THE HAGUE, Jan 11 (Hina) - Croat units in the Lasva river valley, central Bosnia-Herzegovina, usually plundered in two waves during the Croat-Muslim conflict in central Bosnia, a member of a special unit called "Vitezovi" (Knights),
Anto Breljas, said in his testimony before the Hague-based war crimes tribunal in the past two days. Following an attack on a settlement, members of the 'Vitezovi' unit would be the first to enter the settlement and take "small items that could fit in a pocket" such as "watches, jewellery or money". They would be followed by a second wave with the Vitez brigade, whose members would take "everything that was there," Breljas said at the trial of the vice-president of the Croat Community of Herceg-Bosna Dario Kordic and the former commander of the Vitez brigade Mario Cerkez before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Such behaviour was not
THE HAGUE, Jan 11 (Hina) - Croat units in the Lasva river valley,
central Bosnia-Herzegovina, usually plundered in two waves during
the Croat-Muslim conflict in central Bosnia, a member of a special
unit called "Vitezovi" (Knights), Anto Breljas, said in his
testimony before the Hague-based war crimes tribunal in the past
two days.
Following an attack on a settlement, members of the 'Vitezovi' unit
would be the first to enter the settlement and take "small items
that could fit in a pocket" such as "watches, jewellery or money".
They would be followed by a second wave with the Vitez brigade,
whose members would take "everything that was there," Breljas said
at the trial of the vice-president of the Croat Community of Herceg-
Bosna Dario Kordic and the former commander of the Vitez brigade
Mario Cerkez before the International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
Such behaviour was not characteristic only for Cerkez's brigade,
Breljas said, adding other Croat units had behaved in line with the
same model.
Breljas is one of the few "inside" witnesses who have been invited
to testify for the prosecution which charges Kordic and Cerkez with
the ethnically-motivated prosecution of Muslims on the territory
of the then Herceg-Bosna (Kordic) and in the Vitez municipality
(Cerkez).
Kordic and Cerkez are also held responsible as commanders for the
campaign of killing, attacking and abusing Muslim soldiers,
civilians and prisoners, as well as for the plundering and
destruction of Muslim villages.
Breljas was a member of the IPD, an information-political service,
in the 'Vitezovi' unit. The unit has been accused by numerous
witnesses in other trials before the ICTY of brutal treatment and
numerous crimes committed against the Muslim population.
Breljas confirmed that members of the 'Vitezovi' unit had killed
their prisoners and sent them to dig trenches.
One day, the witness said, a member of 'Vitezovi' brought him an ear
belonging to a Muslim, instructing Breljas "to take it to Kraljevic
as a snack", while another member of 'Vitezovi' was stringing up the
ears of abused Muslims.
Speaking about the lack of control of the 'Vitezovi' unit and their
commander Darko Kraljevic, Breljas said Kraljevic let no one
command him, including Kordic and Cerkez. He dismissed the
possibility that other members of the unit were taking orders from
Kordic and Cerkez, however, he allowed for the possibility that
Kraljevic carried out Cerkez's plans because they were childhood
friends.
Speaking about Dario Kordic, Breljas said Kordic used his public
appearances to instigate hatred between the two Bosnian peoples.
(hina) mm rml