ZAGREB/THE HAGUE, Jan 29 (Hina) - Rebel Serbs in eastern Slavonia got their weapons illegally from the other side of the Danube (Serbia). Their own civilian police in the Vukovar municipality was set up under instructions from Serbia,
protected witness registered as C-13 testified at the trial of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic on Wednesday.
ZAGREB/THE HAGUE, Jan 29 (Hina) - Rebel Serbs in eastern Slavonia
got their weapons illegally from the other side of the Danube
(Serbia). Their own civilian police in the Vukovar municipality was
set up under instructions from Serbia, protected witness
registered as C-13 testified at the trial of former Yugoslav
president Slobodan Milosevic on Wednesday. #L#
The testimony was frequently closed for the media to further
protect the witness's identity.
C-13 confirmed that the then Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) troops,
entering Croatia from Serbia via a bridge connecting Erdut and
Bogojevo, had attacked Dalj and Erdut on August 1, 1991.
The witness also said that the interior ministry of the "Serb
autonomous region of eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Srijem"
had been established at Serbia's incentive.
After the assault on Dalj and Erdut, in which "Croatians put up
resistance, but could not do much against armoured vehicles," all
Croat residents fled towards Aljmas, and then, by ships organised
by Croatia, along the Drava River to Osijek.
The witness also confirmed questions by the prosecution about
whether he had seen Arkan and members of his units, "Tigres", in
eastern Slavonia, saying that they had stood out with their
completely black uniforms, top equipment and arms intended for
special units.
C-13 said he knew of prisons, such as the one in a Borovo Selo movie
theatre, where the local Croat residents had been abused. He also
said Arkan had entered the prisons when he wanted and took away
whoever he wanted.
The prosecution will continue to exam the witness on Thursday.
(hina) lml sb