150407IT

Page 34154

1 Rule 92 ter motion of this witness moot.

2 [The witness entered court]

3 JUDGE ORIE: Good morning, Mr. Mladjenovic. Before you give

4 evidence, the Rules require that you make a solemn declaration that

5 you'll speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The

6 text is now handed out to you. Could you make that solemn declaration.

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

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

9 WITNESS: SLAVOLJUB MLADJENOVIC

10 [Witness answered through interpreter]

11 JUDGE ORIE: Thank you. Please be seated, Mr. Mladjenovic.

12 Mr. Mladjenovic, you'll first be examined by Mr. Stojanovic.

13 You'll find Mr. Stojanovic to your left. Mr. Stojanovic is counsel for

14 Mr. Mladic.

15 Mr. Stojanovic, you may proceed.

16 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] Thank you.

17 Examination by Mr. Stojanovic:

18 Q. [Interpretation] Good morning, Mr. Mladjenovic.

19 A. Good morning.

20 Q. According to the usual procedure in this courtroom, could you

21 please slowly state your name and surname.

22 A. My name is Slavoljub Mladjenovic.

23 Q. Mr. Mladjenovic, could you please tell us where and when you were

24 born.

25 A. On the 6th of January [As interpreted], 1961, in Ljubovija,

Page 34155

1 Serbia.

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

3 microphones please be switched off. Thank you.

4 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation]

5 Q. Could you please just repeat the date of your birth, because it

6 seems to me that the record does not reflect exactly what you had said.

7 A. I was born on the 6th of June, 1961, in Ljubovija, Serbia.

8 Q. Thank you. Where do you live today?

9 A. Today I live in Bratunac.

10 Q. Could you please tell the Court about your professional

11 qualifications and your education.

12 A. I completed elementary school in Bratunac. Secondary school in

13 Ljubovija; it was a general high school, a gymnasium. Then also in

14 Belgrade, I completed my post-secondary education in the field of

15 physical education, and also I got my university degree from the

16 University of Sarajevo in Pale, in physical education as well.

17 Q. What is the job you have today?

18 A. Right now, I am the director of the public library in Bratunac.

19 Q. Mr. Mladjenovic, do you have any kind of military education or

20 training?

21 A. No. In 1980, I did my regular military service in Rijeka.

22 Q. When the war broke out in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992, where

23 did you happen to be?

24 A. After I completed my post-secondary education, I worked as a PE

25 teach in Prnjavor, Fakovici, in Bjelovac near Bratunac; that is to say,

Page 34156

1 when the war broke out, I was the director of the elementary school in

2 Bjelovac.

3 Q. Did you have any kind of military involvement at any point in

4 time?

5 A. Until the 17th of April, no. The 17th of April, 1992. No.

6 Q. What happened then?

7 A. Well, on the 17th of April, 1992, I was called up by the

8 Territorial Defence to report to the village of Krasan [Realtime

9 transcript read in error "Krasim"] Polje, where my parents lived, to

10 report to the Territorial Defence. That's where I belonged. The TO of

11 Krasanpolje.

12 Q. The village of Krasanpolje, did it have a mixed ethnic

13 composition or was it a single ethnicity living there?

14 A. It was mixed.

15 Q. What were the ethnic communities living there in Krasanpolje?

16 A. In Krasanpolje there were Serbs and Muslims. There were a bit

17 more Serbs though.

18 Q. What were your tasks at that point in time as a member of the

19 Territorial Defence in the village of Krasanpolje?

20 A. My task was to have the TO Krasanpolje form -- I mean, those who

21 were military age and able bodied, I mean, we should provide security for

22 the village. However, at first we had village guards, village patrols

23 together with the Muslim population.

24 MR. GILLETT: Apologies to interrupt. I just saw on the

25 transcript that the name of the village is spelled Krasim Polje, and I'm

Page 34157

1 wondering if that is the correct spelling.

2 JUDGE ORIE: It's not the first time. It's the second time I

3 think it's spelled that way.

4 Mr. Stojanovic.

5 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] Yes, Your Honour. I see that.

6 And I see in line 9 on page 4 that marking that means that there is no

7 certainty as far as the toponym is concerned.

8 Q. But, Mr. Mladjenovic, for the record I would like to ask you to

9 state slowly the name of the village where you had these military duties

10 then.

11 A. Krasanpolje.

12 THE INTERPRETER: Interpreter's note: K-r-a-s-a-n.

13 JUDGE ORIE: Please proceed.

14 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] Thank you.

15 Q. What was the situation like in Bratunac and Krasanpolje at the

16 time as far as interethnic relations went?

17 A. As for the situation -- I mean, well, on both sides it was good.

18 At first, we had these joint patrols and guards, that is to say, to

19 provide security to all the inhabitants of Krasanpolje. However, I mean,

20 when Goran Zekic was killed, he was a member of parliament -- I think it

21 was on the 8th. 8th of May, I think. There was -- there was this fear

22 on both sides. Ethnic Serbs because, I mean, Ljubovija was nearby, well

23 the elderly went towards Ljubovija, that is to say, to Serbia; and as for

24 Muslims, well, they went towards Tuzla and Kladanj.

25 JUDGE MOLOTO: There's mention of the 8th of May. Which year was

Page 34158

1 this that we talking about?

2 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] 1992. What is the meant is the

3 beginning of the war.

4 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation]

5 Q. Did the military-age men leave Bratunac at the time?

6 A. Yes. Excuse me.

7 Q. Could you please say what the situation was in view of the

8 population of Krasanpolje; specifically, those days in May 1992?

9 A. After what happened what happened in Bijeljina and Zvornik, I've

10 already said that the population felt this fear, both left Krasanpolje,

11 especially the elderly men of Muslim ethnicity asked me to transfer them

12 to Ljubovija. However, I couldn't do that. I sent them to the

13 Territorial Defence in Bratunac.

14 Q. What happened to them afterwards?

15 A. As far as the Muslim inhabitants of Krasanpolje, on the 10th of

16 May I was informed by the TO that buses would arrive. I mean, Muslims

17 expressed the wish to leave Krasanpolje to go to Kladanj and Tuzla.

18 Q. Did that happen?

19 A. Yes. On the 10th. In the morning, a bus came and all those who

20 happened to be in Krasanpolje got onto the bus escorted by soldiers.

21 They went towards Bratunac.

22 Q. Do you know what happened later to that population that took that

23 bus to Bratunac?

24 A. Well, these inhabitants that set out towards Bratunac, as far as

25 I know, most of them returned to Krasanpolje after Dayton.

Page 34159

1 Q. Did you have any specific duties in that TO unit in terms of

2 establishment?

3 A. First, I was platoon command; and then company commander. Yes.

4 Q. What was your next military assignment?

5 A. As for the TO Bratunac, I received an order from them towards the

6 end of June. I should -- I mean, take Kunjerac. That is a hill above

7 Bjelovac. And the water works for all of Bratunac was up there, and I

8 was supposed to secure it.

9 Q. Did you carry out that mission?

10 A. Yes. After that order, we took the area of Kunjerac, and we

11 stayed there until the end of July 1992.

12 Q. At that time until the end of July 1992, were you still

13 organisationally under the Territorial Defence?

14 A. Yes.

15 Q. While you were carrying out this task, were there any clashes

16 with the other side?

17 A. Yes. On Saint Peter's Day on the 12th of July, Kunjerac was

18 attacked as well and I lost a soldier then.

19 Q. Where did this attack come from against the city waterworks of

20 Bratunac?

21 A. From the direction of Biljaca.

22 Q. What was your next assignment? Where did you receive it? And

23 how did you move on from there?

24 A. After Kunjerac, the end of July, I was given the task to take the

25 area at Banjevici.

Page 34160

1 Q. Could you please describe this in terms of cardinal points.

2 Where is the area of Banjevici so that would be clearer to us here in the

3 courtroom?

4 A. The area of Banjevici is in the local commune of Kravica. I

5 mean, Kuslata is on one side and Supotnik on the other side.

6 Q. Where were positions of the Army of Bosnia-Herzegovina then?

7 A. The separation line was at Banjevici. I cannot remember exactly

8 now the place that was in front. That was held, I mean, by the Muslims.

9 Q. At the time as for carrying out this mission, were you a member

10 of the TO or was it already the Bratunac Brigade?

11 A. I cannot recall exactly. For a while, we were the TO. It was

12 the detachment first and then maybe later in September -- I cannot

13 remember. I don't know the date exactly. Then it was reformulated, and

14 we belonged to the Bratunac Brigade.

15 Q. Did you have any specific military duties? And what were they,

16 if you had any?

17 A. Well, we held the lines. We weren't the only ones at Banjevici.

18 There were others from Kravica. I mean, there was this line that we

19 held, I mean.

20 Q. Did you have any specific duties in terms of this establishment?

21 What were the duties that you had?

22 A. At Banjevici, I was the company commander. Actually, in the

23 detachment, I was the morale man, and then I was company commander when

24 it was reformulated.

25 Q. Until when were you involved in the Army of Republika Srpska?

Page 34161

1 A. I mean, as far as holding the line at Banjevici was concerned, we

2 held it up until March. The 14th of December, there was this attack and

3 another soldier was killed there, and then until -- March 1993, I mean.

4 After the attack on Christmas Day, these lines were moved, and in March

5 when this operation of returning Kravica took place, after the end, I was

6 appointed deputy commander of the 1st Battalion of the Bratunac Brigade.

7 Q. Until when were you in that position?

8 A. I held that position as deputy commander of the 1st Battalion

9 until the 6th of June, 1994.

