I
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
CASE CONCERNING
THE APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION
ON THE PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT
OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE
(CROATIA v. YUGOSLAVIA)
MEMORIAL
OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
ANNEXES
REGIONAL FILES
VOLUME 2
PART III
KORDUN AND LIKA AND DALMATIA
1 MARCH 2001II III
CONTENTS
PART A: KORDUN AND LIKA 1
ETHNIC STRUCTURES 3
Kordun and Lika 5
Crna Draga 6
Novo Selo Lasinjsko 7
Lasinja 8
Lipovača 9
Gornji Lađevac 10
Donji Lađevac 11
Arapovac 12
Gornji Popovac 13
Gornji Furjan 14
Saborsko 15
Karlovac 16
Banski Kovačevac 17
Dabar 18
Vrhovine 19
Široka Kula 20
Donji Vaganac 21
Gornji Vaganac 22
Poljanak 23
Smoljanac 24
Lovinac 25
WITNESS STATEMENTS 27
Annex 338: Witness Statement of Đ.T. 29
Annex 339: Witness Statement of M.Č. 33
Annex 340: Witness Statement of S.Š. 36
Annex 341: Witness Statement of I.B. 37
Annex 342: Witness Statement of S.Č. 4 0
Annex 343: Witness Statement of R.M. 43
Annex 344: Witness Statement of M.Š. 47
Annex 345: Witness Statement of I 48 IV
Annex 346: Witness Statement of M.P. 49
Annex 347: Witness Statement of M.G. 51
Annex 348: Witness Statement of A.K. 53
An nex 349: Witness Statement of I.M. 54
Ann ex 350: Witness Statement of M.S. 57
Annex 351: Witness Statement of M.M. 60
Annex 352: Witness Statement of M.G.* (1) 61
Annex 353: Witness Statement of M.G.* (2) 62
An nx 354: Witness Statement of J.T. 64
Annex 355: Witness Statement of M.P. 68
Annex 356: Witness Statement of K.Z.* 7 0
Annex 357: Witness Statement of A.Ž. 71
A n ex 358: Witness Statement o.T. 72
Annex 359: Witness Statement of P.M. 77
Annex 360: Witness Statement of A.B. 77
Annex 361: Witness Statement of M.D. 80
Annex 362: Witness Statement of M.M. 81
Annex 363: Witness Statement of J.M. 82
Annex 364: Witness Statement of A.Š. 82
A nnex 365: Witness Statement of M.M. 87
Annex 366: Witness Statement of M.L. 93
A nnex 367: Witness Statement of D. 95
Annex 368: Witness Statement of B.M.* 9 9
Annex 369: Witness Statement of A.G. 101
Annex 370: Witness Statement of S.B. 103
Annex 371: Witness Statement of S.D. 104
A nnex 372: Witness Statement of M.* 105
Annex 373: Witness Statement of S.T. 107
A nnex 374: Witness Statement of I.Č. 108
Annex 375: Witness Statement of K.Č. 110
Annex 376: Witness Statement of M.O. 111
Annex 377: Witness Statement of M.N. 113
Annex 378: Witness Statement of M.N. 115
A nnex 379: Witness Statement of D.O. 116
Annex 380: Witness Statement of M.O. 118
A nnex 381: Witness Statement of J 119
Annex 382: Witness Statement of I.K. 121 V
Annex 383: Witness Statement of D.R. 126
Annex 384: Witness Statement of P.Đ.* 129
Annex 385: Witness Statement of M.L. 132
Annex 386: Witness Statement of M.K. 134
Annex 387: Witness Statement of B.V. 136
Ann ex 388: Witness Statement of M.V. 139
Annex 389: Witness Statement of M.B. 141
Annex 390: Witness Statement of S.R. 142
Annex 391: Witness Statement of I.M. 144
Annex 392: Witness Statement of P.B. 146
Annex 393: Witness Statement of M.Ž. 148
Annex 394: Witness Statement of M.R. 150
A nex 395: Witness Statement of .P. 152
Annex 396: Witness Statement of J.B. 153
Annex 397: Witness Statement of I.S. 155
Annex 398: Witness Statement of I.S. 156
MILTARY DOCUMENTS 159
Annex 399: Decision by the So-Called War Presidency of the
Vrginmost Municipality from 27 July 1991 on Renaming
the “SJS” Vrginmost Into the “SJB” Vrginmost and Joining
the Sup Krajina 161
Annex 400: Letter from the War Presidency of the Community of Local
committies to the 3Operations Group Command 162
th
Annex 401: The Command of the 9 Corps, Dt-1-4, from 5 April 1991,
To the Command of the 9 tbVP, the Order for Defence Op.
