Dobrovoljačka: Zrnić, SDS volunteer against Ganić and others, defense denied answers!

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo

The trial in the case known as Dobrovoljačka, against Ejup Ganić and others, continued today at the Court of BiH, with Dragan Zrnić, a member of the VRS, specifically the 65th Motorized Guard Regiment, testifying.
Born in Sarajevo, he lived in Alipašino Polje until April 1992, when, according to his own account, he joined the JNA! In fact, he responded to a mobilization call on April 24, 1992, long after BiH was recognized as an independent state. Before that, he had also responded to all military exercises he was called for by the JNA.

His brother was also a contract soldier; he did not manage to become one but intended to sign a contract. However, he had spoken about his experiences from May 2nd and 3rd on several occasions, in statements given in 1997, 2011, and in Belgrade (he doesn't know exactly when, but says sometime after 2011), and today to prosecutor Mladen Vukojičić.

All statements are different, and some were written in ekavian, although the witness himself said he does not speak ekavian. Therefore, the defense raised objections to the legality of the investigation itself, and the records were submitted as evidence.

When asked by lawyer Senad Pizović who mobilized Zrnić, the witness said it was the JNA.

"The state mobilizes, not the army," said Pizović, to which Zrnić replied that he 'had not thought about it'.

Interestingly, judge Darko Samardžić did not allow the defense to ask questions in favor of their own claims, so lawyer Mirna Avdibegović was denied an answer as to whether he and his brother participated in the attack on Srebrenica in July 1995, because the judge accepted the objection of prosecutor Mladen Vukojičić.

Previously, the witness confirmed that he is a member of the SDS, but then an objection was also raised, which was accepted, so we were denied an answer as to when he joined the SDS.

The lawyer later asked the judge for clarification as to why these questions were forbidden, pointing out their relevance in the context of the events that preceded them, namely the decisions of the SDS and the distribution of weapons, which was also supported by lawyer Nermin Mulalić, explaining that questions in favor of their own claims can create a broader picture of the event itself and what preceded it.

Today, this witness also claimed that Alija Izetbegović was not detained in Lukavica, but was a 'free man'. However, he could not answer whether he could leave the building of the Second Military District at any time and go, for example, to the Presidency of RBiH.

Incidentally, Zrnić was in the Second Military District on both May 2nd and 3rd, and spoke about the attack, or rather the fighting that took place on those days. Zrnić also spoke about his stay in FIS, his beating, and the decision to be among those on the list to go 'home', rather than those who would go to Lukavica or remain in the Territorial Defense.

When asked if he went home to Alipašino Polje, Zrnić said he did not, but went to Nedžarići, which he called 'free territory' in earlier statements.

"There was no shooting there, that's why I called it free territory," said Zrnić.

Also, in earlier statements, this witness used the terms 'majority Muslim civilian population', while today he said that they were attacked by people dressed in mixed uniforms, half uniform, half civilian clothes.

Similarly, the witness was asked if his photo with a kokarda on his head was shown on TV SA, and because of that he did not dare to go to Alipašino Polje, to which Zrnić answered affirmatively, saying that he did not see it, but heard about it!
Zrnić also spoke about how in the Second Military District, a group of high-ranking officers did not allow General Milutin Kukanjac to leave the building and go for negotiations, but that Alija Izetbegović should come to Bistrik and conduct negotiations.
Zrnić was involved in the communication between officers and the army.

"We received information that the Territorial Defense would kill Alija, and attribute it to the JNA," said Zrnić.
He could not say who he heard this from, but he also said that through communication, he heard that members of the TO were threatening soldiers that they would kill them all and that they would sacrifice 'Alija Izetbegović, because they have their leader Ganić'.

"I heard that personally, but I don't know who was speaking," said Zrnić.
He did not speak about this in his earlier testimonies, which were exhaustive and up to 13 pages long, but he justified it by saying that no one had asked him about it.

The continuation of the trial is scheduled for November 1st.