10 JUDGE ORIE: Mr. Stojanovic, what sounds in our ears very much as

11 the personal military history of this witness, the Chamber is fully lost

12 as far as the relevance of this detailed evidence is concerned.

13 Could you please keep that in mind and move on as quickly as

14 possible to portions of the evidence which clearly show relevance.

15 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] Very well, Your Honour.

16 Q. How did you come into the MUP? How did you take up duties at the

17 MUP?

18 A. Since there was a change-over in the public security station, the

19 then commander Ljubisa Borovcanin went to a different duty, the chief

20 Vuka Bogdanovic went to the Zvornik centre, and then I was proposed as

21 the station commander, and Miodrag Jusupovic, whom we called Dragan, was

22 proposed as the chief of the public security station.

23 Q. And the police from the Bratunac police station where you were

24 the commander during those years in the second half of 1994 and in 1995,

25 participate in combat actions.

Page 34162

1 A. Yes.

2 Q. And how was this police participation in combat organised?

3 A. When I came, these companies were not formed. However, sometime

4 in October 1994, pursuant to an order from the ministry, companies were

5 formed at the level of the public security centre in Zvornik, as well as

6 in other centres. I was appointed commander of the 2nd Company.

7 Q. Are you able to tell the Trial Chamber at that time, in 1995, how

8 many such companies did the Zvornik centre have? The police companies.

9 A. Four or five such companies were formed. The companies were

10 formed from all the security stations. They were younger members,

11 younger policemen in the 1st Company. Then in the 2nd Company, it was,

12 according to some rating, after the 1st and then the 3rd and the 4th.

13 And then in the 5th Company, there were older members of the police.

14 Q. And can you tell us where were you sent specifically as the

15 Bratunac Police Company in 1994, late 1994 and 1995? Which combat area?

16 A. My company was sent to Bandijerka first, that was near Sekovici.

17 And then later we were at Treskavica.

18 Q. And then when you would go to carry out your military

19 assignments, who did you receive your orders from?

20 A. We received our orders from the public security centre in

21 Zvornik. We belonged to that centre.

22 Q. And was there any need for your personal training or additional

23 training in view of the duties that you were carrying out?

24 A. Since I came from the civilian force, I was sent to a course for

25 commanders that was being given in Banja Luka in June 1995.

Page 34163

1 Q. And how long did you spend at the course?

2 A. Until the 8th of July, 1995.

3 Q. Now I would like to ask you to deal with the period that is very

4 important to us. When did you return to the police station in Bratunac

5 from that training course?

6 A. I returned from the course on the 8th of July, 1995.

7 Q. Could you please tell the Trial Chamber what was your first

8 specific assignment once you came back from the training course.

9 A. When I returned on the 8th of July to Bratunac, the chief,

10 Miodrag Jusupovic, told me that something was being done around

11 Srebrenica, or that something would be happening around Srebrenica.

12 Q. And what did he specifically tell you? What can you remember?

13 A. Because of frequent attacks by Muslim units from Srebrenica of

14 the lines held by the members of the Bratunac Brigade military units, an

15 attack was expected to be carried out so that these soldiers would return

16 to the protected area; the safe area.

17 Q. And did your police station receive any specific assignments in

18 relation to these activities?

19 A. As far as the station was concerned, until the 12th of July, our

20 assignment was to secure and carry out police assignments, monitoring

21 public law and order. I mean, these were purely police assignments.

22 Q. And what happened on the 12th of July, 1995?

23 A. On the 12th of July, 1995, approximately at 10.00 a.m., we

24 received a dispatch that the 2nd Company, i.e., two platoons of the

25 2nd Company, had to transfer to Srebrenica in the course of the day in

Page 34164

1 order to provide security. Because Srebrenica was already captured, so

2 we were supposed to provide security, perform purely police jobs in order

3 to prevent looting of the property in Srebrenica.

4 JUDGE ORIE: Mr. Stojanovic, could the witness further clarify

5 where he performed his duties up to the 12th of July.

6 So between the 8th and the 12th, where you said you were -- you

7 did the ordinary police work. Where was that?

8 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I worked at my own police station,

9 in Bratunac. I came back on the 8th. I rested for a day or two. I had

10 a couple of days off. And then on the 9th or the 10th, I went back to my

11 regular duties in the town, the town of Bratunac.

12 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation]

13 Q. Are you able to tell the Court what were your duties practically

14 during those several days? What was your post?

15 JUDGE ORIE: The witness has answered that question, what his

16 assignments was during those days: Ordinary police duties. I just was

17 interested to know where, and he told me that it is in Bratunac town.

18 Not outside Bratunac town?

19 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] That's -- that's that.

20 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation]

21 Q. I'm going go back for a moment to that time when you received the

22 dispatch.

23 For purposes of clarification, could you please tell the

24 Trial Chamber this 2nd Company of the PJP, how many members did it have

25 at that point in time?

Page 34165

1 A. Including the command, there were three platoons. So that would

2 be about 100 men. In the dispatch, it said that two platoons were to

3 report to Srebrenica, the 2nd and the 3rd, while the 1st Platoon would

4 remain in Zvornik with my deputy. Dzelmic [phoen], he was the deputy

5 company commander.

6 Q. And do you know where this platoon, the 1st Platoon of the

7 2nd Company of the PJP was deployed in Zvornik over those few days?

8 A. As far as I can recall, it was in the sector above Kula in

9 Zvornik.

10 Q. Thank you. And did you begin to implement the order that you

11 received in the dispatch in the morning of the 12th of July, 1995?

12 A. Yes. The policemen of the 2nd Company were informed that they

13 were supposed to report to the station with all of their equipment. The

14 staging area was the police station at 3.00 p.m. They were supposed to

15 be ready by that time. Then at 3.00 p.m. a bus arrived that was picking

16 up the members of the 2nd and the 3rd Platoon. These were people from

17 Sekovici, Vlasenica, and Milici, and the bus was in Bratunac ready at

18 3.00.

19 Q. And did you set off for Srebrenica that day?

20 A. Yes. About a couple of hours after my policemen arrived. And

21 the policemen who had worked in Srebrenica before the war broke out, they

22 boarded the bus. We also had a car where Petko Pavlovic was given an

23 assignment to -- he was the chief of the public security station in

24 Srebrenica. That's the post he was appointed to. So his assignment was

25 to form a station, and this assignment was also given to his

Page 34166

1 deputy commander Milisav Gavric. We set off at 3.00 p.m. not towards

2 Potocari but towards Bjelovac through Sase Zaluzje. We went down near

3 the playing field. And at approximately 5.00 p.m., we were in front of

4 the public security station in Srebrenica.

5 Q. And were the members of the newly formed police station in

6 Srebrenica with you headed by Petko Pavlovic as the chief and

7 Milisav Gavric as the deputy commander of the police station? Did they

8 also enter Srebrenica at that time?

9 A. Well, yes. I've already said that Milisav, myself, and Petko

10 were in the car. The others were in the bus. Members of the

11 2nd Company, the 2nd and the 3rd Platoon, and the policemen who had

12 worked in Srebrenica were in the bus. However, what happened was that

13 policeman Nenad Deronjic, who was a member of the 2nd Company, and he was

14 also a person who had worked in Srebrenica before the war. So Nenad

15 Deronjic, Pavle Pelemis, Sredoje Bojic, were there. Also Mladen Gligic,

16 Darko Obrenovic, and I can't remember who the others were. There were

17 two or three other policemen.

18 Q. All right. I'm going to ask you about that later. I'm

19 particularly interested in one of those names.

20 So I would just like to ask you to explain to us who are not from

21 that area if you go through that area, do you need to pass through

22 Potocari?

23 A. We took a detour. We didn't go through Potocari. This is a road

24 that goes towards Bjelovac and then turns towards Sase and then goes down

25 next to the playing field and that's how you reach the centre of the

Page 34167

1 town.

2 Q. Could you please tell us, when you arrived at Srebrenica at

3 approximately 5.00 p.m., as you said, on the 12th of July, 1995, can you

4 describe the situation there when you got there?

5 A. As for the situation in Srebrenica, actually, we didn't see any

6 civilians on the streets. There was a lot of timber or wood in front of

7 all of the buildings. It didn't look -- Srebrenica didn't look like

8 there were many buildings that were demolished, but it was quite filthy.

9 Q. Did you notice any other military formations in Srebrenica at the

10 time?

11 A. There were no military formations in Srebrenica at that time.

12 Q. And was there any fighting, any resistance, any shooting when you

13 entered Srebrenica at that time?

14 A. No, it was quiet.

15 JUDGE ORIE: Mr. Stojanovic, could the witness explain why they

16 didn't take the shortest route and why they made a detour when they went

17 to Srebrenica?

18 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] We took a different route, a

19 round-about way, because there was an UNPROFOR base where the Muslim

20 population was from Srebrenica, so our intention was to avoid going that

21 way and to take this other road and to -- and to avoid Potocari.

22 JUDGE ORIE: Yes, I see that you wanted to avoid it. But why

23 performing normal police duties, why would you avoid the UNPROFOR base

24 and Muslim population?

25 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I think that that was the order

Page 34168

1 from the centre to take that route.

2 JUDGE ORIE: But you don't know the reasons why?

3 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I don't know. All I knew is that

4 we were supposed to avoid that area. Probably the reason was due to the

5 things that were happening in Potocari.

6 JUDGE ORIE: You were aware that Muslims were gathering there?

7 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes.

8 JUDGE ORIE: Who told you?

9 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] At the station, in the morning.

10 JUDGE ORIE: Were any details given?

11 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Well, the Muslim population was at

12 the UNPROFOR base. That's what we were told. And Srebrenica was empty,

13 I mean. And that order from the centre, probably from the ministry that

14 went to the centre, was for us to go to Srebrenica and to secure work. I

15 mean, secure the town and the establishment of the station, that is.

