BROUGHT BY KAJGANIĆ: The commander of the Batković camp and a defense witness for Mladić testified today against the hero of the defense of Sarajevo!

By: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

The deputy commander of the Batković camp near Bijeljina, Đorđo Krstić, who is also a defense witness for Ratko Mladić before the Hague Tribunal, testified today before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina against the accused in the Dobrovoljačka case, in which the BiH Prosecutor's Office is proving that Alija Izetbegović was not a prisoner on May 3rd, and that the JNA column was not a legitimate military target, even though the Hague prosecution and several other European courts had previously established this.

However, the BiH Prosecutor's Office, despite everything, filed an indictment, the Court of BiH confirmed it, and the trial is ongoing. We remind you that the indictment was signed by Milanko Kajganić and Maden Vukojičić. The BiH Prosecutor's Office continues its course, hence Krstić's testimony today, the commander of a camp where Bosniaks were persecuted and killed, and to whom the Hague Court did not give credence, as lawyer Senad Pizović read from the verdict against Ratko Mladić, showing his particular hatred towards BiH.

Krstić refused to state his citizenship in court today.

„Which country do you live in?“, asked lawyer Mirna Avdibegović.

„I do not wish to declare. I know“, said Krstić, and to the renewed question of which country he is a citizen of and holds citizenship in, he briefly replied BiH and Republika Srpska.

He was an officer in the JNA, active from 1975, and worked in the building of the Second Military District in Bistrik, performing duties in the garrison command of the 2nd VO in Bistrik.

He recounted to prosecutor Mladen Vukojičić the events in this building on May 3rd, as well as his knowledge of the events during the relocation of soldiers from the Second Military District towards Lukavica.

„On May 2nd, an attack occurred on the building, when a zolja passed through my office. It lasted several hours, and the attack started from the direction of Miljacka“, said Krstić.

He could not state whether he was aware that this building had previously fired at random passers-by, saying that he was not aware of it.

He had been residing in Sarajevo since 1984 and knew the city and events in it well, although he did not want to answer the defense's questions precisely about what happened on May 2nd in Sarajevo.
However, unlike previous witnesses, he did confirm that he was aware that Milan Šutalo's unit came to the Second Military District from Croatia, and that they had fighting on May 2nd in Skenderija.

According to his claims, they headed towards the Dom Armije building, which was allegedly attacked by someone, but then they fell into an ambush.

He said he was not aware that 30 vital facilities in Sarajevo were set on fire on May 2nd, but he saw that the Post Office was burning when the individuals who captured them were escorting them from Dobrovoljačka towards the Republican MUP.

It also remained unclear whether Krstić had weapons in the truck, because today he claimed he did not have a rifle, while in a statement given in Bijeljina in 2009, he said that his rifle was left under his feet. The defense submitted this record as evidence for further proceedings.

As a professional soldier, he explained why he said there was general chaos at the time.

„Nothing was known among them. We had organization. The individuals who captured us were in jeans and t-shirts, dressed differently, and wore berets, mostly green“, stated Krstić.

He confirmed that the Second Military District encompassed the entire territory of BiH, stating that it also included parts of Slavonia and other parts of Croatia, and that it was responsible for all military activities that took place in that zone of responsibility. He could not precisely state how many contract soldiers arrived at the Second Military District in early 1992, but he said there were new arrivals every day.

He also confirmed that on April 28th, they were offered a choice: either to opt for the JNA and go to Serbia, or become part of the VRS and stay in BiH, or terminate their contract. The witness clearly decided to stay in BiH, in the VRS, after which he became the deputy camp commander.

Incidentally, Ejup Ganić, Zaim Backović, Hamid Bahto, Hasan Efendić, Fikret Muslimović, Jusuf Pušina, Bakir Alispahić, Enes Bezdrob, Ismet Dahić, and Mahir Žiško are accused of war crimes against members of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA).