Kosovo Six: Lukić witness testifies

The trial of the Kosovo Six continued with the testimony of one of Sreten Lukic's defense witness. Lukic's witness contradicted the testimony of his colleague from the Interior Ministry. In the spring of 1999, the two of them transferred bodies of Albanians from Kosovo to Serbia. Kosovo Six: Lukic witness testifies Their stories were similar, the only difference being that one witness said that he had received his instructions from General Djordjevic and the other that he had been told what to do by Lukic himself. In the spring of 1999, Cedomir Sakic worked for the Serbian Interior Ministry’s Security Unit. In this capacity, he escorted refrigerated trucks carrying bodies of Kosovo Albanians from Kosovo to Serbia on four occasions. On each occasion, police officer Bozidar Protic drove the truck. In March 2007, Protic gave evidence as a prosecution witness. He was instructed by police General Lukic before leaving for Kosovo and before returning to Serbia, he claimed. Lukic is one of six accused of the crimes in Kosovo in 1999. Testifying in Lukic's defense, Sakic said that he had received an order from a colonel by the name of Sipovac in late April 1999 telling him to go to Kosovo with Protic and some police officers. According to the witness, Protic took them to a market in Pristina where he picked up a refrigerated truck loaded with bodies and set off towards Serbia. The witness and other police officers escorted him in a police car as far as Velika Plana. There Protic sounded his horn, and indicated they should continue on to Belgrade. Protic left the highway there and went on to Petrovo Selo near Kladovo. A few days later, Sakic escorted Protic to Pristina once again. They picked up the refrigerated truck in the Rilindija TV station car park. On their way back, they turned off at the Batajnica exit, close to Belgrade. Twenty days later, they headed for Kosovska Mitrovica where they waited for Protic’s truck to be loaded. Sakic asked a police captain what they were doing. “We are loading Albanians. They were killed by their own, NATO,“ he replied. The bodies were then driven once again to the Interior Ministry’s Special Anti-Terrorist Unit base in Batajnica. On their fourth trip to Kosovo, Protic picked up bodies in the village of Janjevo near Pristina and moved them to Petrovo Selo, the witness said. During his testimony, Protic did not mention their first trip to Pristina, but the details of the other three trips to Kosovo chimed with Sakic's evidence. However, Protic claimed that he had received instructions for the transfer of bodies from Lukic. Protic had claimed that he had called Lukic several times from land lines in various locations around Kosovo. Sakic contradicted this, saying that when they had traveled to Kosovo together Protic had used only his mobile phone. On one occasion, Protic had even told him that he had talked to Vlastimir Djordjevic, then chief of the Interior Ministry’s Public Security Sector . According to the witness, Protic wanted to get even with Lukic for their post-war falling out. Protic had applied to the Interior Ministry for a flat, but Lukic had not wanted to help him. To corroborate this, Sakic recounted a conversation with Protic in 2005 when the police officer had told him that he would testify in The Hague and use the opportunity to "bury Lukic 50 meters under.”

Kosovo Six: Lukić witness testifies

Their stories were similar, the only difference being that one witness said that he had received his instructions from General Đorđević and the other that he had been told what to do by Lukić himself.

In the spring of 1999, Čedomir Sakić worked for the Serbian Interior Ministry’s Security Unit. In this capacity, he escorted refrigerated trucks carrying bodies of Kosovo Albanians from Kosovo to Serbia on four occasions.

On each occasion, police officer Božidar Protić drove the truck. In March 2007, Protić gave evidence as a prosecution witness. He was instructed by police General Lukić before leaving for Kosovo and before returning to Serbia, he claimed.

Lukić is one of six accused of the crimes in Kosovo in 1999.

Testifying in Lukić's defense, Sakić said that he had received an order from a colonel by the name of Šipovac in late April 1999 telling him to go to Kosovo with Protić and some police officers.

According to the witness, Protić took them to a market in Priština where he picked up a refrigerated truck loaded with bodies and set off towards Serbia. The witness and other police officers escorted him in a police car as far as Velika Plana.

There Protić sounded his horn, and indicated they should continue on to Belgrade. Protić left the highway there and went on to Petrovo Selo near Kladovo.

A few days later, Sakić escorted Protić to Priština once again. They picked up the refrigerated truck in the Rilindija TV station car park. On their way back, they turned off at the Batajnica exit, close to Belgrade.

Twenty days later, they headed for Kosovska Mitrovica where they waited for Protić’s truck to be loaded. Sakić asked a police captain what they were doing. “We are loading Albanians. They were killed by their own, NATO,“ he replied.

The bodies were then driven once again to the Interior Ministry’s Special Anti-Terrorist Unit base in Batajnica. On their fourth trip to Kosovo, Protić picked up bodies in the village of Janjevo near Priština and moved them to Petrovo Selo, the witness said.

During his testimony, Protić did not mention their first trip to Priština, but the details of the other three trips to Kosovo chimed with Sakić's evidence. However, Protić claimed that he had received instructions for the transfer of bodies from Lukić.

Protić had claimed that he had called Lukić several times from land lines in various locations around Kosovo.

Sakić contradicted this, saying that when they had traveled to Kosovo together Protić had used only his mobile phone. On one occasion, Protić had even told him that he had talked to Vlastimir Đorđević, then chief of the Interior Ministry’s Public Security Sector .

According to the witness, Protić wanted to get even with Lukić for their post-war falling out. Protić had applied to the Interior Ministry for a flat, but Lukić had not wanted to help him. To corroborate this, Sakić recounted a conversation with Protić in 2005 when the police officer had told him that he would testify in The Hague and use the opportunity to "bury Lukić 50 meters under.”