16 JUDGE ORIE: When you say "the ministry," which ministry are you

17 referring to?

18 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] The Ministry of Republika Srpska.

19 JUDGE ORIE: Yes. But what ministry? Not Ministry of Foreign

20 Affairs, I take it.

21 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] The Ministry of Police, that is.

22 JUDGE ORIE: Thank you.

23 Please proceed.

24 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation]

25 Q. Mr. Mladjenovic, when arriving in Srebrenica, did you notice any

Page 34169

1 units of the Army of Republika Srpska in the town itself?

2 A. At the time, I mean, there weren't any military units. Very

3 little -- I mean, there weren't any civilians either of Serb ethnicity.

4 They started coming in later.

5 Q. Specifically, practically, what's the building that you went to

6 when you arrived in the town of Srebrenica?

7 A. Upon arriving in Srebrenica, we stopped in front of the station.

8 The police station in Srebrenica. We didn't find anybody there. So we

9 entered the station, and we agreed on how to proceed; how our unit was to

10 proceed, that is.

11 Q. Could you tell the Trial Chamber what your specific task was at

12 that point in time, as commander of the 2nd Company of the PJP?

13 A. My task as the commander of the 2nd Company was to secure the

14 town, I mean, to prevent looting, and to help the new chief,

15 Petko Pavlovic, that is, to establish the public security station.

16 JUDGE ORIE: Mr. Stojanovic, could I seek clarification of one of

17 the previous answers.

18 I'll read to you, Witness, how it was recorded. You were asked

19 whether were any units of the Army of Republika Srpska, and you said:

20 "At the time, ... there weren't any military units. Very

21 little -- I mean, there weren't any civilians either of Serb ethnicity."

22 Now, when you said "very little," did you refer to the military

23 presence?

24 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] There weren't any military

25 formations, that is. I mean, later, later civilians of Serb ethnicity

Page 34170

1 appeared. Those who wanted to return to their homes.

2 JUDGE ORIE: Military formations. Does that mean that there was

3 no soldier in Srebrenica at the time?

4 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] In town, where we were? No.

5 JUDGE ORIE: Yes.

6 Please proceed.

7 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] Thank you.

8 Q. How did you embark upon the realisation of the task that you

9 received? What did you do then?

10 A. Nothing. I mean, with a few policemen, first we toured the main

11 street from the playing field down there, to up there, where the exit is

12 towards Zeleni Jadar. We set up two check-points. We left a police

13 presence by the playing field. And on the exit towards Petrici. I mean,

14 the cultural centre up there, that exit. And then this patrol that

15 patrolled that part of town.

16 Q. How many policemen were these two check-points according to the

17 assignments that you gave them?

18 A. I cannot remember right now, but I think there were seven or

19 eight of them. In order to be on the safe side, we assigned more

20 policemen to every one of these check-points.

21 Q. What about the other policemen from the 2nd Company? What were

22 their specific tasks in terms of implementing the task that you had

23 received?

24 A. The other policemen were on the ready together with me in case we

25 needed to intervene so that we could intervene.

Page 34171

1 Q. Could you please tell the Trial Chamber what the specific tasks

2 were of the members of the newly established police station in Srebrenica

3 on that day and on the following days?

4 A. It was already evening by then, and we had this list of

5 policemen, and that is where the schedule is made for the 13th, so then

6 they were supposed to establish the station and start opening documents,

7 and a duty service was set up, and also the patrol service that is

8 correct patrolled the town.

9 Q. You personally, on that afternoon, the 12th, did you tour the

10 town of Srebrenica when these two check-points were placed?

11 A. Yes. I went to the playing field, and I went up there towards

12 Petrici, towards Zeleni Jadar.

13 Q. Did you notice something characteristic, something unusual,

14 something that remained in your memory?

15 A. Yes. At the exit towards Petrici, there is this curve. We came

16 across a male corpse. Most probably this was an ethnic Muslim. The man

17 was dead.

18 Q. What did you do with the body, if you did anything specific?

19 A. We couldn't have done anything on that day since it was already

20 evening, but it was the following day or two days later, the civilian

21 protection -- I mean, they had been informed, and they removed the

22 corpse.

23 Q. Could you notice what the cause of death had been of that

24 particular individual?

25 A. Well, no. Because the corpse was already decaying, and we felt

Page 34172

1 the stench, and I could not see from the car what the cause of death was.

2 Q. Tell me, when touring Srebrenica, were you in a position to see

3 whether there were any buildings that had been destroyed due to shelling?

4 A. As for the town itself, I said at the very beginning that I did

5 not notice any major destruction. I think there was this one crater by

6 the school, at the playing field there. I didn't see any destroyed

7 buildings.

8 Q. Do you know what the members of the civilian protection did with

9 that body, the mortal remains of that person found there?

10 A. I really don't recall. At any rate, they removed the body from

11 that place. Most probably they buried the body.

12 Q. On that day or on the following days, did you have an opportunity

13 to see civilians of Muslim ethnicity anywhere in the town of Srebrenica?

14 A. When walking around town with the police, in a basement we found

15 a woman who was an ethnic Muslim. She could not move. Her mobility was

16 impaired. And elderly people like that were found in cellars, basements,

17 and they expressed the wish for us to transfer them to Potocari. We took

18 a truck, I think it belonged to the public cleaning service, and I

19 ordered Bojic and Obrenovic to transfer them to Potocari, and that what

20 they did. Upon returning, they told me that they handed them over to the

21 UNPROFOR base in Potocari.

22 Q. Could you tell the Trial Chamber to the best of your recollection

23 what day that could have been? The first day you arrived? The second

24 day after you arrived? Do you have any sense of time in that way?

25 A. I think it was on the first day. That is to say, when touring

Page 34173

1 the main street. That is to say, the 12th.

2 Q. Was there any pressure? Was there any abuse? Was there any

3 mistreatment of these civilians that you found in the town of Srebrenica?

4 A. No. As far as the police was concerned, we really did our job.

5 They expressed their wish to go, and we had these orders, stating that

6 those who wished to leave, that we should transfer them to the base in

7 Potocari. So the six or seven of them, all of them, expressed that wish.

8 They said they wanted to go to the base, and that's where they went and

9 that's where they stayed.

10 Q. Tell me, where did you spend the night between the 12th and 13th

11 of July, 1995?

12 A. The night? Well, I mean, since there were these shifts, I mean,

13 those who were at the check-points -- Petko and Milisav spent the night

14 at the station. There was this apartment above the station. It belonged

15 to a lady who worked with my wife, and that's where we spent the night.

16 We just sat there. We didn't really sleep.

17 Q. The check-points, did they function that night; and these

18 patrols? The night between the 12th and the 13th.

19 A. Yes. And we received no information whatsoever about any kind of

20 problems.

21 Q. Thank you.

22 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] Your Honours, it seems to me

23 that it's time for the break now, and then I will move onto the 13th of

24 July and what happened on that day. Perhaps this would be the right time

25 to take the break.

Page 34174

1 JUDGE ORIE: We'll take the break now.

2 Witness, you may follow the usher. We'd like to see you back in

3 20 minutes.

4 [The witness stands down]

5 JUDGE ORIE: We will resume at ten minutes to 11.00.

6 --- Recess taken at 10.31 a.m.

7 --- On resuming at 10.52 a.m.

8 JUDGE ORIE: Mr. Tieger, there was a matter you wanted to raise.

9 MR. TIEGER: Yes, Mr. President. Thank you.

10 The Court may recall that this was a matter raised at the end of

11 the day on Thursday. It concerned two documents which had been

12 inadvertently omitted from the list of exhibits to be potentially used in

13 cross-examination, so Mr. Traldi refrained from tendering them at that

14 time pending a discussion with the Defence. The Defence expressed no

15 objection to those documents being tendered, and so we asked at the end

16 of the day on Thursday for 65 ter 02780 and 65 ter 18494 to be admitted.

17 And I'm repeating that now.

18 JUDGE ORIE: No objections.

19 Mr. Registrar.

20 THE REGISTRAR: 65 ter number 02780 will be Exhibit P7299.

21 And 65 ter number 18494 will be Exhibit P7300.

22 JUDGE ORIE: P7299 and P7300 are admitted into evidence.

23 MR. TIEGER: Thank you, Mr. President.

24 [The witness takes the stand]

25 JUDGE ORIE: You may proceed, Mr. Stojanovic.

Page 34175

1 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation]

2 Q. Mr. Mladjenovic, could you please tell us what your specific duty

3 was in relation to the protection of movable property in the town of

4 Srebrenica?

5 A. As for my unit, that is to say, the 2nd and 3rd Platoons, our

6 task was to prevent movable property from being taken out of Srebrenica,

7 to establish check-points, and if goods reached the check-points, then

8 they were taken away from the persons who were carrying them. These

9 goods would then be placed in storage where war booty was kept. So if

10 goods were taken away at Zuti Most, they were handed over to the storage

11 facility in Bratunac.

12 Q. Those days, midday of the 13th, the 14th, the 15th, did Serb

13 refugees from Srebrenica start coming into town?

14 A. I've mentioned that on the 13th there were very few of them, but

15 on the 14th and 15th, all of those who had property there came to see

16 what it was like. Already on the 13th, 14th, the town was already full

17 of Serb civilians.

18 Q. Did you come across situations when movable property was being

19 unlawfully seized?

