Paramilitary pleads not guilty to Lovas crimes

A former paramilitary pleaded not guilty to charges of war crimes in the village of Lovas in Croatia in 1991 at the Belgrade War Crimes Chamber today. Petronije Stevanovic, who at that time was a member of the “Dusan Silni” paramilitary formation, said in his defense that after the attack on Lovas on October 10, 1991, he had taken part in the transport of civilians, but that he had not thrown grenades into houses or gardens, and that he had not killed any civilians. Paramilitary pleads not guilty to Lovas crimes According to the indictment, members of the former Territorial Defense, the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) and the “Dusan Silni” unit killed 21 civilians in their houses and gardens during the Lovas attack, and murdered a further 23 people in improvised prisons until October 18. “I didn’t kill anybody, nor did I see any corpses that day. I didn’t enter any houses or gardens. If people got killed, it was because of shells,” he said. The witness stated that detainees were held in custody in Zadruga until chief accused Ljuban Devetak, former commander of local authorities in Lovas, decided “what to do with them.” Stevanovic admitted that he had beaten prisoners with bats and that he had “slapped them about a bit,” explaining that that had happened on October 13, but he denied having used a knife. “We all beat them. I beat them with bats and kicked them, I couldn’t bring myself to hit them in the face,” the witness recalled. Confronted with statements from several Croatian witnesses and some defendants that he “had gone crazy with his knife,” and that he had killed a large number of civilians, Stevanovic said that that was not true, stating that he “detested knives and would sooner shoot someone.” He denied being a group that had taken some 50 civilians to a minefield on October 18 , when 20 are said to have died, and 12 were injured. Stevanovic said that a group of about 30 volunteers had been told before the attack on Lovas that 10 shells would be launched at the village and that they would enter Lovas after 1000, and that Devetak had told them not to act like beasts, and not to throw bombs at houses and gardens. He said that he had been a member of Mirko Joviccs Serbian National Renewal Party, and that Jovic had addressed him with the words “thank you brothers for responding” before heading for the “front”. 14 suspects stand accused of the crimes in Lovas, 7 of whom are out on bail. Aleksandar Nikolaidis, a member of the “Dusan Silni” unity, was the first to plead to the charges, admitting that Croatian civilians had been arrested, tortured and killed on Devetak’s orders between October 10 and 18, 1991, but denying that he had participated in any of those crimes.

Paramilitary pleads not guilty to Lovas crimes

According to the indictment, members of the former Territorial Defense, the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) and the “Dušan Silni” unit killed 21 civilians in their houses and gardens during the Lovas attack, and murdered a further 23 people in improvised prisons until October 18.

“I didn’t kill anybody, nor did I see any corpses that day. I didn’t enter any houses or gardens. If people got killed, it was because of shells,” he said.

The witness stated that detainees were held in custody in Zadruga until chief accused Ljuban Devetak, former commander of local authorities in Lovas, decided “what to do with them.”

Stevanović admitted that he had beaten prisoners with bats and that he had “slapped them about a bit,” explaining that that had happened on October 13, but he denied having used a knife.

“We all beat them. I beat them with bats and kicked them, I couldn’t bring myself to hit them in the face,” the witness recalled.

Confronted with statements from several Croatian witnesses and some defendants that he “had gone crazy with his knife,” and that he had killed a large number of civilians, Stevanović said that that was not true, stating that he “detested knives and would sooner shoot someone.”

He denied being a group that had taken some 50 civilians to a minefield on October 18 , when 20 are said to have died, and 12 were injured.

Stevanović said that a group of about 30 volunteers had been told before the attack on Lovas that 10 shells would be launched at the village and that they would enter Lovas after 1000, and that Devetak had told them not to act like beasts, and not to throw bombs at houses and gardens.

He said that he had been a member of Mirko Joviććs Serbian National Renewal Party, and that Jović had addressed him with the words “thank you brothers for responding” before heading for the “front”.

14 suspects stand accused of the crimes in Lovas, 7 of whom are out on bail.

Aleksandar Nikolaidis, a member of the “Dušan Silni” unity, was the first to plead to the charges, admitting that Croatian civilians had been arrested, tortured and killed on Devetak’s orders between October 10 and 18, 1991, but denying that he had participated in any of those crimes.