Bečić testified via video link: Halilović was no commander, I don't know Elfeta

The trial of Elfeta Veseli and Sakib Halilović, accused of murdering the boy Slobodan Stojanović in 1992 near Zvornik, continued at the Court of BiH with the testimony of BiH Prosecution witness Seid Bečić via video link.

Bečić first answered questions from prosecutor Miroslav Janjić, and was adamant that Sakib Halilović did not command any group of soldiers and was not a commander (the BiH Prosecution charges him based on command responsibility).

Incidentally, the video link from the Netherlands was interrupted several times, so the Trial Chamber took several breaks to re-establish the connection.

When asked why he told BiH Prosecution investigators something different in his statement in 2015, Bečić stated that it was all hearsay and that he was telling the absolute truth today.

Regarding the boy Slobodan, the witness said he saw him twice, once in the company of other people near the kitchen in Novo Selo, and the second time also in a group of people, and that he was worried and scared at the time.

Bečić said he heard about the fate of the boy Slobodan via radio communication, as he was a radio operator during the war, and that Serbs threatened to kill a hundred Muslims for Slobodan.

- I do not know Elfeta, nor did I ever know her. I heard about her via radio communication as well - Bečić said.

Prosecutor Janjić had to present the witness with his statement given to the BiH Prosecution in 2015 multiple times, and he said that he was also shown about 10 photos for identification of persons. Since this was not stated in the record, the defense objected to the legality of the evidence.

Answering questions from lawyer Lejla Čović, Bečić confirmed that Bajrići and Novo Selo in June, July, and August 1992 were routes used by many groups from Tuzla, Cerska, and Konjević Polje. He reiterated that Halilović was not a commander and that during that disputed period there was no military organization, but rather volunteers defending their villages and towns from Serbian forces.

However, he could not answer where Halilović moved, but he never saw the boy Slobodan with Halilović. He also emphasized that Muslim forces never controlled Crni Vrh.

- Unfortunately, never. I don't know exactly when the action on Glođansko brdo took place, I was in Tuzla at the time and heard via radio communication that it was an operation - Bečić said in response to Lejla Čović's question whether the action on Glođansko brdo was carried out in November 1992.

Elfeta Veseli's lawyer, Mirna Delalić, asked Bečić if he had ever seen Veseli talking to the boy Slobodan.

- I did not see Elfeta talking to the boy - Bečić stated.