20 A. Yes. There was quite a bit of that. We even had problems with

21 people drawing weapons at us. So a few men in uniforms with a truck took

22 some furniture or something, and we stopped that truck. It was coming

23 from the department store and moving towards the station. We stopped

24 them. They protested. And at one moment as I was asking for

25 reinforcements, since I saw that there would be a problem, one of these

Page 34176

1 men put a gun to my forehead. He said he'd kill me. And I said, "Okay,

2 I'll call the chief the centre, Dragomir Vasic, and if he allows it then

3 no problem." Then I called him, he came, and I took off my belt and I

4 said, "I cannot take all of these goods, there would be major problems."

5 I really could not take that situation any longer. I particularly

6 disliked being held at gunpoint. I asked this man to leave aside his

7 weapon if we were supposed to deal with each other. Then I said, "Let's

8 fight bare fisted," and that's what happened.

9 And then the chief took over the case, and then I went over to

10 Bratunac, and what happened afterwards I don't know. So that was in the

11 afternoon of the 13th of July.

12 Q. Objectively speaking, with the number of men you had and the

13 newly established police station in Srebrenica, could you make sure that

14 all of these things could not be taken out of Srebrenica? Did you have

15 enough personnel to secure that?

16 A. Well, no. It was just the route towards Zeleni Jadar and another

17 one, and then we had to provide security for vital facilities, like the

18 court-house, the post office, so we didn't have enough manpower to resist

19 all of that.

20 Q. You mentioned --

21 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] I beg your pardon.

22 JUDGE ORIE: Mr. Gillett.

23 MR. GILLETT: Apologies. I could raise this in

24 cross-examination, but just while we're on the topic, the answer to the

25 previous question one further up was ambiguous, where the witness said

Page 34177

1 "let's fight bare fisted and that's what happened," it was ambiguous to

2 me as to whether he meant they had that discussion or whether there, in

3 fact, was some kind of fist fight. And I was just wondering if it would

4 be easier to clear that up now as opposed to raising it later.

5 JUDGE ORIE: Will you follow the suggestion of Mr. Gillett,

6 Mr. Stojanovic?

7 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] Yes, Your Honours. I think that

8 the witness actually said so and maybe it didn't get into the transcript.

9 Q. Mr. Mladjenovic, would you just please tell us what happened when

10 you told this person who had drawn a weapon and pointed it at you to drop

11 the weapons and to fight it out?

12 A. Could you just please repeat the question again?

13 Q. I want to ask you what happened once you asked this person that

14 was taking all these goods to drop the weapon and that you two fight it

15 out?

16 A. I don't remember whether he -- when all of this was happening, I

17 mean, the atmosphere was tense until Vasic arrived, the chief of the

18 centre. Once he arrived, I explained what was happening. I dropped my

19 belt and I said I'm going to fight him, physically. I don't want us to

20 deal with it by drawing our weapons. And then at that point of time I

21 hit him, I felled him to the ground, and then the chief took us to the --

22 aside and we talked. The chief then ordered that the truck should be

23 escorted to Bratunac.

24 Q. Thank you. You mentioned at one point members of the newly

25 formed police station in Srebrenica, among them Nenad Deronjic. How long

Page 34178

1 have you known Nenad Deronjic?

2 A. I have known Nenad Deronjic from the time I came to the Bratunac

3 police station from the 6th of June, 1994. Because he was a member of

4 the police station in Bratunac. Nenad Deronjic was then in my unit, in

5 the 2nd Company, from the Bratunac security station.

6 Q. When did you see him for the first time when he was performing

7 his duties in the town of Srebrenica?

8 A. As for Nenad Deronjic, together with the rest, because he was

9 informed that he had to go with the rest of the 2nd Company, he was on

10 the bus, he came together with the other members of the unit to

11 Srebrenica.

12 Q. And did you have the opportunity to see Deronjic the next day, on

13 the 13th of July, 1995?

14 A. Yes. I think that since he was a senior, experienced policeman,

15 that he and Gavric had the task of making the schedule for the public

16 security station service and to assign policemen at check-points and on

17 patrol duty.

18 Q. And how long did you specifically remain in the town of

19 Srebrenica on this assignment?

20 A. I think that I stayed for about seven or eight days. After the

21 12th, I was returned to Bratunac with the unit, and then those from my

22 unit who were from Srebrenica originally - like Nenad Deronjic - stayed

23 behind; whereas, we returned. And then after a few days off, we went to

24 our next assignment where the unit was as signed to Treskavica.

25 Q. And where did you sleep during those days while you were on

Page 34179

1 assignment in Srebrenica?

2 A. The first night we slept above the police station. This was an

3 apartment that belonged to a friend of my wife's. And on the following

4 day, together with Sredoje Bojic and members of the Bratunac police that

5 were in my company, we slept in the Domavija hotel and we were securing

6 that area, the exit towards Zeleni Jadar.

7 Q. Could you please tell the Trial Chamber where Hotel Domavija is

8 located for purposes of transcript?

9 A. Hotel Domavija is just above the cultural hall and the church.

10 It's in that area.

11 Q. For the transcript, could you please tell us which town?

12 A. I'm talking about the town of Srebrenica. I am located in

13 Srebrenica at that time.

14 Q. And did any policemen sustain any injuries or were any policemen

15 killed during those days?

16 A. No one from my unit had any such problems. As for members of my

17 police station, on the 13th, after midnight, a member of the

18 1st Company - we used to call him Tulo - was killed on the road

19 Bratunac-Konjevic Polje, near Sandici.

20 JUDGE ORIE: Mr. Stojanovic, I'd like to seek clarification of

21 one of the answers.

22 Witness, you told us what happened on the 13th of July in the

23 afternoon, that you were threatened, and when the chief took over, you

24 said you went over to Bratunac.

25 At the same time, you told us that you stayed for some six,

Page 34180

1 seven, or eight days in Srebrenica. Now, did you return to Bratunac in

2 the afternoon of the 13th of July; and, if so, when did you then return

3 to Srebrenica again?

4 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] There was a misunderstanding. It

5 wasn't I who went to Bratunac. That whole group of men who had resisted

6 the seizure of the items together with the chief centre and his group

7 went to Srebrenica. I remained in Srebrenica. And then on the 13th, we

8 slept at the Domavija have hotel in Srebrenica. That was near the town

9 centre.

10 JUDGE ORIE: Yes. And do you know what happened with the goods

11 which were on the truck? Whether they finally were handed over or

12 whether they remained in the possession of those transporting them?

13 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] The goods were in Bratunac. They

14 were seized in Bratunac, the goods, and then they were placed in the

15 building allocated for war booty.

16 THE INTERPRETER: Could the witness please repeat the last

17 sentence.

18 JUDGE ORIE: Could you please repeat the last sentence.

19 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] It was a building of the sawmill,

20 the 9th of October sawmill. It was a large building, so all the goods

21 that were seized, all the war booty, was stored there.

22 JUDGE ORIE: Yes. Now, you're also recorded as having said and

23 then the chief took over the case, and then you said they -- they were

24 escorted to Bratunac. And you then said: "... and what happened

25 afterwards, I don't know." What didn't you know? What did you not know?

Page 34181

1 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I don't remember the measures that

2 were taken by the centre chief in relation to those people other than

3 seizing the goods.

4 JUDGE ORIE: Please proceed, Mr. Stojanovic.

5 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] Thank you.

6 Q. And did you have any other more detailed information about how

7 this policeman was killed, the one that you mentioned a little bit

8 earlier?

9 A. As for the 1st Company of the PJP, it was attached to the

10 detachment of the deputy commander of the detachment Ljubisa Borovcanin,

11 and as far as I know they secured the road; that is to say, Sandici

12 towards Konjevic Polje. And at that moment, a group of Muslims came.

13 There was gun-fire and Zeljko Ninkovic, nicknamed Tulo, was killed.

14 JUDGE ORIE: You have no personal knowledge about that. It's

15 just what you heard. Is that well understood?

16 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes. I wasn't there. I only heard

17 that in the police station.

18 JUDGE ORIE: Yes.

19 Mr. Stojanovic, it may be important to rely primarily on direct

20 observation of witnesses rather than what was told at a later stage.

21 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation]

22 Q. Did you attend the burial of that member of your police station?

23 A. Yes, I did.

24 Q. Could you please tell the Chamber when that was, what day?

25 A. It was on the 14th of July, in the afternoon.

Page 34182

1 Q. After that, did you stay in Bratunac or did you return to

2 Srebrenica to continue your mission?

3 A. For those seven or eight days that I was there, I was in

4 Srebrenica. I slept in Domavija hotel. However, every evening we had to

5 change rooms. Because there were fleas and everybody complained about

6 fleas, so we had to change rooms every evening to avoid being bitten.

7 Q. During those seven or eight days from the 12th of July, 1995,

8 while you were in Srebrenica, were there any units of the VRS in the town

9 of Srebrenica?

10 A. As far as I can remember, there were no army units in the town

11 itself.

12 Q. Thank you. When you returned to the police station in Bratunac

13 and then until the end of the war, what were your specific tasks?

14 A. Up to 1997, I was the commander of the police station. And then

15 for a year I was the chief of the public security station in Bratunac.

16 From 2008 to 2001, I worked in the police department in the Zvornik

17 Security Services Centre. I was an inspector in the police department

18 there. In 2001, I returned to Bratunac where I assumed the position of

19 chief. And then when the police forces were reformed, I was appointed as

20 the police station commander and I stayed there until the 6th of June,

21 2004.

22 Q. I'm asking you this for the following reason. In 1996, did you

23 have any specific tasks relative to the establishment of the truth about

24 the events that took place in July in Srebrenica?