No. 1 165
Annex 402: Report About the Referendum Staged in the Area of “SAO
Krajina” from 14 May 1991 166
Annex 403: Decision for the joining of the “SAO Krajina” with the
Republic of Serbia from 16 May 1991 167
Annex 404: “SAO Krajina”, To Headquarters, No. 68/4 from 6 August
1991, To the Supreme Commander of the TO “SAO
Krajina”, Report from 5/6 August 1991 168
Annex 405: “SAO Krajina”, the Government, No: 157/91-1 from 26
July 1991, Order 169
Annex 406: “SAO Krajina”, the Government, the President, No:
189/91-1 from 20 August 1991, Order 169
Annex 407: “SAO Krajina”, the Territorial Defence Commander, No:
1/1-91 from 30 September 1991 170 VI
Annex 408: “SAO Krajina”, the Territorial Defence Commander, No:
2/1-91 from 30 September 1991 171
Annex 409: Order; “SAO Krajina”, the Government, the President, No:
1/1-91 from 5 October 1991, Notification 172
Annex 410: The 5 tMilitary Region Command, No: 09/75-1034 from
10 November 1991, To the Command of the Tactic Group-
2, Order 173
Annex 411: Letter of Dušan Smiljanić 174
th
Annex 412: Command of the 10 Corps, Dt No. 3/15-33 from 8
January 1992, To the Command of the OG-8, Order 179
Annex 413: SSNO, GS OS SFRY, III Administration, DT No. 892-2
from 2 RCH 1992, To the TO Headquarters of “RSK”,
Order 181
Annex 414: Čedomir Bulat’s Order for the Attack 181
Annex 415: Decision on the Attack of the Commander of the 1 st
Battalion Bogdan Grba 182
OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS 183
Annex 416: Record of Exhumations on 16 t, 17 , 18 and 19 June
1997 185
th
Annex 417: Official Record of the Police Section from 27 February
1992 186
th th th
Annex 418: Record of Exhumations on 25 , 26 and 27 September
1996 187
nd th th
Annex 419: Record of Exhumations on 2 , 4 and 5 July 1996 188
Annex 420: Letter To the Parliamentary Commissioner for the
Exchange of Prisoners – 15 January 1992 189
Annex 421: Letter from Members of the Families of the Dead and
Missing from Široka Kula, 13 thOctober 2000 192
Annex 422: Investigation Record (Exhumation), Kir-632/96 195
Annex 423: Investigation Record (Exhumation, Kir-469/96) 197
th
Annex 424: Report of Exhumation, 13 August 1996 197
th
Annex 425: Autopsy Record, 15 August 1991 199
nd
Annex 426: Investigative Report, 22 August 1996 201
Annex 427: Special Report No. 511-18-041243/95 206
PART B: DALMATIA 207
ETHNIC STRUCTURES 209
Dalmatia 211
Municipality of Šibenik 212
Piramatovci 213 VII
Cicvare 214
Sonković 215
Municipality of Drniš 216
Puljane 217
Siverić 218
Drniš 219
Municipality of Knin 220
Kninsko Polje 221
Kijevo 222
Ervenik 223
Vrpolje 224
Municipality of Obrovac 225
Jasenice 226
Medviđa 227
Municipality of Benkovac 228
Bruška 229
Korlat 230
Smilčić 231
Municipality of Zadar 232
Škabrnja 233
Nadin 234
Municipality of Sinj 235
Municipality of Dubrovnik 236
WITNESS STATEMENTS 237
Annex 428: Witness Statement of S.C. 239
Annex 429: Witness Statement of J.C. 241
Annex 430: Witness Statement of S.I. 241
Annex 431: Witness Statement of M.M. 242
Annex 432: Witness Statement of J. 243
Annex 433: Witness Statement of B.C. 244
Annex 434: Witness Statement of K.S. 245
Annex 435: Witness Statement of M.P. 246
Annex 436: Witness Statement of J.P. 246
Annex 437: Witness Statement of MS. 248
Annex 438: Witness Statement of I.F.* 249
Annex 439: Witness Statement of B.H.* 250
Annex 440: Witness Statement of A.F.* 251 VIII
Annex 441: Witness Statement of A.K.* 252
Annex 442: Witness Statement of M.P. 253
Annex 443: Witness Statement of N.K. 254
An nex 444: Witness Statements of I.H.*, M.M.* 254
