Continuation of the trial for Veliki park: Vikić honest and honorable, Pušina's superior was Minister Delimustafić

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – The trial of Dragan Vikić, Jusuf Pušina, Nermin Uzunović, and Mladen Čovčić continued today at the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the cross-examination of the BiH Prosecutor's Office witness Munir Alibabić, former head of the State Security Service (SDB).

Dragan Vikić's lawyer, Adna Dobojlić, asked the witness who was Vikić's superior, to which he replied that it was the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (RMUP) and the Assistant Minister. The witness also confirmed the defense's claim that Vikić could not use the Special Police Unit without orders from his superiors. When asked by the defense who ordered Asim Dautbašić to move to the Police Headquarters, Alibabić stated that his formal superior was the Minister of RMUP, Alija Delimustafić.

Dobojlić asked the witness if Vikić could order Dautbašić to do anything, to which he replied that he could not, and that Vikić had to have an order for everything he undertook.

The witness also confirmed that Nedžad Herenda and Juka Prazina never belonged to the Special Police Unit. When asked if the "Ševe" (The Ravens) were a reserve unit of the State Security Service, Alibabić answered affirmatively.

Speaking about the capture of eight VRS soldiers in Dobrinja and everything that happened afterwards, the witness said that the head of the Novi Grad police station had to inform the Security Services Center about it or request that higher-ranking inspectors be sent to interrogate them.

"The station chief had to report to the CSB chief, Military Security, and immediately write a dispatch and send it to the Assistant Minister for Crime, Jusuf Pušina."

The witness stated that Davor Matić led the prisoners, and that Kerim Lučarević or Fikret Muslimović could have ordered it.

When asked by Judge Zoran Božić where the witness got the information that Matić was a member of Military Security, he replied that he "heard it during the war." To a further question from the judge about how he knew the prisoners spent the night at the police station, Alibabić said that Željko Varunek had "told him that several times."

During the examination, the witness confirmed that the station chief was not allowed to hand over prisoners to anyone except the CSB, and that the communication and radio systems were functioning in April 1992.

To a direct question as to whether he had any knowledge of Vikić's responsibility regarding the murder of eight prisoners, the witness replied: "Never. Many excluded Vikić from this case."

Judge Božić asked the witness who had told him about the Veliki park case.

"Inspectors who were with Dautbašić could tell you about that. They told me that Asim and Ugljen know everything."

Lawyer Dobojlić asked the witness if Nedžad Herenda could have had a task from the "top," to which he replied that he did not know, but that he did not act alone.

"Am I right if I say that if Vikić had any responsibility, they would have immediately arrested and punished him?" Dobojlić asked Alibabić.

"Yes. If it had been done without Dautbašić's knowledge, they would have sanctioned him immediately," said Alibabić, emphasizing that Vikić could not have been responsible or reacted.

"Did you have any knowledge that Vikić did anything dishonorable other than defending the city?" was Dobojlić's second question.

"Never anything that could be characterized as a disciplinary offense. Vikić fought honorably and honestly for this city and was a symbol of resistance."

When asked if the Herenda case began with the event at Veliki park, the witness answered affirmatively.

Jusuf Pušina's defense attorney, Nikica Gržić, asked the witness if he had ever informed anyone about the Ševe.

"I had no operational need, and there were about ten such groups." He confirmed that at Nedžad Ugljen's request, he handed over two radio stations to Nedžad Herenda (Brko) and one of the Šošić brothers, which were later returned.

Gržić asked the witness if he was also decorated in 1993, the same year as the Ševe group, to which he replied affirmatively. He could not remember if Vikić was also decorated at that time.

He further asked the witness if he had ever presented any facts about the Ševe or Veliki park to Pušina.

"I had no need because I gained that knowledge after the war," said Alibabić, who returned to active duty in 2001.

Pušina himself asked the witness several questions, stating that the witness often used conclusions rather than arguments. Pušina asked the witness if he had been informed about Pušina's visit to his office and by whom.

"I was only informed by Delimustafić that you and Pero Simović would come," said Alibabić.

When asked who was responsible for the Special Unit and its purpose, the witness stated that it was the responsibility of Minister Delimustafić.

Pušina stated that he could not issue an order without the minister's approval, and insisting on an answer, the witness confirmed that Delimustafić had called him.

Given that he repeatedly mentioned the so-called "Šura" – the radical wing of the SDA leadership, according to Alibabić's description – Pušina asked if he had to respect the "Šura" given his connection to that group.

"You behaved secularly, and that's why they replaced you. You represented Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that was a problem," Alibabić told Pušina.

Judge Božić asked Alibabić if he had ever warned Vikić or told him that he was under surveillance.

He said he had not, but that Vikić knew he was being followed and monitored.

The next hearing is scheduled for February 6, when six family members of the murdered soldiers will testify.