Former Bosnian army chief trial continues

The war crimes trial of former Bosnian Army chief of staff Rasim Delic continued at the Hague Tribunal Tuesday. Ismet Alija, the former head of the Bosnian Army Operational Planning Department at the command post in Kakanj, told the court that the El Mujahid Detachment was not a part of the Bosnian Army chain of command. Former Bosnian army chief trial continues In his testimony at the trial of Rasim Delic, he said that the Mujahideen "took independent decisions" and once they made a decision, "nobody could do anything to them." In his examination-in chief, the prosecution witness noted that the Operational Planning Department daily monitored the situation on the front through the reports it received. Weekly and monthly combat plans were made up on the basis of the information sent by subordinated units. One such report, tendered into evidence by the prosecution, mentions “the El Mujahid Detachment as the lead agent of the forthcoming task.” Judge Harhoff asked the witness if this meant that the El Mujahid Detachment was ‘the leading formation’ in the 35th Division. The witness said it did not, clarifying that this was ‘a specific case’. However, a bit later he did say that he was not sure how often such tasks were given to the El Mujahid Detachment. Commenting on a document presented by the prosecution about the Bosnian Army operations on the Vozuca-Ozren front in the summer of 1995, the witness said that "this report had been written after the genocide in Zepa and Srebrenica." The Bosnian Army General Staff decided to launch combat operations throughout the theater to save the survivors from Zepa and Srebrenica, given that this had not been done by those who had been supposed to save them, according to the witness. Alija also said that those were the members of the UN Dutch Battalion who "instead of helping and protecting them made it possible for the aggressor to slaughter and kill them and thus commit the worst genocide after the 2nd World War." Presiding Judge Bakone Moloto interrupted the witness then, asking prosecutor Laurie Sartorio to "try and control her witness." The trial will continue with Rasim Delic’s defense cross-examining the witness.

Former Bosnian army chief trial continues

In his testimony at the trial of Rasim Delić, he said that the Mujahideen "took independent decisions" and once they made a decision, "nobody could do anything to them."

In his examination-in chief, the prosecution witness noted that the Operational Planning Department daily monitored the situation on the front through the reports it received.

Weekly and monthly combat plans were made up on the basis of the information sent by subordinated units.

One such report, tendered into evidence by the prosecution, mentions “the El Mujahid Detachment as the lead agent of the forthcoming task.”

Judge Harhoff asked the witness if this meant that the El Mujahid Detachment was ‘the leading formation’ in the 35th Division.

The witness said it did not, clarifying that this was ‘a specific case’. However, a bit later he did say that he was not sure how often such tasks were given to the El Mujahid Detachment.

Commenting on a document presented by the prosecution about the Bosnian Army operations on the Vozuća-Ozren front in the summer of 1995, the witness said that "this report had been written after the genocide in Žepa and Srebrenica."

The Bosnian Army General Staff decided to launch combat operations throughout the theater to save the survivors from Žepa and Srebrenica, given that this had not been done by those who had been supposed to save them, according to the witness.

Alija also said that those were the members of the UN Dutch Battalion who "instead of helping and protecting them made it possible for the aggressor to slaughter and kill them and thus commit the worst genocide after the 2nd World War."

Presiding Judge Bakone Moloto interrupted the witness then, asking prosecutor Laurie Sartorio to "try and control her witness."

The trial will continue with Rasim Delić’s defense cross-examining the witness.