Defense case continues at Medak trial

At the Medak Pocket war crimes trial, defendant Rahim Ademi said that he would never have been indicted if the Hague had received all the relevant documentation.

Izvor: Beta

Wednesday, 30.04.2008.

10:42

Default images

At the Medak Pocket war crimes trial, defendant Rahim Ademi said that he would never have been indicted if the Hague had received all the relevant documentation. “All the documents going in my favor, such as the attack commands for the Ninth Guards Brigade or about the formation of sector one, were never sent to the Hague,” said the retired Croatian general, adding that “among those documents is also the war logbook of the Ninth Guards Brigade, commanded by the other defendant Mirko Norac.” Defense case continues at Medak trial “That is a very valuable document. I am convinced that somebody has hidden it somewhere. If all the documents had been sent to the Hague, I would never have been charged with what I am being charged with now,” Ademi lamented. Former Commander of the General Staff General Petar Stipetic, who earlier appeared as a witness in this trial, blamed Admiral Davor Domazet, who he claimed was the real commander of the action, for the disappearance of those documents. Similar statements were made by Ademi during his defense. Stressing that during the operation he had been deputy commandant of the Gospic War district, responsible for only two defensive positions, Ademi said that the Medak Pocket operation had been led by General Janko Bobetko, assisted by his deputy Domazat, while the forces on the ground had been commanded by Norac. On the third day of the defense’s case, Ademi also recalled his dismissal, of which he was informed by Bobetko, who told him that such a decision had been taken under pressure from the international community and UNPROFOR. The meeting where Ademi and fellow commander Mila Kosovic were dismissed, was attended by Bobetko and former Defense Minister Gojko Susak who, according to Ademi, also confirmed that they had not done anything wrong, but that it had been “a political decision.” The defendant stated that he had objected to having to step down without any responsibility or guilt being established against him, and he added that Susak had been the only military or political official that had acted sincerely and kept all his promises, and who three months later had appointed him as Deputy Commandant of the Split war district, commanded by Ante Gotovina. During his statement, Ademi’s also thanked the court for being able for the first time to present documents going in his favor that had previously been unavailable.

Defense case continues at Medak trial

“That is a very valuable document. I am convinced that somebody has hidden it somewhere. If all the documents had been sent to the Hague, I would never have been charged with what I am being charged with now,” Ademi lamented.

Former Commander of the General Staff General Petar Stipetić, who earlier appeared as a witness in this trial, blamed Admiral Davor Domazet, who he claimed was the real commander of the action, for the disappearance of those documents. Similar statements were made by Ademi during his defense.

Stressing that during the operation he had been deputy commandant of the Gospić War district, responsible for only two defensive positions, Ademi said that the Medak Pocket operation had been led by General Janko Bobetko, assisted by his deputy Domazat, while the forces on the ground had been commanded by Norac.

On the third day of the defense’s case, Ademi also recalled his dismissal, of which he was informed by Bobetko, who told him that such a decision had been taken under pressure from the international community and UNPROFOR.

The meeting where Ademi and fellow commander Mila Kosović were dismissed, was attended by Bobetko and former Defense Minister Gojko Šušak who, according to Ademi, also confirmed that they had not done anything wrong, but that it had been “a political decision.”

The defendant stated that he had objected to having to step down without any responsibility or guilt being established against him, and he added that Šušak had been the only military or political official that had acted sincerely and kept all his promises, and who three months later had appointed him as Deputy Commandant of the Split war district, commanded by Ante Gotovina.

During his statement, Ademi’s also thanked the court for being able for the first time to present documents going in his favor that had previously been unavailable.

Komentari 0

0 Komentari

Možda vas zanima

Podeli: