In the continuation of the trial of Zijad Srabovic, accused with seven other persons for the crimes committed in Lukavac, a military expert presented his findings and opinion on the organizational and formation structure of the Territorial Defense (TO) Lukavac, the Military Police, and the Military Security Service.
Martin Francesevic, a military expert, presented, at the invitation of the defense of the first defendant, the findings and opinion that he made in September 2022 on the order of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
He stated that the TO Lukavac Municipal Headquarters was formed according to the same principles as other headquarters and that the Headquarters in Lukavac was larger.
”The headquarters consisted of seven battalions and additionally three independent platoons,” said the expert, and added that within the Headquarters there was a Sector for Military Security and Military Police.
The expert explained that the commander of the Municipal Headquarters of the TO was superior to everyone and that the Headquarters was equivalent to a brigade.
”Only the Headquarters Commander had the ability to issue orders, while the other battalion and platoon commanders operationally implemented those orders or commands,” the expert explained.
He stated that until September 1992, the Headquarters of the TO, as well as the Military Security Sector and the Military Police, worked according to the Rulebook on the Work of the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) and that after that the Presidency of BiH adopted the rulebooks that were followed.
During the cross-examination, the prosecutor Eldina Biuk asked the expert whether in the organs of the structure the assistant commander for security is superior to the Military Police, to which the expert said that ”he can be superior, but if he carries out the order of the commander of the Municipal Headquarters”.
The prosecutor read a part of the expert’s opinion in which it was stated that ”the detention of civilians of Serbian nationality is not a priori with the rules of international law of war”, to which the expert said that he did not write that.
”The military police can detain civilians if they commit a criminal offense against military property or military personnel and if there is a suspicion that they possess certain weapons that could be used to commit a criminal offense,” said the expert and added that the Military Police cannot enter the apartments of the civilian population without an order.
The indictment charges Zijad Srabovic, Refik Morankic, Ahmet Bajric, Abid Arapcic, Senaid Cosic, Pasag Cajic, Samir Dzambic, and Mirsad Zilic for inhumane treatment, torture, and murder of civilians in schools in Lukavac and the facility ”Slaughterhouse” (”Klaonica”) in Modrac, committed in the period from June to October 1992.
According to the indictment, Srabovic was the assistant commander for security at the TO Headquarters in Lukavac, Morankic was the commander of ”Fiko’s unit” (Fikina jedinica), and the other accused were members of that unit or military policemen.
The continuation of the trial is scheduled for December 8th, Detektor reports.
E.Dz.
photo: illustration
