seems that he
18 went there in December and later on several other times, but perhaps he
19 doesn't remember things very clearly.
20 We have another five minutes before the break, Mr. Withopf.
21 MR. WITHOPF: Thank you very much, Mr. President.
22 Q. The decisions, Witness XD, you received, did you receive them in
23 written?
24 A. Yes.
25 Q. And did you receive them in the course of your detention in the
Page 1769
1 former JNA barracks in Travnik?
2 A. Yes, but not the last one. Since there was an exchange, they
3 released me then, and I don't know what the outcome of everything was.
4 Q. Do you still recall the decisions?
5 A. Yes, I do.
6 Q. And what were the decisions about?
7 A. Well, about extremist action, since I was an HVO member.
8 Q. And has there ever been a judgement following the trial?
9 A. No. I had to appoint a lawyer to go to Travnik to see what had
10 happened and what the outcome was. The lawyer brought me the judgement,
11 according to which I'd been granted amnesty. That's how this matter
12 ended.
13 Q. Witness XD, you were talking about Muslim ABiH soldiers detained
14 in the former JNA barracks for a number of reasons you detailed a few
15 minutes ago. Do you recall as to whether these detainees - the ABiH
16 soldier detainees - had to go to trial as well?
17 A. Yes, some of them did have to go.
18 MR. WITHOPF: Mr. President, Your Honours, it's now almost 12.30.
19 I would suggest to take the break now. I anticipate finishing the
20 examination-in-chief within 20 or so minutes after the break.
21 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] It's half past 12.00. We'll
22 have a break until five to 1.00. We will then resume at five to 1.00,
23 and we will continue until 1.45. I hope that the Defence will have the
24 time to proceed with its cross-examination.
25 Witness, we're going to have a 25-minute break now. You can have
Page 1770
1 a rest.
2 And we will resume in 25 minutes' time.
3 --- Recess taken at 12.30 p.m.
4 --- On resuming at 12.59 p.m.
5 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] We have three-quarters of an
6 hour to finish the examination-in-chief and to start the
7 cross-examination. We shall start with the examination-in-chief by the
8 Prosecution.
9 Are we in open session, Mr. Registrar?
10 Mr. Withopf, you have the floor.
11 MR. WITHOPF: Thank you very much, Your Honours.
12 Q. Witness XD, just before the break, you were informing the Trial
13 Chamber that some of the ABiH soldiers who were detained together with
14 you in the JNA barracks in Travnik had also to go to trial. What
15 happened to the ones who had not to go to trial?
16 A. Some volunteered to go into combat. Two went to Bucici. One of
17 them was killed there and the other one was wounded.
18 Q. Witness XD, do you have any knowledge about other Croats detained
19 together with you during this time period who were facing the same or
20 similar allegations as you were facing at the time?
21 A. No, not all of them did.
22 Q. Not all of them did. But were there some who actually did?
23 A. Yes, there were.
24 Q. Witness XD, I'm now going to ask you a question. Will you please
25 for the time being only say yes or no. Do you know the names of the
Page 1771
1 other Croat detainees who faced the same allegations as you did?
2 A. Yes, I do.
3 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] We are going to go into private
4 session, please.
5 [Private session]
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16 [Open session]
17 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honour, we are in open session.
18 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation] Thank you, Your Honour.
19 MR. WITHOPF: Mr. President.
20 Cross-examined by Ms. Residovic:
21 Q. [Interpretation] Good afternoon, Witness --
22 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Mr. Withopf, you now have the
23 floor.
24 MR. WITHOPF: Your Honour, if I could use this opportunity -- we
25 now got the copies of the photographs -- to actually tender these
Page 1777
1 photographs in order to formally conclude the examination-in-chief.
2 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] It is going to take a few
3 minutes, because the photographs had -- have to be marked, the witness
4 has to put his name on the photos. It will take some time.
5 Madam Usher, can you please give the two photos to the witness.
6 Witness, you're going to put your name and the date of birth on
7 these photos. We are going to do it in private session, please.
8 [Private session]
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Page 1778
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9 [Open session]
10 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honour, we are back in open session.
11 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation] I'll try to complete my
12 cross-examination in the time that you have given me. But just for the
13 record, I would like to state that the Prosecution had an hour for this
14 witness.
15 Cross-examined by Ms. Residovic:
16 Q. [Interpretation] Good afternoon, Mr. XD. My name is Edina
17 Residovic. I am Defence counsel for General Hadzihasanovic. I'm going
18 to ask you to answer a few questions. I --
19 MS. RESIDOVIC: [Interpretation] I would like to go back into
20 private session, please, in order to protect the identity of the witness.
21 [Private session]
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23 [Open session]
24 THE REGISTRAR: Your Honours, we are back in open session.
25 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] The Trial Chamber will turn to
Page 1787
1 the Prosecution. Could you confirm that we will have one or several
2 witnesses tomorrow, and can you tell us whether there are any
3 difficulties or not and whether or not this witness has arrived.
4 MR. WITHOPF: Your Honours, we have one -- we will have one
5 witness tomorrow and we will have two witnesses on Friday.
6 JUDGE ANTONETTI: [Interpretation] Very well. So we will have one
7 witness tomorrow, and on Friday we will have two witnesses.
8 Are there any comments that the Defence would like to make before
9 we adjourn? No comments? No comments from the Prosecution either?
10 So as we have covered everything today, we will adjourn, and I
11 will see you all tomorrow at 9.00 in the morning.
12 --- Whereupon the hearing adjourned at 1.43 p.m.,
13 to be reconvened on Thursday, the 22nd day of
14 January, 2004, at 9.00 a.m.
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