Annex 445: Witness Statement of M.M. 255
A nnex 446: Witness Statement of J.G. 255
Annex 447: Witness Statement of A.M. 256
Annex 448: Witness Statement of J.T. 258
Annex 449: Witness Statement of Š.P. 259
Annex 450: Witness Statements of M.B., A.B., an
M.B. 260
Annex 451: Witness Statement of M.V. 261
Annex 452: Witness Statement of A.B. 262
Annex 453: Witness Statements of Z.Č., D.A., and
J.B. 263
A nnex 454: Witness Statement of N.B.* 264
Annex 455: Witness Statements of J.Č., K.Č. 265
Annex 456: Witness Statement of M.D. 266
Annex 457: Witness Statement of Z.S.* 267
Annex 458: Witness Statement of V.Z. 268
Annex 459: Witness Statement of J.L.* 270
Annex 460: Witness Statement of I.G. 270
An .H.
nex 461: Witness Statement of J 271
Annex 462: Witness Statement of S.S. 272
Annex 463: Witness Statement of B.V. 273
Annex 464: Witness Statement of M.G.-Z. 275
Annex 465: Witness Statement of C.V. 276
Annex 466: Witness Statement of S.K. 277
Annex 467: Witness Statement of D.T. 280
A nnex 468: Witness Statement of A.Ć. 283
Annex 469: Witness Statements of L.M., S.M., and
Ž.M. 284
Ann ex 470: Witness Statement of S.Š. 287
Annex 471: Witness Statement of A.V. 289
Annex 472: Witness Statement of N.V. 290
Annex 473: Witness Statement of M.G. 291
A nnex 474: Witness Statement of Š.L. 294
Annex 475: Witness Statement of S.M. 295 IX
Annex 476: Witness Statement of I.P. 297
Annex 477: Witness Statement of N.V. (1) 2 98
Ann ex 478: Witness Statement of N.V. (2) 300
An nx 479: Witness Statement of S.G. 301
Annex 480: Witness Statement of S.E. 302
A nnex 481: Witness Statement of J.M. 303
Annex 482: Witness Statement of N.M. 304
Annex 483: Witness Statement of M.J. 305
Annex 484: Witness Statement of Ž.M. 306
Annex 485: Witness Statement of A.M. 307
Annex 486: Witness Statement of J.M. 308
Annex 487: Witness Statement of D.Z. 309
A nex 488: Witness Statement of.G. 310
Annex 489: Witness Statement of J.V. 311
Annex 490: Witness Statement of B.Š. 313
Annex 491: Witness Statement of C.B. 314
Annex 492: Witness Statement of M.B. 315
Annex 493: Witness Statement of G.A. 315
Annex 494: Witness Statement of I.B.* 317
A nnex 495: Witness Statement of B.A. 318
Annex 496: Witness Statement of T.D. 319
A nnex 497: Witness Statement of M. 319
Annex 498: Witness Statement of T.Š. 321
Annex 499: Witness Statement of J.Ž. 322
Annex 500: Witness Statement of A.Š.* 323
Annex 501: Witness Statement of K.V.(1) 324
A nnex 502: Witness Statement of K.(2) 325
Annex 503: Witness Statement of N.B. 326
A nnex 504: Witness Statement of S.M. (1) 328
Annex 505: Witness Statement of A.G. 330
Annex 506: Witness Statement of D.I. 332
Annex 507: Witness Statement of Ž.Š. 333
Annex 508: Witness Statement of N.P. 335
A nnex 509: Witness Statement of S.M.(2 338
Annex 510: Witness Statement of J.K. 340
A nnex 511: Witness Statement of J 341
Annex 512: Witness Statements of M.V., Š.V. 342 X
Annex 513: Witness Statement of I.B. 343
Annex 514: Witness Statement of A.B. 344
Annex 515: Witness Statement of A.B. 345
Annex 516: Witness Statement of J.B. 346
Annex 517: Witness Statement of K.S.* 347
Ann ex518: Witness Statement of D.R. 348
Annex 519: Witness Statements of A.B., M.B. 349
Ann ex 520: Witness Statement of G.B. 350
Annex 521: Witness Statement of M.M.* 351
Annex 522: Witness Statement of A.M. 351
Annex 523: Witness Statement of Z.B. 353
Annex 524: Witness statement of F.Đ., V.R. 354
A nex 525: Witness statement of M.Š. 355
Annex 526: Witness statement of I.B., ĐB. 356
MI LITARY DOCUMENTS 357
