Trial of Croat war crimes suspect continues

ZAGREB Witness Miro Bajramovic, who was the first to talk about crimes of Tomislav Mercep’s unit in Western Slavonia, did not show up in court on Friday. This is the third time that Bajramovic failed to come to the trial as a witness and he will be forcibly brought to court for the next hearing in February. Trial of Croat war crimes suspect continues Mercep, who was a Croat wartime assistant interior minister and former adviser to the Interior Ministry, is on trial for war crimes against Serb civilians in Zagreb, Pakrac and Kutina in late 1991. Bajramovic, who stood trial for murders in Pakracka poljana, is a former member of Mercep’s notorious unit. He was the first to speak about arrests, abuse, torture and murders of Serb civilians in 1991, claiming that Mercep knew very well what was going on even though he did not personally participate in executions. In the continuation of the trial, Nikola Radojcic of Kutina testified that armed persons took Vasilije Miletic and his son Milorad in 1991. The two Serbs were later killed in the town of Bujavica. The witness testified that he had heard that they had been killed by members of Mercep’s unit. Mercep is charged with the murder of 43 persons, including three members of the Serb Zec family in Zagreb, and with disappearance of another three persons. He was arrested in late 2012 and his trial started in February 2012. He denied he was responsible for the crimes at the beginning of the trial. Tomislav Mercep (Beta, file) Beta

Trial of Croat war crimes suspect continues

Merčep, who was a Croat wartime assistant interior minister and former adviser to the Interior Ministry, is on trial for war crimes against Serb civilians in Zagreb, Pakrac and Kutina in late 1991.

Bajramović, who stood trial for murders in Pakračka poljana, is a former member of Merčep’s notorious unit.

He was the first to speak about arrests, abuse, torture and murders of Serb civilians in 1991, claiming that Merčep knew very well what was going on even though he did not personally participate in executions.

In the continuation of the trial, Nikola Radojčić of Kutina testified that armed persons took Vasilije Miletić and his son Milorad in 1991. The two Serbs were later killed in the town of Bujavica. The witness testified that he had heard that they had been killed by members of Merčep’s unit.

Merčep is charged with the murder of 43 persons, including three members of the Serb Zec family in Zagreb, and with disappearance of another three persons.

He was arrested in late 2012 and his trial started in February 2012. He denied he was responsible for the crimes at the beginning of the trial.