25 A. At the beginning of 1996, it was cold and there was frost on the

Page 34183

1 ground. So I supposed that it was sometime in the winter. I was

2 informed that Mrs. Elisabeth Rehn would come to Bratunac. The police

3 station was supposed to provide security for her. Together with the

4 municipal authorities and the then president Miroslav Deronjic, we were

5 supposed to inspect the area around Bokcin Potok because there were

6 rumours about a lot of killed Muslims there, that there had been a

7 skirmish the previous night between the two groups of them because they

8 didn't know of each other.

9 Q. At the police station, who gave you that task?

10 A. From the security services centre in Zvornik, we received that

11 task to be at the disposal of Miroslav Deronjic who be would a member of

12 that group.

13 Q. And what was your specific task during Mrs. Rehn's visit?

14 A. My task was to provide security for her in the perimeter around

15 Bokcin Potok that they desired to inspect. This is what I did. I was

16 with a couple of other police officers. I escorted Mrs. Elisabeth Rehn

17 and there were a number of other policemen who deployed in the general

18 sector of Bokcin.

19 Q. And on that occasion, what did you personally observe?

20 A. We travelled by cars to a certain place. I can't remember its

21 name. And then we continued on foot. Because Bokcin Potok is a place

22 where you -- which you can't reach by car. We went on foot for a

23 kilometre or so. And in that area, I observed a lot of terrible things.

24 There were a lot of corpses, parts of bodies. I suppose that they had

25 been dismembered by wild beasts. I can't remember how many corpses there

Page 34184

1 were, but there were a lot of them and they were all decomposing.

2 Q. And on that occasion, did you provide security for anybody else;

3 for example, people who collected the body parts or who were engaged in

4 the sanitization of the area?

5 A. No, not on that occasion. Ms. Rehn inspected the area, some

6 photos were taken, and then returned. Later on we received an order to

7 provide security for a commission. The commission was headed by Masovic.

8 They were in charge of collecting those body parts in the area.

9 JUDGE ORIE: Mr. Stojanovic, I would like to seek clarification

10 of one of the previous answers.

11 When you started talking about Elisabeth Rehn's visit, you said,

12 and I read it to you and I ask a few questions about it:

13 "... because there were rumours about a lot of killed

14 Muslims ..., that there had been a skirmish the previous night."

15 Was that the night before Elisabeth Rehn arrived?

16 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] No, no. What I meant was in

17 July 1995, and Ms. Rehn arrived 1996. Towards the end of that year in

18 October when it was already cold and there was frost on the ground.

19 JUDGE ORIE: And you said there was rumours about a skirmish

20 between the two groups of them. Do you mean two groups of Muslims?

21 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes. Because that probably

22 happened during the night. That was the main passage towards Tuzla.

23 It's a canyon and I suppose one group arrived earlier. They wanted to

24 take a rest. The other group arrived, they thought that there was an

25 ambush awaiting them, fire was opened, and they killed each other.

Page 34185

1 JUDGE ORIE: Yes. Do you have any personal knowledge about it or

2 is it just that you're reproducing what you heard as rumours?

3 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] No, I don't have any personal

4 knowledge of that. Obviously I didn't -- I did not participate in all

5 that. Those are rumours.

6 JUDGE ORIE: Thank you.

7 Please proceed.

8 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation]

9 Q. That next task, to secure the members of the federal commission

10 for searching missing persons, who gave you that task?

11 A. A dispatch came from the Security Services Centre. As uniformed

12 police, we provided security for the location, whereas people arrived

13 from the public security station in Zvornik. Actually, there was just

14 one inspector who arrived and there were members of the commission from

15 the Federation and from Republika Srpska who were also secured by them.

16 Q. When it comes to the police officers of your police station, did

17 you accomplish that mission?

18 A. Yes. Not only in that area, but also in the general area of the

19 passage or of that road. On a number of locations we had to provide

20 security upon the order of the Security Services Centre while the members

21 of the commission worked in those locations.

22 Q. And the police officers from your police station, after

23 completing the task of securing Bokcin Potok and the collection of those

24 bodies, did they report to you about the accomplishment of the task?

25 A. Every time when security had been provided for a location, a

Page 34186

1 report had to be written. But they did not have access to the location

2 itself. They had to secure the general area so that the members of the

3 commission could work. So they did not have the information about the

4 number of the body parts and bodies that had been collected.

5 Q. What happened to the body parts that had been collected?

6 A. According to the information that I had, they were transported to

7 the Federation. The federal commission transported them to the

8 Federation. I believe that they were taken in the direction of Visoko.

9 That's where they were taken, I believe.

10 Q. Did you learn from the police officers who had been given that

11 task what was the approximate number of the bodies that were collected in

12 Bokcin Potok?

13 A. There were just rumours, and according to those rumours over 300

14 bodies were found in that area. Not only in Bokcin but also in the

15 general area.

16 Q. Did anybody obstruct the work of the commission? And I mean the

17 government of the -- Republika Srpska?

18 A. No, there were no obstructions. I suppose that the Ministry of

19 Interior was tasked with securing the location, and we did not encounter

20 a single problem in our job of securing the area and the persons involved

21 in the task.

22 Q. Could you please tell us about that activity of collecting

23 bodies. How long did it last, all in all?

24 A. Until the year 1998, I was chief, and while I was chief and

25 commander, those activities took place for a week every month. Then I

Page 34187

1 went to Zvornik. And then when I returned, we still assisted those

2 people who were involved in the collection of bodies, and we still

3 provided security for those locations.

4 Q. Thank you. You mentioned that that was close to the road. Could

5 you please tell the Trial Chamber which road was that? Where were the

6 bodies collected? On what route?

7 A. It was the road --

8 JUDGE ORIE: Mr. Stojanovic, this is all hearsay. He wasn't

9 there. Do we not have better evidence for that? I mean, why would we

10 hear this from this witness?

11 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] Your Honours, this witness was

12 there. He was in Bokcin Potok, more specifically, when Mrs. Elisabeth

13 Rehn arrived. So my question was in respect of his own personal

14 knowledge.

15 JUDGE ORIE: Yes. He told us that they had no access to where

16 the bodies were found. He didn't know about the numbers, et cetera. Is

17 it just about the road and is there any dispute about that? Is that an

18 issue?

19 MR. McCLOSKEY: Mr. President, it's not really an issue. We have

20 established, I think, it's up to almost 900 to 1.000 surface remains in

21 this area going up towards the path of the column through DNA and these

22 various time-periods where groups have come in and taken up bodies.

23 So this is part of the case. It's in Dusan Janc's report and

24 testimony, testimony of Dean Manning, it's all laid out.

25 JUDGE ORIE: Locations are not --

Page 34188

1 MR. McCLOSKEY: Locations as well.

2 JUDGE ORIE: -- in issue. I wonder what we're listening to, that

3 someone who was on that road, and I think, as a matter of fact, that the

4 witness more or less described where it was. Now to hear again how far

5 it was on the road.

6 If there's detailed evidence about all of this, Mr. Stojanovic, I

7 leave it to you for the remaining two minutes whether you want to spend

8 more time on this or whether you would bring us evidence which sheds even

9 more light on the events compared to what we know already from other

10 evidence.

11 Please proceed.

12 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] Yes, Your Honours.

13 Q. There was my last question. I would like to thank

14 Mr. Mladjenovic for his answers.

15 MR. STOJANOVIC: [Interpretation] And I believe that I have

16 honoured the time that I said I would need for the examination of this

17 witness. Thank you.

18 JUDGE ORIE: Thank you, Mr. Stojanovic.

19 Witness, you'll now be examined by Mr. Gillett. You'll find

20 Mr. Gillett to your right. Mr. Gillett is counsel for the Prosecution.

21 Please proceed.

22 MR. GILLETT: Thank you, Mr. President, Your Honours.

23 Cross-examination by Mr. Gillett:

24 Q. Good morning, Mr. Mladjenovic. I'm going to ask you some

25 questions concerning your evidence. If there are any questions that are

Page 34189

1 unclear, please let me know as we go along.

2 Now, firstly, you were mobilised into the Bratunac TO on

3 17 April 1992; right?

4 A. Right.

5 Q. And in June 1992, the Bratunac Battalion was incorporated into

6 the Birac Brigade of the VRS; correct?

7 A. I can't remember, but it is possible.

8 Q. In May 1992, you were located in Krasanpolje; right?

9 A. Yes, Krasanpolje, that's correct.

10 Q. Do you know a Nedjelko Mladjenovic?

11 A. Yes.

12 Q. And was he also a member of the company of the TO in Krasanpolje?

13 A. Yes. He was the company commander at the beginning while I was a

14 platoon commander.

15 Q. And do you know Ziko Alimpic?

16 A. Yes. He died seven or eight years ago. He's a neighbour.

17 Q. And he was also located in Krasanpolje in May 1992 with your

18 company; correct?

19 A. No. Because he was old. He was not in the company.

20 Q. Did he subsequently join the company after May 1992?

21 A. Well, look, our task was to be on that village watch from to

22 Kraula to Jovankici. That's the name. Now, I really cannot remember. I

23 mean, I know that he was over 70. At the time, I don't think that he was

24 within the company itself.

25 Q. What about Golub Alimpic, Ziko's son? Was he in Krasanpolje at

Page 34190

1 that time as part of the company?

2 A. Yes, he was. And I think that he was in the company.

3 Q. Now, on 10 of May, 1992, Krasanpolje was attacked by Serb forces;

4 right?

5 A. Not attacked. Rather out of fear, because of what was going on

6 on the 9th of May in Glogova and the 5th, the killing of Goran Zekic,

7 I've already spoken about that, the Muslims asked to leave the village.

8 MR. GILLETT: Could we get 65 ter document 32410.

9 JUDGE ORIE: Before we look at that, you started your answer by

10 saying: "Not attacked. Rather, out of fear..."

