ZAGREB/THE HAGUE, Feb 19 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Council (HVO) General Tihomir Blaskic, indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for serious violations of the Geneva Conventions and for crimes
against humanity, on Friday continued his testimony. The Hague Tribunal allows the defendant to testify in his defence. According to Blaskic's attorney, Anto Nobilo, Blaskic spoke about events from the second half of 1992 to the beginning of 1993. Near the end of 1992, Bosniaks (Bosnian Moslems) began deploying their troops in central Bosnia, far from the separation line with Bosnian Serb forces. During this period, Blaskic, who was appointed commander of HVO's regional headquarters for central Bosnia in June 1992, was given two tasks - to organise the defence against Serb aggression and to organise the HVO as an army. One of the important events that subsequently led to the Croat-Bosniak wa
ZAGREB/THE HAGUE, Feb 19 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Council (HVO)
General Tihomir Blaskic, indicted by the International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for serious violations of
the Geneva Conventions and for crimes against humanity, on Friday
continued his testimony.
The Hague Tribunal allows the defendant to testify in his defence.
According to Blaskic's attorney, Anto Nobilo, Blaskic spoke about
events from the second half of 1992 to the beginning of 1993.
Near the end of 1992, Bosniaks (Bosnian Moslems) began deploying
their troops in central Bosnia, far from the separation line with
Bosnian Serb forces.
During this period, Blaskic, who was appointed commander of HVO's
regional headquarters for central Bosnia in June 1992, was given
two tasks - to organise the defence against Serb aggression and to
organise the HVO as an army.
One of the important events that subsequently led to the Croat-
Bosniak war was the fall of Jajce in October of 1992. During August
and September Jajce was defended jointly by Bosniak and Croat
troops.
Blaskic said the fact that the Bosniak Territorial Defence in
central Bosnia prevented fresh troops and ammunition to the Croat
forces also contributed to the fall of Jajce.
After Serb occupied Jajce, 25,000 Croats and Bosniaks were forced
to leave their homes.
Croats mainly left for Croatia or third countries, while a large
number of Bosniaks found refuge in free towns and villages of
central Bosnia, which disrupted the ethnic structure of the
population.
Refugees had become one of the main disrupting factors in Croat-
Bosniak relations.
Speaking about the organisation of the HVO, Blaskic said he had
commanded the formation of the first brigades of the HVO on November
25, 1992.
At one meeting held in December of 1992, Blaskic was informed about
the reorganisation of the HVO military police. According to the new
organisation, one military police battalion was under Blaskic's
command, while one was commanded from Mostar.
According to the testimonies of several witnesses for the
prosecution, members of the military police took part in the attack
on Ahmici on April 16, 1993.
The massacre in Ahmici, when about 100 Bosniaks were killed, is one
of the most serious items on Blaskic's indictment.
(hina) lml jn