Annex 527: SSNO, Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the SFRY,
Administration, No. 1487-17/89 From 15 May 1990, Order, 359
Annex 528: The Command of the 9 Corps, Dt-1-4, 5 April 1991, to the
Command of the Bvp, Order For Defense Op. No. 1, 362
Annex 529: The Conversation between General Ratko Mladić, the
Commander of Serbian Army, and General Mile
Novaković, the Commander of the “Republic of Srpska
Krajina” Army 363
Annex 530: Order No.24-175 of the Personnel Administration Chief of
SSNO From 20 September 1991 364
Annex 531: Department of Interior Knin, "Ivan Bra čić And Other
Murders" 365
Annex 532: Confidential Document of the Security Intelligence
Agency, 1 sMarch 1993, Headquarters of the Serbian Army
of the Republic of Srpska Krajina, Security - Intelligence
Department: “Violence And the Murders of the Citizens of
Croatian Nationality”, Number 58-1, 3dMarch 1993 367
Annex 533: Resolution on Presence in Combat for the First Lieutenant
of the Yugoslav Army Stevo Subotić in the Army of the
Republic of Srpska Krajina 367
Annex 534: Minutes On the Investigation, Military Police MP Knin, 1
February 1992 368
Annex 535: The Ministry of the Defence of the Republic of Croatia’s
th
Office in Šibenik, 8June 1995 369
Annex 536: Naval Sector Boka From the 26 of October 1991, To the
Dubrovnik Crisis Center And the European Mission 374 XI
Annex 537: Daily report of the Security and Intelligence Agency, 3
February 1993 375
Annex 538: Report on the Murder of Civilians in the Village of
Škabrnja, 27 November 1991 376
OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS 379
Annex 539: Minutes of the Investigation, 10 March 1992 381
Annex 540: Death Report, 18 March 1992 382
Annex 541: Investigation Record, 14 March 1992 382
Annex 542: Investigation Record, 22 June 1992 383
Annex 543: Investigation Record, 15 January 1992 384
Annex 544: Investigation Record, 2 January 1993 385
Annex 545: Record On External Exhumation, 4 January 1993 386
Annex 546: Investigation Record, 16 January 1992 387
Annex 547: Death Report, 26 December 1992 388
Annex 548: Death Report, 26 December 1992 388
Annex 549: Investigation Record, 12 March 1996 389
Annex 550: Official Report on Bodies Found, 11 March 1996 389
Annex 551: Official Report on Bodies Found, 19 September 1996 390
Annex 552: Exhumation Record, 12 February 1992 390
Annex 553: Death Report, 23 March 1993 391
Annex 554: Record On External Examination of the Corps, 1992 391
Annex 555: Minutes on the Investigation, County Court in Zadar, 22
January 1997 392
Annex 556: Record of Exhumation, 14 November 1997 393
Annex 557: Minutes of the Autopsy, 30 June 1993 394
Annex 558: Autopsy Report, 30 June 1993 395
Annex 559: Commentary, Crime in the Village of Bruška 396
Annex 560: Minutes of Investigation (1), 26 April 1996 397
Annex 561: Minutes of Investigation (2), 26 April 1996 398
Annex 562: Minutes of Investigation (3), 26 April 1996 399
Annex 563: Minutes of Investigation (4), 26 April 1996 400
Annex 564: Minutes of Investigation (5), 26 April 1996 401
Annex 565: Report of Death, 27 March 1992 402
Annex 566: Investigation Record (1), 24 April 1996 402
Annex 567: Investigation Record (2), 24 April 1996 403
Annex 568: Record of the Investigation, 26 November 1992 404
Annex 569: Minutes of Exhumation, 24 May 1996 405
Annex 570: Record of the Performed Burial, 12 June 1992 406 XII
Annex 571: Record of the Autopsy (Exhumation), 28 August 1995 407
Annex 572: Extract from the Report of the Helsinki Watch, 4 February
1992 409
Annex 573: Strictly Confidential Military Classified Document No.