11 Now, these are two different things. Whether you attack someone

12 because you are attacking him out of fear or out of aggressivity,

13 whatever, but was there an attack by Serb forces; that is, was armed

14 force used against that village on the 10th of May.

15 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] The 10th of May?

16 JUDGE ORIE: [Overlapping speakers]

17 THE INTERPRETER: Interpreter's note: Could the witness start

18 his answer again. We did not hear a few words.

19 JUDGE ORIE: One second. Could you please start your answer

20 again because the interpreters missed a few words.

21 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Because of what happened concerning

22 the death of Goran Zekic and then Glogova, I mean, the locals who were

23 Muslims, ethnic Muslims, they asked to leave the village, and they went

24 to the municipality of Bratunac. And then on the 10th, I mean, they sent

25 this bus, and there was this other group, I mean, of soldiers, at the

Page 34191

1 station in Krasanpolje. They gathered there. Some had left earlier.

2 Left the village earlier. Ran away. Probably out of fear. I don't

3 know. The bus was boarded by men, women, and children. That is to say,

4 the bus was full.

5 JUDGE ORIE: Witness, I am asking you whether armed force was

6 used against that village and its inhabitants. So could you please

7 answer that question.

8 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] As far as I know, force had not

9 been used.

10 JUDGE ORIE: Were you there?

11 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes.

12 JUDGE ORIE: So you didn't hear any shooting or you didn't see

13 anyone being threatened by arms, even without shots being fired. No use

14 or threat of weapons was used on that day against the village and its

15 inhabitants. Is that how I have to understand your testimony?

16 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] As for the area where I was, no,

17 there wasn't any shooting and there were no threats. I mean, they went

18 because they had asked to leave the village.

19 JUDGE ORIE: Please proceed.

20 MR. GILLETT:

21 Q. Did you hear that there was any shooting in Krasanpolje on

22 10 May 1992?

23 A. After the departure, yes. I mean, after the departure of the bus

24 that left with the local inhabitants of Muslim ethnicity. Yes, there was

25 shooting in the evening. All of that out of fear, that somebody had

Page 34192

1 stayed on from the direction of Glogova so that there would not be an

2 attack from the direction of Glogova.

3 Q. Who was the shooting coming from, as far as you're aware?

4 A. The Serbs. Because, I mean, well, most had weapons on both

5 sides. So after these people left, the Serbs were shooting.

6 Q. So there was shooting in Krasanpolje on 10 May 1992 by the Serbs,

7 but you maintain there was no attack or use of armed force in the

8 village. Is that your position?

9 A. There wasn't shooting. I mean, it's only natural. These

10 soldiers who came with the bus, they were armed. I mean, there wasn't

11 any shooting when they were getting out. I mean, these Muslims who

12 wished to leave. And there weren't that many of them and they all wanted

13 to leave. So that was that bus.

14 Q. I'll repeat my question. It was:

15 "So there was shooting in Krasanpolje on 10 May 1992 by the

16 Serbs, but you maintain that there was no attack or use of armed force in

17 the village. Is that your position?"

18 A. Yes, later when they left. It was in the evening hours.

19 MR. GILLETT: If we look at --

20 JUDGE MOLOTO: Can I just ask for clarification.

21 When the Serbs were shooting, what or whom were they shooting at?

22 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Well, in the evening, I mean, these

23 village guards, watches continued, and that's when the shooting happened.

24 They were firing into the air.

25 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you.

Page 34193

1 MR. GILLETT: If we look at 65 ter document 32410, this is a

2 statement dated 7 July 1992 from a Muslim resident of Krasanpolje. And

3 if we go to page 2 of B/C/S and English, we see that he states the

4 following:

5 "On 9 May 1992, there was nothing particular going on, only for

6 Krasanpolje, Dzafici and Lonjin to then be surrounded the following day,

7 10 May 1992, in the morning hours, by the Serb TO of Bratunac, who were

8 opening fire towards the said villages without any reason, chasing the

9 inhabitants off towards the bus station in Krasanpolje. The gathered

10 inhabitants, whom there were 3- to 400 of, were driven off in two buses

11 to the football pitch in Bratunac.

12 "When the inhabitants were being gathered, the territorials were

13 also carrying out the looting and torching of houses and outbuildings in

14 Krasanpolje and Dzafici and so, therefore, in connection with that, I

15 claim that I saw how the houses and outbuildings of the following were

16 torched ..."

17 He then lists people whose houses were torched. And I note for

18 the record in the English, the name of the village is written as

19 "Krasnopolje" but in the B/C/S original it's "Krasanpolje."

20 Sir, there were houses of Muslims burnt down in Krasanpolje on

21 10 May 1992; correct.

22 A. First of all, no way. 300, 400 Muslims on two buses? That they

23 could all fit in? No.

24 JUDGE ORIE: Witness, could you please focus on the question.

25 The question was: Were houses of Muslims burned down in Krasanpolje on

Page 34194

1 the 10th of May. Could you please answer that question.

2 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] On the 10th of May, no. Later,

3 yes, because it was impossible to protect them. During the night they

4 were burned. That is to say, after these Muslims left. Not on the 10th

5 of May.

6 MR. GILLETT:

7 Q. Are you claiming that the houses were burnt on the night of 10 to

8 11 May. Is that what you're saying?

9 A. Yes. The 9th and later. And then the 10th, during the day, no.

10 Well, I mean, there is this house that belongs to Bosniaks right next

11 door to my parents' house in Krasanpolje and that was not torched. So we

12 could not control this and --

13 JUDGE ORIE: Witness, again, the question is whether houses were

14 torched. The question was not whether all Muslim houses were torched.

15 So could you please tell us whether Muslim houses were torched evening of

16 the 10th of May, the night from the 10th to the 11th. Could you tell us

17 whether that happened or not?

18 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] It wasn't only the evening of the

19 10th that the torchings took place. During the month that followed, some

20 houses were torched. I mean, most were either destroyed or ... but not

21 on that day, the 10th.

22 JUDGE ORIE: Now, you said not only in the evening of the 10th.

23 And then you said: Most were destroyed but not on the -- on that day,

24 the 10th. How many houses approximately were torched on the 10th of May?

25 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] On the 10th during the day, no. In

Page 34195

1 the evening --

2 JUDGE ORIE: [Overlapping speakers]

3 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] In the evening, as far as I know,

4 one of these houses, a house belonging to the Avdics that is close to

5 this Golub Alimpic.

6 JUDGE ORIE: Yes. And how many houses were burnt, were torched

7 in the following days?

8 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I cannot remember that right now,

9 but this did happen. During the night, they were torched.

10 JUDGE ORIE: Please proceed.

11 MR. GILLETT:

12 Q. Muslims were also killed on 10 May 1992 in Krasanpolje, weren't

13 they?

14 A. No, not on the 10th. As far as I know.

15 Q. Are you saying you're not sure whether Muslims were killed on

16 10 May 1992, or you know that they were not killed?

17 A. That part where I was, no. No, they were not killed on the 10th

18 of May.

19 JUDGE MOLOTO: Can I just ask for clarification.

20 On what date do you -- were they killed if they were not killed

21 on the 10th of May, according to your knowledge?

22 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] No, as far as I know -- I mean, all

23 of these who were on the 10th -- I mean, the bus left and then, I mean,

24 at the end of the war they returned.

25 JUDGE MOLOTO: Sir, my question was: You say, no, they were not

Page 34196

1 killed on the 10th. My question to you is: According to you, on what

2 day were they killed, if they were killed at all?

3 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] In Krasanpolje, no. Not on that

4 day. Not later. Because already after the 10th, there weren't any in

5 Krasanpolje.

6 JUDGE MOLOTO: Earlier than the 10th?

7 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] No. Before the 10th, no. I mean,

8 before the 8th we didn't even have any of these problems.

9 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much.

10 Yes, Mr. Gillett.

11 MR. GILLETT:

12 Q. Sir, in the statement we have in front of us, various individuals

13 are listed as killed, including, Hasid Demirovic, aged around 70 years

14 old. He was killed on 10 May 1992, wasn't he?

15 A. Demirovic? I don't think he lived in Krasanpolje, no.

16 Q. Hasan Demirovic. He was listed as being mentally handicapped.

17 He killed on 10 May, 1992, in Krasanpolje?

18 A. No. I don't remember that.

19 Q. If we go to page 3 of the English of the statement, we see that

20 the statement maker lists the perpetrators that participated in these

21 crimes and included amongst them he mentions Slavoljub Mladjenovic. He

22 says: "He was one of the platoon commanders."

23 You were a platoon commander of the TO in Krasanpolje on

24 10 May 1992, weren't you.

25 A. Yes, I've already said that.

Page 34197

1 MR. GILLETT: Your Honours, I would tender this statement at this

2 stage. And I see we're coming close to the time for the break.

3 JUDGE ORIE: Yes, we are approximately at the time for the break.

4 Any objections? No objections.

5 Mr. Registrar, the number would be.

6 THE REGISTRAR: Exhibit P7301, Your Honours.

7 JUDGE ORIE: Admitted into evidence.

8 Mr. Gillett, I was just wondering, I don't know how you'll

9 continue, but in view of the last few questions, I would not have been

10 surprised if you would have asked for a 90(E) warning.

11 MR. GILLETT: Yes. Apologies. That is something I should have

12 raised for Your Honours.

13 JUDGE ORIE: Yes. Because we leave it to the parties.

14 Because -- but the parties know what questions will be asked and the

15 Chamber doesn't know in advance. But now I do not know whether after the

16 break we'll continue with similar questions, because then I would still

17 do it. Otherwise, I would retrospectively I would still inform the

18 witness about it.

