Busy schedule of War Crimes Prosecution

Busy schedule of War Crimes Prosecution

The crime refers to an attack by Bosniak forces on a Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) convoy that was withdrawing from Sarajevo, with guarantees previously given by then Bosniak leader Alija Izetbegović that the JNA troops would be allowed to leave their barracks peacefully.

However, twenty eight people were reportedly killed in the attack that followed agreement.

Vekarić added that the Prosecution was continuing the investigation into the 1992 war crime in Tuzla known as the Tuzla Column, involving an attack on JNA troops on May 15, 1992, carried out by a Bosnian Muslim paramilitary force, under similar circumstances.

The JNA came under attack as it was withdrawing as agreed from the city of Tuzla, while the entire incident was being broadcast live on a local TV station. Up to 200 JNA members were reportedly killed and 140 were taken prisoner.

The investigation is continuing into the Lovas war crime during which 70 civilians were abused and subsequently killed in the eastern Croatian village in October and November 1991.

Four former JNA soldiers, four members of the civilian and military authorities in Lovas and four paramilitaries from the Dušan Silni paramilitary unit are suspected of committing the crime.

The spokesperson stressed that the Prosecution was conducting a probe into Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) zones of responsibility regarding crimes committed against Serbs in Kosovo.

“We are also looking into the consequences of a transfer of authorities from UNMIK to an EU mission to Kosovo that may occur in the future,” he said.

In addition to this, the Prosecution has appealed against a court decision releasing Vladimir Kovačević, also known as Rambo, from detention on the grounds of poor health.

Kovačević, a former JNA officer, is suspected of taking part in the 1991 bombing of Dubrovnik, Croatia.

“It is the Prosecution’s belief that he poses a danger to society and should thus be remanded in custody,” Vekarić said.

He noted that war crimes prosecutors had launched preliminary investigations into seven cases taken over from Croatia’s War Crimes Prosecution.