Hague on 60 Serb soldiers, civilians taken by Mujaheddin

The trial of Rasim Delic, former Bosnian Army chief, continued at the Hague Tribunal Thursday. Delic is charged with having command responsibility for the war crimes committed by Arab Mujaheddin against Bosnian Serbs during the 1992-1995 war in that country. Hague on 60 Serb soldiers, civilians taken by Mujaheddin Prosecution witness Ahmet Sehic, former commander of the 5th Battalion in the 328 Mountain Brigade, 35th Division, 3rd Corps in the Bosnian Army, testifies at the trial yesterday. He confirmed to the court that his soldiers captured a group of some fifty Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) soldiers in the village of Kesten, on Mt. Ozren, on September 11, 1995. In the first part of his evidence, the witness said he had been told that day by "some 2nd Company troops about fifty enemy soldiers who had been captured and kept in the village of Kesten." When he received this report, the witness claims he called Fuad Zilkic, the commander of the 328th Brigade, asking him to provide a truck to transport the prisoners to the location where all the prisoners were to be gathered, "somewhere near Zavidovici". Zilkic ordered him to go to Kesten himself "to make sure that everything is done in a proper military way, according to the rules." "Zilkic also promised to send him a truck, saying he would inform the military police and the superior command in the 35th Division. On his arrival to Kesten, Sehic was told by his deputy, who was in the village, that the 2nd Company troops "have encountered problems with the Arabs who want to take the prisoners." His deputy also told him that at one point he was forced to cock his rifle and point it at one of the Arabs in an effort to protect the captured VRS soldiers. When prosecutor Daryl Mundis asked whether those Arabs were members of the El Mujahid Detachment, the witness answered that he was "not positive2 because "all of them wore Arab clothes2, while, "as far as he knew the El Mujahid Detachment members wore uniforms." According to the indictment against Delic, Bosnian Army troops on that day handed over about 60 captured Serb soldiers and civilians to the Mujaheddin, including three women. The prisoners were allegedly taken to the El Mujahid Detachment camp in Gostovic. After that, they disappeared without a trace and are presumed dead. The witness continues his evidence on Monday.

Hague on 60 Serb soldiers, civilians taken by Mujaheddin

Prosecution witness Ahmet Šehić, former commander of the 5th Battalion in the 328 Mountain Brigade, 35th Division, 3rd Corps in the Bosnian Army, testifies at the trial yesterday.

He confirmed to the court that his soldiers captured a group of some fifty Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) soldiers in the village of Kesten, on Mt. Ozren, on September 11, 1995.

In the first part of his evidence, the witness said he had been told that day by "some 2nd Company troops about fifty enemy soldiers who had been captured and kept in the village of Kesten."

When he received this report, the witness claims he called Fuad Zilkić, the commander of the 328th Brigade, asking him to provide a truck to transport the prisoners to the location where all the prisoners were to be gathered, "somewhere near Zavidovići".

Zilkić ordered him to go to Kesten himself "to make sure that everything is done in a proper military way, according to the rules."

"Zilkić also promised to send him a truck, saying he would inform the military police and the superior command in the 35th Division.

On his arrival to Kesten, Šehić was told by his deputy, who was in the village, that the 2nd Company troops "have encountered problems with the Arabs who want to take the prisoners."

His deputy also told him that at one point he was forced to cock his rifle and point it at one of the Arabs in an effort to protect the captured VRS soldiers.

When prosecutor Daryl Mundis asked whether those Arabs were members of the El Mujahid Detachment, the witness answered that he was "not positive2 because "all of them wore Arab clothes2, while, "as far as he knew the El Mujahid Detachment members wore uniforms."

According to the indictment against Delić, Bosnian Army troops on that day handed over about 60 captured Serb soldiers and civilians to the Mujaheddin, including three women.

The prisoners were allegedly taken to the El Mujahid Detachment camp in Gostović. After that, they disappeared without a trace and are presumed dead.

The witness continues his evidence on Monday.