19 MR. GILLETT: I think to be safe it is wise to inform the

20 witness.

21 JUDGE ORIE: Yes. Witness, a question was asked to you, and one

22 of the possible answers -- or at least it touches upon the possibility

23 that a truthful answer might incriminate yourself and for that reason I

24 would like to read to you Rule 90 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.

25 It reads:

Page 34198

1 "A witness may object to making any statement which might tend to

2 incriminate the witness. The Chamber may, however, compel the witness to

3 answer the question. Testimony compelled in this way shall not be used

4 as evidence in a subsequent prosecution against the witness for any

5 offence other than false testimony."

6 Is that rule clear to you, that if by giving a truthful answer

7 you might tend to incriminate yourself, that you can ask me to refrain

8 from answering that question and asking -- seeking permission for that?

9 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes.

10 JUDGE ORIE: That rule applies for any question that was put to

11 you already. I don't know whether retrospectively you would seek to be

12 relieved from an answer to the question, and I especially had in mind

13 after it was read to you that someone gave, I think, your name as one of

14 voluntary perpetrators, that a question was asked whether you were in a

15 certain position at that time similar to the one that witness had

16 mentioned.

17 If you want to withdraw that answer or if you want to seek

18 permission to not have answered that question, you have an opportunity to

19 do so, and the Rule applies for any future question that will be put to

20 you after the break.

21 I hear, at this moment, no further comment. So we leave it to

22 that. We'll take a break.

23 You may follow the usher. We'd like to see you back in 20

24 minutes.

25 [The witness stands down]

Page 34199

1 JUDGE ORIE: And we'll resume at quarter past 12.00.

2 --- Recess taken at 11.53 a.m.

3 --- On resuming at 12.14 p.m.

4 [The witness takes the stand]

5 JUDGE ORIE: Please proceed, Mr. Gillett.

6 MR. GILLETT: Thank you, Mr. President, Your Honours.

7 Q. Sir, before the break, you mentioned that the villagers from

8 Krasanpolje moved out because of what happened had to Zoran Zekic and

9 events in Glogova. Now, you know who Miroslav Deronjic is; right?

10 A. Yes.

11 Q. And you know he pleaded guilty in relation to events in Glogova

12 on 9 May 1992; right?

13 A. No, I don't know how he pleaded. I don't know.

14 MR. GILLETT: Can we get P3566. And this is a statement from

15 Miroslav Deronjic where he describes events in Glogova. If we can go to

16 page 20 in English, paragraph 106, which is pages 29 to 30 in the B/C/S

17 version.

18 Q. Now --

19 JUDGE ORIE: Would the witness know --

20 Do you know about the conviction of Mr. Deronjic, Witness?

21 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes, I do.

22 JUDGE ORIE: The witness may not be familiar with the

23 technicality of a guilty plea but apparently he is aware of Mr. Deronjic

24 being convicted.

25 Please proceed.

Page 34200

1 MR. GILLETT: Thank you.

2 Q. At paragraph 106, Miroslav Deronjic states the following:

3 "As stated in the database, during the attack on Glogova and

4 while the operational objective goal of the plan was being carried out to

5 move the Muslims out permanently from Bratunac municipality, the

6 inhabitants of Glogova, mostly women and children, were forcibly moved

7 out of Glogova. As a result of the attack on the village of Glogova on

8 9 May 1992, 65 Bosnian Muslims inhabitants of the village, were killed,

9 the entire Muslim population was moved out by force and a large number of

10 Bosnian Muslim homes were levelled. The mosque was also torched and

11 destroyed."

12 Sir, these are the events in Glogova that you referred to earlier

13 in your testimony from May 1992; right?

14 A. No I did not testify about Glogova. I testified about --

15 THE INTERPRETER: The interpreter missed the last word.

16 MR. GILLETT:

17 Q. Sir --

18 JUDGE ORIE: Could you repeat the last word. You testified about

19 what, if not about Glogova?

20 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] About the village of Krasan, but I

21 mentioned Glogova because the Muslims from Krasanpolje asked to move out

22 from their village because -- on the account of the events in Glogova.

23 JUDGE ORIE: I think that's how Mr. Gillett understood it, and

24 that's what he put to you, and I think the question has now been

25 answered, whether these are these events.

Page 34201

1 When you refer to Glogova, you refer to the events as was just

2 read out by Mr. Gillett reflecting what the statement of Mr. Deronjic

3 was?

4 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes.

5 JUDGE ORIE: Please proceed.

6 MR. GILLETT: Thank you, Mr. President.

7 Q. Sir, on 12th of July, when you came into - and this is 1995 -

8 when you came into Srebrenica as the commander of the PJP, you said that

9 you took a tour of the town; right?

10 A. Yes. The main street that leads from the football pitch in

11 Srebrenica towards Bratunac, i.e., from the road leading from Sase up to

12 the exit towards Zeleni Jadar, that main road, yes.

13 Q. And you said during this tour you saw a male dead body that you

14 said was most probably Muslim. On what basis did you consider the body

15 was "most probably Muslim"?

16 A. I concluded that because the body had been left lying there. If

17 he had been a fallen Serbian soldier, whoever was with him would have

18 probably taken him away.

19 Q. Was Nenad Deronjic with you when you took this tour around the

20 town of Srebrenica?

21 A. I can't remember. There were a couple of policemen. We were in

22 a car, a Golf 2 car, a grey car, a police vehicle from Bratunac. The

23 five of us came in it including Miroslav. I used that car as commander,

24 and I used that car when I toured the village. I can't remember the

25 policemen who were in the car on that specific occasion.

Page 34202

1 Q. Would it be fair to say your recollection concerning

2 Nenad Deronjic is vague around that period of time in Srebrenica?

3 A. No, Nenad Deronjic was on the bus together with Miroslav Gavic,

4 and he was tasked with scheduling the departures. I guarantee that

5 Miroslav [As interpreted] Deronjic was in Srebrenica both on the 12th and

6 on the 13th.

7 Q. When you saw this dead body on the evening of the 12th, as

8 commander of the PJP present, did you investigate the causes of death of

9 this person?

10 A. No, I did not. My task was just to secure the location. When

11 the police station was established, criminal police inspectors were

12 supposed to do that.

13 Q. A second ago, on the transcript, it appeared to say "I guarantee

14 that Miroslav Deronjic was in Srebrenica on the 12th and the 13th." I

15 take it you meant Nenad Deronjic.

16 A. Nenad Deronjic, not Miroslav Deronjic. Nenad Deronjic. He was a

17 policeman in the 2nd Company. Miroslav Deronjic was not in Srebrenica

18 with us. He was a member of the civilian authorities.

19 Q. And you said you did not investigate how this person died on the

20 evening of the 12th but that criminal police inspectors were supposed to

21 do that.

22 Do you know if they actually did investigate how this person

23 died?

24 A. I really don't know. You have to ask Petko Pavlovic. He was the

25 then chief of the police station.

Page 34203

1 Q. Now you claimed earlier today at temporary transcript page 26

2 that you saw Nenad Deronjic on the 13th of July, 1995. Where did you see

3 him, specifically?

4 A. In the police station in Srebrenica. He was on duty. The police

5 station had already been established. The duty service had already been

6 established, and he was on duty as the duty officer at that time.

7 Q. What time of the day was that on 13 July?

8 A. Throughout the entire day. Throughout the entire day.

9 Q. So your evidence is that he was in the police station throughout

10 the entire day - and I'm referring to Nenad Deronjic - on 13 July 1995?

11 A. Yes, yes.

12 MR. GILLETT: Could we get Exhibit D588 on the monitor.

13 Q. And while this is coming up, this is the Srebrenica log-book for

14 the police station.

15 Now, if we go to page 2 of the English and B/C/S, we see that

16 it's dated 12 July. And that's you assigned as working in the police

17 station at the top; correct?

18 A. Yes.

19 Q. And then if we --

20 A. Here this could be only for the 13th because on the 12th at 5.00

21 we were in Srebrenica, so it's possible that this refers to the 12th.

22 Q. So are you disputing that you were at work at the police station

23 as reflected here on 12th July? And I should note it's our understanding

24 this is the Srebrenica log-book.

25 A. I'm sure that this does not refer to the 12th. I was helping

Page 34204

1 with the station when it came to the establishment of the station, and I

2 also assisted at the check-points. So this cannot be -- or, rather, it

3 can be, because -- I apologise. 19 -- yes. Between 1900 and 0700 in the

4 morning, so we're talking about the night between the 12th and the 13th.

5 So, yes, this is plausible.

6 Q. And if we continue on a page, to the next page in B/C/S and

7 English, and if we can rotate the B/C/S and zoom in -- yes, on the left

8 side.

9 Here we see for the 13th of July, 1995, that again you're listed

10 as working in the police station. That's correct, isn't it?

11 A. I worked at the police station and I also worked with my own

12 unit. I assisted the people in the station, the deputy commander who

13 been appointed and who was in charge of the establishment of the police

14 station in Srebrenica, and I also secured the check-points together with

15 the members of the 2nd Company.

16 Q. So the notation next to your name, 07 to 07 hours, that means

17 that you were on duty for 24 hours from 7.00 a.m. on 13 July through to

18 7.00 a.m. 14th July; correct?

19 A. Yes, yes. Everybody had the same schedule. They were on duty

20 for the same duration of time.

21 Q. So when you say you secured the check-points together with the

22 members of the 2nd Company, does that mean you were not physically

23 located at the police station throughout that 24-hour period?

24 A. Yes. I was not physically present. I came to the police station

25 as necessary to be briefed. On the 13th, the 14th, and on the other days

Page 34205

1 or at nights I slept in Domavija. There was an UNPROFOR warehouse there,

2 and we also secured that facility.