416-1, 23 November 1991 410
Annex 574: Strictly Confidential Military Classified Document No.
417-1, 23 November 1991 412
Annex 575: Record on the Sanitation, 21 November 1991 414
Annex 576: The Massacre of the Civilian Population 418
Annex 577: The List of of the Exhumed And Identified Persons in
Škabrnja, 6 June 1996 420
Annex 578: Record of Exhumation, 6 June 1996 421
Annex 579: Decision on Forming and Constituting the Community of
the Municipalities of Northern Dalmatia and Lika, 27 June
1990 423
Annex 580: Report of the Public security Center in Benkovac, 18
August 1990 425
Annex 581: Official Note of Dušan Čolović, 4 March 1994 426
Annex 582: Record of Body Found in Kaočine, Drniš municipality, 11
March 1996 426
Annex 583: Official Record of Discovery of Place of Burial in the
Drniš municipality, 9 August 1996 427
Annex 584: Minutes on the Investigation, Zaton Obrova čki, 22 January
1997 427
Annex 585: Record of External Examination of Corpses, 4 December
1992 428
Annex 586: Criminal Charges against the Unknown Perpetrator, 17
May 1993 430
Annex 587: Minutes of Investigation in Benkovac, 26 March 1992 430
Annex 588: Minutes of Investigation in Benkovac, 31 August 1992 431
Annex 589: Minutes of Investigation in Benkovac, 30 November 1992 432
Annex 590: Official Record on the Operations of the Aggressor, 28
October 1992 433
Annex 591: Official Record on the Operations of the Aggressor, 26
October 1992 434
Annex 592: Official Record, Šilješci, 17 December 1992 435
Annex 593: Official Record, Vojski dol, 11 November 1992 435
Annex 594: Official Record on the Operations of the Aggressor, 28
October 1992 436
Annex 595: Investigation Record, Church of St. Nicholas, Č ilipi, 26
October 1992 437 1
PART A: KORDUN AND LIKA2 3
ETHNIC STRUCTURES4 5
K ORDUN AND LIKA
Ethnicity of Kordun and Lika
(Donji Lapac, Duga Resa, Gospić, Gračac, Karlovac, Ogulin, Otočac,
Ozalj, Slunj, T. Korenica, Vojnić, Vrginmost)
in 1991 (%)
0,01% 1,97%
0,12% 3,46%
0,67%
35,34%
58,42%
Croats Serbs Muslims Albanians Czechs Yugoslavs Other
Croats 165562
Serbs 100167
Muslims 1885
Albanians 353
Czechs 41
Yugoslavs 5584
Other 9813
GRAND TOTAL 283405 6
CRNA DRAGA
Ethnicity of Crna Draga in 1991 (%)
2%
98%
Croats Other
Croats 284
Other 7
GRAND TOTAL 291 7
N OVO SLO LASINJSKO
Ethicity of Novo Selo Lasinjsko in 1991 (%)
3%
9%
88%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 80
Serbs 8
Other 3
GRAND TOTAL 91 8
L ASINJA
Ethnicity of Lasinja in 1991 (%)
1% 4%
1%
94%
Croats Serbs Slovenes Other
Croats 516
Serbs 6
Slovenes 4
Other 24
GRAND TOTAL 550 9
L IPOVAČA
Ethnicity of Lipovača in 1991 (%)
0,37%
16,48%
83,15%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 222
Serbs 44
Other 1
GRAND TOTAL 267 10
GORNJI LAĐEVAC
Ethnicity of Gornji Lađevac in 1991 (%)
2%
1%
97%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 546
Serbs 3
Other 12
GRAND TOTAL 561 11
DONJIL AĐEVAC
Ethnicity of Donji Lađevac in 1991 (%)
0,22% 2,47%
0,45%
96,85%
Croats Serbs Muslims Other
Croats 431
Serbs 2
Muslims 1
Other 11
GRAND TOTAL 445 12
A RAPOVAC
Ethnicity of Arapovac in 1991 (%)
100%
Croats
Croats 59
GRAND TOTAL 59 13
G ORNJIP OPOVAC
Ethnicity of Gornji Popovac in 1991 (%)
0,22% 1,55%
98,23%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 445
Serbs 1
Other 7
GRAND TOTAL 453 14
G ORNJIFURJAN
Ethnicity of Gornji Furjan in 1991 (%)
0,70%
99,30%
Croats Serbs
Croats 142
Serbs 1
GRAND TOTAL 143 15
SABORSKO
