Hague hears about Mujaheddin "psychological preparations"

The trial of former Bosnian Muslim Army chief Rasim Delic continued at the Hague Tribunal. In 1995, the El Mujahid Detachment "dealt with all the issues" in cooperation with Zilkic’s superior officer Fadil Hasanagic, who was the commander of the 35th Division in the Bosnian Army 3rd Corps. Hague hears about Mujaheddin "psychological preparations" Delic is standing trial charged with command responsibility for the war crimes Arab Mujaheddin forces committed against Serb and Croat soldiers and civilians during the 1992-1995 war. In his examination-in chief, Zilkic noted that Hasanagic had introduced him to Abu Mali, the then commander of the El Mujahid Detachment, at a meeting in Zavidovici in early 1995. Hasanagic told Zilkic that the detachment would be deployed in his zone of responsibility until further notice. At that meeting, Abu Mali was accompanied by two other El Mujahid Detachment members, a man by the name of Muatez and Ajman, an interpreter. The witness met with those El Mujahid Detachment members on two other occasions, once in the Panorama restaurant on September 10, 1995, the first day of Vozuca Operation and once in the Natron factory near Maglaj a couple of days later. He was in the company of Sakib Mahmuljin, the 3rd Corps commander, who was issuing orders and instructions for the combat tasks to the commanders of subordinate units, the witness said. The witness went on to say that he had re-subordinated elements of his brigade to the El Mujahid Detachment several times in 1995 on the orders of the 35th Division commander. The unit that was re-subordinated most often was the Asim Camdzic unit whose members were religious, wore beards and behaved like the members of the El Mujahid Detachment, he said. These troops underwent seven-day training before going into combat, the witness said. The El Mujahid Detachment conducted this training in the village of Cardak in the Gostovic area. The training was of "psychological" nature. The objective was to raise morale and "to meld together" the Bosnian Army troops and El Mujahid Detachment so they would be "as compact as possible2 in the forthcoming actions. The witness confirmed that he had been notified about the capture of a group of the Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) soldiers in the village of Kesten on September 11, 1995 and of their subsequent kidnapping. According to him, he informed his superior officer Fadil Hasanagic about this that same day. In his evidence at the trial of Delic in late August 2007, Hasanagic claimed that the 35th division had not been informed about the crimes that had been committed, as alleged in the indictment, by the El Mujahid Detachment. Sakib Mahmuljin, the 3rd Corps commander, assigned the tasks for the El Mujahid Detachment in the course of the Vozuca Operation in September 1995, Hasanagic said. The trial continues on Tuesday when Delic's defense will cross-examine the witness.

Hague hears about Mujaheddin "psychological preparations"

Delić is standing trial charged with command responsibility for the war crimes Arab Mujaheddin forces committed against Serb and Croat soldiers and civilians during the 1992-1995 war.

In his examination-in chief, Zilkić noted that Hasanagić had introduced him to Abu Mali, the then commander of the El Mujahid Detachment, at a meeting in Zavidovići in early 1995.

Hasanagić told Zilkić that the detachment would be deployed in his zone of responsibility until further notice. At that meeting, Abu Mali was accompanied by two other El Mujahid Detachment members, a man by the name of Muatez and Ajman, an interpreter.

The witness met with those El Mujahid Detachment members on two other occasions, once in the Panorama restaurant on September 10, 1995, the first day of Vozuća Operation and once in the Natron factory near Maglaj a couple of days later.

He was in the company of Sakib Mahmuljin, the 3rd Corps commander, who was issuing orders and instructions for the combat tasks to the commanders of subordinate units, the witness said.

The witness went on to say that he had re-subordinated elements of his brigade to the El Mujahid Detachment several times in 1995 on the orders of the 35th Division commander.

The unit that was re-subordinated most often was the Asim Camdžić unit whose members were religious, wore beards and behaved like the members of the El Mujahid Detachment, he said.

These troops underwent seven-day training before going into combat, the witness said. The El Mujahid Detachment conducted this training in the village of Čardak in the Gostović area.

The training was of "psychological" nature. The objective was to raise morale and "to meld together" the Bosnian Army troops and El Mujahid Detachment so they would be "as compact as possible2 in the forthcoming actions.

The witness confirmed that he had been notified about the capture of a group of the Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) soldiers in the village of Kesten on September 11, 1995 and of their subsequent kidnapping. According to him, he informed his superior officer Fadil Hasanagić about this that same day.

In his evidence at the trial of Delić in late August 2007, Hasanagić claimed that the 35th division had not been informed about the crimes that had been committed, as alleged in the indictment, by the El Mujahid Detachment.

Sakib Mahmuljin, the 3rd Corps commander, assigned the tasks for the El Mujahid Detachment in the course of the Vozuća Operation in September 1995, Hasanagić said.

The trial continues on Tuesday when Delić's defense will cross-examine the witness.