3 Q. So if you were not present at the police station throughout 13

4 July 1995, how could you state, as you earlier stated, that you were with

5 Nenad Deronjic at the police station in Srebrenica throughout

6 13 July 1995?

7 A. Not the entire day. However, he was on duty, and whenever I

8 popped over, I saw him. He was on duty.

9 Q. So when you answered my question at transcript page 50, my

10 question was:

11 "So your evidence is that he was in the police station throughout

12 the entire day - and I'm referring to Nenad Deronjic - on 13 July 1995?"

13 And you said:

14 "Yes, yes."

15 That was, in fact, not correct. He was not present at the police

16 station throughout the entire day, was he?

17 A. Whenever I popped in the police station, Nenad was there. As a

18 person on duty, he had to be. And in my absence, and that absence never

19 lasted five hours, for example, I would go to the check-points and then I

20 would return to the police station, and whenever I returned to the police

21 station, Nenad was there. I saw him, I announced my presence, I asked

22 him to see the chief, and so on and so forth. It was Nenad.

23 MR. GILLETT: If we could go one further page on in this exhibit,

24 which is D588.

25 Q. We see at the top that Nenad Deronjic is listed as being on

Page 34206

1 security at Domavija and Drina, I understand that's the Domavija hotel,

2 and is not listed throughout the day as being present at the Srebrenica

3 police station, is he?

4 A. What date is this? I can't see that.

5 Q. This is a continuation of the assignments for 13 July, 1995.

6 A. If he was scheduled to provide security, then he was. I can't

7 remember exactly. We're talking about the 14th effectively? Or ...

8 Q. Sir, your recollection is vague in relation to --

9 A. Yes?

10 Q. -- Nenad Deronjic's location on 13 July 1995, isn't it?

11 A. No. I know exactly that he was in Srebrenica. Whenever I popped

12 in the police station, I found him there on duty as the duty police

13 officer.

14 Q. Now, sir, you yourself claim to have left Srebrenica on

15 13 July 1995, and we'll see this if we go to 65 ter document 1D5360.

16 JUDGE ORIE: Before we do that.

17 Witness, here, in the sequence of this document, Mr. Deronjic,

18 N. Deronjic, is reported as having played in a role of security of

19 Domavija and Drina between 7.00 in the morning and 7.00 in the evening.

20 Do you have any explanation as why he is here reported as not being at

21 the police station, whereas you said I always saw him there, whenever you

22 popped in?

23 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I'm talking about the 13th, whereas

24 this here supposedly covers the 14th and the 15th.

25 JUDGE ORIE: No, it does not. That's your -- you have invented

Page 34207

1 that.

2 This is the following page - and I take it that there's no page

3 left out.

4 MR. GILLETT: If I may. This was addressed last time D588 was

5 used, and the Prosecution at the time used 65 ter document 30998 because

6 there is a page of the English translation missing. But when you look at

7 the B/C/S and the English, it is perfectly clear that this is a

8 continuation of 13 July.

9 JUDGE ORIE: Yes.

10 MR. GILLETT: The missing English translation does not change the

11 position.

12 JUDGE ORIE: Yes. And has the missing English translation, is

13 now part of it?

14 MR. GILLETT: No. And I could suggest, obviously it's a Defence

15 exhibit, that if there was no objection, we could replace this version of

16 D588 with 65 ter document 30998 to avoid any ambiguity whatsoever.

17 JUDGE ORIE: Okay. I'm -- I think if the parties could agree on

18 that, we would hear from the results of that. And let's focus

19 exclusively on -- that the B/C/S version. It's just names and times.

20 And -- Witness, this is -- the Prosecution claims that this is

21 just the 13th of July, and perhaps we could go back one page if these are

22 sequential pages. You see here Mr. Deronjic being reported security of

23 Domavija from 7.00 in the morning until 1900 hours in the afternoon.

24 And could we go back for one page.

25 There, also for the 13th of July, I see Mr. N. Deronjic is

Page 34208

1 reported as on duty service from 9.00 in the evening until 7.00 in the

2 morning. Is that --

3 MR. GILLETT: I believe it says 19.

4 JUDGE ORIE: 19, yes, yes, I mean 19.

5 So according to this document, Mr. Deronjic was only in the

6 evening, on from 7.00, supposed to work in the police station; whereas,

7 from 7.00 in the morning until 7.00 at the evening, he is supposed to

8 have worked providing security for Domavija.

9 Do you have any comment on the -- this document compared to you

10 telling us that whenever you popped in during the day of the 13th, that

11 you always saw Mr. Deronjic in the police station?

12 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] On the 13th, Deronjic was in the

13 police station. I'm sure of that. Gavric and him were in charge of

14 working on the schedule. In the course of that day, whenever I popped

15 over at the police station I saw him there. On several occasions I saw

16 him there.

17 JUDGE ORIE: You're repeating your testimony rather than giving

18 an explanation, which you may not have.

19 Mr. Gillett, you may proceed.

20 MR. GILLETT: Then we would just note if we again go further one

21 page in the B/C/S original, and given this witness's evidence which he

22 has repeated, I'm not going to belabour the point, but we see that the

23 numbers beside Nenad Deronjic's name have been altered in some way.

24 Q. Do you see that those numbers have been altered, sir?

25 A. It says here from 0900 to 1900. As far as I can tell.

Page 34209

1 Q. My question wasn't what you think it says. It was that the

2 numbers have been altered. Do you agree with that?

3 A. I can't confirm that things have been altered. I can only see

4 that they have been made bolder.

5 Q. I'll move on.

6 Sir, if we could get 65 ter document 1D5360, and this is your

7 statement originally given to the Karadzic Defence.

8 MR. GILLETT: If we could go to paragraph 33, which should be

9 page 9 of the English; page 5 of the B/C/S.

10 Q. And here, sir, at paragraph 33, you claim:

11 "In the morning hours of 13 July 1995, I was informed over the

12 radio that the night before our policeman Zeljko Ninkovic had been

13 killed. Zeljko was a member of the 1st Company and they were in Sandici

14 providing security for the road. He was killed by Muslims, who had

15 attacked the police in that sector before dawn. I went to the funeral in

16 Bratunac that day and returned to Srebrenica in the evening."

17 According to your own statement to the Karadzic Defence, you were

18 not even in Srebrenica throughout the day of 13 July 1995; correct?

19 A. There's a mistake here. On the 13th, I condoled the family and

20 then I returned. The burial, however, was on the 14th of July, 1995.

21 Q. There were condolences for the family on the 13th and that was

22 outside of Srebrenica town, wasn't it, where the family was located?

23 A. Yes, they resided in Bratunac. Family Ninkovic resided in

24 Bratunac.

25 Q. So you did leave Srebrenica town to go and condole the family on

Page 34210

1 13 July 1995. That's your evidence, isn't it?

2 A. Yes.

3 MR. GILLETT: Your Honours, if I can just have a second.

4 [Prosecution counsel confer]

5 MR. GILLETT:

6 Q. Sir, in your evidence earlier, you mentioned a dispatch.

7 MR. GILLETT: If we could get document P2111.

8 Q. And, first, sir, one of the platoons of the 2nd PJP Company was

9 located in Konjevic Polje on 13 July 1995; right?

10 A. 2nd Company, my company? Is that what you mean? No. The

11 1st Platoon of my company was in Zvornik at Kula Grad, and the platoon

12 commander was with them Dzelmic [phoen], the deputy commander of my

13 company.

14 Q. Sir, if we now look at this dispatch, we'll see it's from the

15 chief of the CJB of Zvornik. Now, that was Dragomir Vasic at that time;

16 right?

17 Sir, just -- not looking at the document, could you confirm that

18 the chief of the CJB Zvornik at that time was Dragomir Vasic? This is in

19 July 1995.

20 A. Of course, yes.

21 Q. If we now look at paragraph 5 of this dispatch, which is on page

22 1 English and page 2 of the B/C/S, and I apologise, the B/C/S is slightly

23 faded but we'll do our best. It states:

24 "Acting upon the President Karadzic's order which was conveyed to

25 us today over the phone, the 2nd Company of the Zvornik PJP, (two

Page 34211

1 platoons-60 men) shall be dispatched to Srebrenica with a task to secure

2 all facilities of vital importance in the town, at all the [sic] costs

3 and protect them from looting and misappropriation."

4 Sir, that's the assignment of your members of your PJP to

5 Srebrenica town on 12 July; right?

6 A. Yes.

7 Q. It then goes on to sate: "It will carry out the task without

8 co-operation of military police which is busy with other tasks. A

9 platoon of this company will lie in ambush at Ravni Buljim, since the

10 Muslim groups were spotted fleeing along the [sic] axis."

11 Ravni Buljim is not Kula Grad. These are separate locations;

12 right?

13 A. Yes, yes, it's in the area of Bratunac. But there's no chance

14 that anyone of my platoons was in that area.

15 Q. And Ravni Buljim is located between Jaglici and Konjevic Polje,

16 isn't it?

17 A. Yes. It belongs to Kravica.

18 MR. GILLETT: Could we now look at 65 ter document -- sorry,

19 Exhibit P6687. And this is a bulletin from the Zvornik public security

20 centre for 13 and 14 July 1995.

21 If we look at page 2 of the English and B/C/S, under point number

22 5, we see that it states:

23 "Due to infiltration of enemy military formations from Srebrenica

24 into the zone of the Zvornik CJB and areas of Konjevic Polje, Cerska,

25 Han Pogled, Dzafin, Kamen, Snagovo, Maricici, and other places at risk,