Naser Orić is innocent, Ilić, Milošević and Savić killed in combat

The trial of Naser Orić, a wartime hero of the defense of Srebrenica, and his comrade Sabahudin Muhić has concluded at the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, reports the Patria News Agency.

From the closing statements of the defense and the material evidence and witness testimonies offered by both the prosecution and the defense, it is clear that Orić and Muhić are innocent, and that the Serbian soldiers perished in combat.

We remind you that Orić and Muhić are charged by the indictment confirmed on August 27, 2015, with the murder of Slobodan Ilić, Milutin Milošević, and Mitar Savić during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina from May to December 1992 in the municipalities of Srebrenica and Bratunac.

The defense of the accused Orić stated in its opening remarks that the entire indictment of the Prosecution is based solely on the testimony of protected witness O1, and that all of the Prosecution's evidence contradicts his testimony.

- During the hearing of protected witness O1, you had the opportunity to see that this witness is extremely unreliable, primarily due to the fact that he changed his testimony at every hearing, including the hearing at the main trial, justifying it with some unreal and supernatural phenomena - said Čović.

The defense attorney for the accused Orić, Lejla Čović, emphasized that O-1 is a person with multiple convictions, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued for evading court appearances, adding that he is the main witness for the BiH Prosecution.

- This witness has been finally convicted 11 times for various criminal offenses, including theft, false reporting, causing grievous bodily harm, etc. O1 did not even deny his previous convictions during cross-examination. In addition to final convictions, criminal charges have also been filed against this witness. What is at least scandalous for this criminal case, concerning both O1 and the Prosecution's cooperation, is the fact that this is a person for whom an arrest warrant has been issued for evading prosecution before the competent Municipal Court - added Čović.

The witness gave three different testimonies regarding his affiliation with the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH), and the indictment lists him as an eyewitness to all the murders attributed to the accused.

- O1 stated during cross-examination that he joined the TO Srebrenica in May 1992 and that his commander was the husband of protected defense witness 3. However, when asked, the witness could not answer where this unit was located, only saying that his alleged commander lived across from the butcher shop in Srebrenica. 3 clearly stated that during that period, she was with her children and husband in the Vlasenica area, which was a separate enclave at the time and completely cut off from Srebrenica - said Čović.

The lawyer noted that O1 was prepared for this case in Belgrade, and his presence is ensured by members of the Serbian police forces, which issued an arrest warrant for Naser Orić and had the greatest interest in him being prosecuted.

Count 1. Murder of Slobodan Ilić

Regarding Count 1 of the indictment and the murder of Slobodan Ilić, which Orić is accused of, the defense believes that no evidence has confirmed how Orić committed it.

- After the evidence presented, it is undisputed that the construction of the manner of Judge Ilić's murder was literally copied from the previous testimony of protected witness O1. The Prosecution stated this in its closing statement, as well as that the testimonies of witnesses Lazarević, Ilić, Jeremić, Stanojević, Oslojić, and Ilić Jelica and Ibran Mustafić support O1's testimony. However, the truth is the opposite. You had the opportunity to hear that the testimonies of all the Prosecution's witnesses contradict O1's testimony and are consistent with the defense witnesses' testimonies - said Čović.

She meticulously analyzed the testimonies of all witnesses and also stated that there is no evidence in the case file that Orić deprived Ilić of his life.

- Even protected witness O1, on whose testimony the indictment is based, did not state that Naser Orić killed Slobodan Ilić.

- O1 said, "At one point, Orić took a knife that was on his belt, I don't know from which side, took the knife and swung it and hit that prisoner, whom I didn't know then, I didn't know who he was or what he was then, he hit that prisoner, whom I didn't know then, he hit him in the neck, there, so that the prisoner fell to his knees in front of Orić, and then Orić kicked him in the chest, stomach, to turn him over - said Čović, adding that this is the Prosecution's only evidence in the file regarding Ilić's murder.

The witness stated that he allegedly saw Orić hit the prisoner in the neck with a knife.

Conversely, the factual description in the indictment states that Orić stabbed Ilić in the neck so that the entire blade of the knife entered the neck.

The witnesses, as she stated, proved that Ilić died in mutual exchange of fire, and the defense also disputes the description of the deceased Ilić, whom witness O-1 described completely differently from other witnesses.

The defense states that the murder of Milutin Milošević, as charged in Count 2 of the indictment against Orić and Muhić, has also not been proven.

O-1 claimed that Orić, and then Muhić, fired a burst of fire at Milošević. This would mean that there must be around 15 bullets in his body, as claimed by witness O-1 and the BiH Prosecution. Expert witness Zoran Stanković stated during the presentation of his findings that a pistol bullet was found in Milošević's body, which is very likely the cause of death. So, one bullet - said Čović.

Orić is accused as the commander of the Territorial Defense Staff of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ABiH) in 1992, and Muhić as a member of those forces.

Count 3 of the indictment charges Muhić and Orić with the murder of Mitar Savić, which, according to the Prosecution, was committed by Orić firing a pistol, followed by Muhić firing a burst of fire. The defense claims that this is another fabrication by witness O-1.

- Stojanka Savić, the wife of the deceased, said that she heard from Savić's comrades that he died in a trench and that he had a wound in the mouth area. Doctor Vesna Ivanović confirmed that Ilić was brought to the Bratunac Health Center, accompanied by his wife who was crying at the time - stated Čović, among other things.

She pointed out that, first and foremost, it is undisputed that O1 did not participate in the operation on Kunjarac at all, considering the timing of the operation.

- Only three days before the operation on Kunjarac, the witness was seriously wounded. O1 himself stated where Crni Vrh is located and what happened after he was wounded. The witness confirmed that Crni Vrh is a pass geographically about 40 km from the Kunjarac area - stated Čović.

According to her, the ABiH operation on Kunjarac was carried out on December 14, 1992, when Savić was killed.

- It is undisputed that Orić participated in the operation on Bjelovac, but the only dispute was which position he attacked with his fighters at the critical time. This was best explained by one of the Prosecution's key witnesses, Ibran Mustafić. He stated that he was aware that the operation on Bjelovac took place in December 1992, including the attack on the Kunjarac position. The witness was with Orić that day, December 14, 1992, and the next day in the village of Zalzaje. In response to my questions, the witness confirmed that he was with Orić the entire day, and that on that day he was in a trench firing towards Sas and Andrići - stated Čović.

Orić's defense requested that the accused Naser Orić be acquitted on all three counts of the indictment and, in connection therewith, be exempted from paying court costs.

Sabina Mehić, the defense attorney for the accused Muhić, stated that the object of the criminal offense attributed to her client is missing.

Furthermore, according to her, it remained unclear what condition Milošević and Savić were in after Orić allegedly shot them, before Muhić fired his bursts of fire.

An acquittal was also requested for him, with lawyer Mehić expressing surprise that the indictment was even confirmed.