Dreković Case: Strict Ban on Targeting Civilian Objects, VRS Reserve Command in Kalinovik

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - BiH Prosecution witness Nedim Hodo, artillery chief in the 4th Corps at the trial in the Ramiz Dreković case, explicitly stated that the commander of the 4th Corps, Dreković, never ordered artillery fire towards civilian targets, nor did the operations plan include such orders, nor were they executed.

Before the Court of BiH, during the continuation of General Dreković's trial, Hodo stated that it was strictly forbidden to target unobserved targets at a distance greater than 3 kilometers.

"We didn't even have the luxury of targeting such targets. We were short of ammunition," Hodo said.

This witness prepared, in accordance with the basic concept of the 4th Corps commander, a proposal for an order for the use of artillery, i.e., an action plan, which included a topographic map with marked targets and a textual tabular part for easier map reading.

Hodo told prosecutor Milenko Kajganić that after the approval of the combat action plans, the orders were forwarded to the subordinate units of the Corps.

"In Bjelimići, there were weapons in defensive actions; for defense purposes, a 122 mm howitzer, a 107 mm gun, and a multiple rocket launcher were deployed," Hodo said, noting that they struggled with ammunition the entire time, lacking original charges, which meant the full capacity of the weapons could never be utilized.

Lawyer Mirsad Crnovršanin showed the witness a series of documents that the witness himself had prepared, on which targets were drawn and numbered. It is evident from the documents, and the witness himself admitted, that he prepared the documents based on the ideas of General Dreković, who is known for respecting subordination.

"General Dreković never violated subordination; he strictly adhered to it," Hodo said.

Incidentally, one of the planning documents, numbered 15, states that Kalinovik is a target, and it is visible on the paper that next to it, it states that the reserve command of the Army of Republika Srpska is located in that area. He also said that there was cooperation with the First Corps and that the observation post of the First Corps was used by the 4th Corps.

"We prepared targets based on data received from the intelligence sector. I now see that the Guards Brigade of the Army of Republika Srpska was there," Hodo said, emphasizing that the artillery chief numbers targets from 1 to 100, and all numbers above 100 are assigned by lower units.

"All listed targets are military. Dreković never ordered me to direct artillery fire towards civilian targets," Hodo added.

The defense objected once again to the manner in which the investigation was conducted, referring to the witness's statement that he was shown a document at SIPA that he did not even see properly. The lawyers told the Court Council that the indictment would not have been filed if all documents had been considered.

Prosecutor Kajganić presented the witness with an order dated May 26, 1995, but Hodo stated that it was not in accordance with the planning documents, that he had never seen it, and that it did not have a target number.

The continuation of the trial is scheduled for March 24, 2020.

Ramiz Dreković is accused of issuing a direct, strictly confidential order in the spring of 1995 to artillery units in the wider area of Konjic municipality to carry out indiscriminate shelling of the town of Kalinovik, inhabited by the Serb population.

We remind you that Dreković was arrested on December 5, 2018, in his apartment on Alipašina Street in Sarajevo, and after being questioned, he was released to defend himself from freedom.