THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Sept 3 (Hina) - A witness for the prosecution in the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic before the Hague war crimes tribunal spoke on Wednesday of the Serbs' April 1992 siege of Bijeljina, Bosnia,
crimes committed by paramilitary troops, and the privileged position of Serbs before the 1990s war.
THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Sept 3 (Hina) - A witness for the prosecution in
the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic before
the Hague war crimes tribunal spoke on Wednesday of the Serbs' April
1992 siege of Bijeljina, Bosnia, crimes committed by paramilitary
troops, and the privileged position of Serbs before the 1990s war.
#L#
Mustafa Hrustanovic, financial director at the Bjeljina-based
Zenit company before the Serb occupation, spoke about the attack on
that north-eastern Bosnian town and the murders of about 40 Muslims
in the spring of 1992 at the hands of Zeljko Raznatovic aka Arkan's
units and "Captain Dragan's" special units.
The witness also spoke of the disproportionate domination of Serbs
on all important political and economic positions in Bijeljina in
the years prior to the war. He said the situation started getting
bad for Muslims, which made up 50 percent of the town's population,
after the death of Josip Broz Tito in 1980.
The defendant refuted what the witness said and questioned him
about his time in prison and some personal things.
Milosevic said he would not put questions about war events in
Bijeljina because other witnesses had spoken about them.
Trial chamber president Richard May commended Milosevic's
decision, saying it would contribute to saving time, and
recommended he did the same with other witnesses.
Another prosecution witness, whose identity was concealed,
completed the testimony earlier today at a hearing which was
entirely closed to the public.
(hina) ha sb