THE HAGUE, Feb 23 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Council (HVO) general Tihomir Blaskic on Tuesday resumed his defence testimony before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague. Blaskic spoke about events
from January and February of 1993, a time when he was in Kiseljak, cut off from his headquarters in Vitez due to problems in telephone, radio, and road communications, which prevented him from carrying out efficient commanding duties. Blaskic went to Kiseljak for personal reasons on January 25, 1993, on the eve of the Croat-Muslim conflict in Bosnia. He was prevented from returning to Vitez because the battles in course had cut off the main road. The defence submitted a series of documents indicating obstructed telephone and radio connections between Blaskic and his headquarters, a slowed exchange of messages, and evidence on Blaskic's problems in his commanding duties. One such d
THE HAGUE, Feb 23 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Council (HVO) general
Tihomir Blaskic on Tuesday resumed his defence testimony before the
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The
Hague.
Blaskic spoke about events from January and February of 1993, a time
when he was in Kiseljak, cut off from his headquarters in Vitez due
to problems in telephone, radio, and road communications, which
prevented him from carrying out efficient commanding duties.
Blaskic went to Kiseljak for personal reasons on January 25, 1993,
on the eve of the Croat-Muslim conflict in Bosnia. He was prevented
from returning to Vitez because the battles in course had cut off
the main road.
The defence submitted a series of documents indicating obstructed
telephone and radio connections between Blaskic and his
headquarters, a slowed exchange of messages, and evidence on
Blaskic's problems in his commanding duties.
One such document is a report by Enver Hadzihasanovic, commander of
the Bosnian army's third corps, submitted in the wake of
negotiations on a cease-fire in Lasvanska Valley.
In the report, Hadzihasanovic suggested to his superiors to look
for another negotiator among HVO's ranks. He said "it is pointless
to negotiate" with Blaskic given his isolation in Kiseljak and the
fact that "somebody else" was commanding in Lasvanska Valley.
Today was the fifth day that Blaskic was speaking in his defence.
The defence is trying to prove that due to his isolation, the
defendant did not control the situation in central Bosnia and
cannot therefore be considered guilty based on commanding
responsibility.
Blaskic said that during the two months he spent in Kiseljak there
had been no violence committed in Kiseljak against Muslims, despite
the voiced dissatisfaction of Croats displaced from nearby
villages during Bosnian army military operations.
The defence is backing the claim of Blaskic's endeavours to create
an atmosphere of tolerance with a letter of apology Blaskic sent to
a Muslim restaurant owner following the destruction of the
restaurant by "extremist HVO members", and by commands for stronger
patrols in front of eminent Muslim politicians' and soldiers'
houses in Kiseljak.
(hina) ha mm