MOSTAR, June 3 (Hina)- A reputable Bosnia-Herzegovina attorney on Monday accused the former defence minister of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina that he had concealed the existence of secret weapons warehouses recently discovered
in eastern Mostar.
MOSTAR, June 3 (Hina)- A reputable Bosnia-Herzegovina attorney on
Monday accused the former defence minister of the Federation of
Bosnia-Herzegovina that he had concealed the existence of secret
weapons warehouses recently discovered in eastern Mostar. #L#
Former defence minister Vladimir Soljic and his deputy, Hasan
Cengic were in office between 1995 and 1996 when the warehouses were
set up, the attorney, Faruk Balijagic said.
Soljic and Cengic must have known about the warehouses and should
have informed the Stabilisation Force and now they will have to
inform investigative bodies why they didn't, he said.
Balijagic is currently defending Jusuf Piralic, accused of
participating in secretly storing weapons in a tobacco factory in
eastern Mostar. Piralic was recently arrested and on Monday
appeared before the investigating judge in the Municipal court in
eastern Mostar where his initial questioning was conducted.
Balijagic claims that Piralic did not have any connections with the
production and storing of weapons recently discovered in huge
amounts in eastern Mostar and that in fact his client was being set
up.
Somebody ordered that the SFOR not be informed of these weapons
which was intended to be found several years later, Balijagic
said.
This is the first time anyone in the judiciary in Bosnia publicly
mentioned the names of politicians suspected of being responsible
for the secret warehouses.
Recently about 9,000 mortar shells and three tonnes of gun powder
were discovered in three locations in eastern Mostar. The SFOR has
been searching for a further 4,000 shells known to exist
somewhere.
(hina) sp