Ethnicity of Saborsko in 1991 (%)
4%
2%
94%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 800
Serbs 18
Other 34
GRAND TOTAL 852 16
K ARLOVAC
Ethnicity of Karlovac in 1991 (%)
0,28%
0,75% 0,59% 9,40%
0,27%
0,29%
24,22%
64,22%
Croats Serbs Montenegrins Macedonians
Muslims Slovenes Albanians Other
Croats 38533
Serbs 14529
Montenegrins 173
Macedonians 159
Muslims 448
Slovenes 353
Albanians 166
Other 5638
GRAND TOTAL 59999 17
B ANSKIK OVAČEVAC
Ethnicity of Banski Kovačevac in 1991 (%)
1% 9%
90%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 279
Serbs 2
Others 28
GRAND TOTAL 309 18
D ABAR
Ethnicity of Dabar in 1991 (%)
3%
38%
59%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 229
Serbs 347
Other 20
GRAND TOTAL 596 19
VRHOVINE
Ethnicity of Vrhovine in 1991 (%)
8%
7%
85%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 65
Serbs 742
Other 66
GRAND TOTAL 873 20
Š IROKAK ULA
Ethnicity of Široka Kula in 1991 (%)
4%
33%
63%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 184
Serbs 346
Other 23
GRAND TOTAL 553 21
DONJIV AGANAC
Ethnicity of Donji Vaganac in 1991 (%)
5%
49%
46%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 89
Serbs 85
Other 10
GRAND TOTAL 184 22
GORNJI VAGANAC
Ethnicity of Gornji Vaganac in 1991 (%)
1,32%
98,68%
Croats Other
Croats 300
Other 4
GRAND TOTAL 304 23
POLJANAK
Ethnicity of Poljanak in 1991 (%)
6%
3%
91%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 145
Serbs 5
Other 10
GRAND TOTAL 160 24
SMOLJANAC
Ethnicity of Smoljanac in 1991 (%)
1,17% 2,73%
96,09%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 246
Serbs 3
Other 7
GRAND TOTAL 256 25
L OVINAC
Ethnicity of Lovinac in 1991 (%)
4% 5%
4%
87%
Croats Serbs Romanies Other
Croats 460
Serbs 22
Romanies 22
Other 29
GRAND TOTAL 53326 27
WITNESS STATEMENTS28 29
A NNEX 338:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF Đ T.
Đ.T., son of I. (a father), 61 years old, occupation: a pensioner, lives in
Drežnica, ...; gives the following:
STATEMENT
“I know nothing about plans under ciphers “Proboj 1” (“Breakthrough 1”), “Proboj 2”
(“Breakthrough 2”) and “Proboj 3” (“Breakthrough 3”). I heard now for the first time about
the existence of these plans. Consequently, I don’t know who made these plans, what
objectives of these plans were, who had to execute them or about the network of
collaborators of the group of operatives who had to bring to life mentioned plans, especially
the plan the “Proboj 1” (“Breakthrough 1”).
However, about the arming of the Serbian population on the territory of Ogulin and Brinje,
so-called “Gornji Kraj”, before the beginning of the armed aggression on the Republic of
Croatia and after the aggression on the Republic of Croatia and about preparations of the
armed mutiny on the territory of Ogulin and Brinje, as well as other occurrences linked to
this, I have certain knowledge that I am going to set forth and explain in more detail.
The main organisers of preparations for the armed mutiny during 1990 and 1991 on the
territory of Drežnica and Jasenak, municipality of Ogulin, were:
• Dušan Kričković called “Učo” that later got hurt, probably died
• Rajko Ivošević
• Nikola Rajnovi ć called “Č iča” – a retired officer of the Yugoslav Federal
Army, a native of Srpska (ILLEGIBLE WORD) who is now somewhere in
Beograd
• Milan Ivošević – now a manager of the Forester’s office in Jasenak
• Milan Mamula called “Mindja” – now a forester’s technician in the Forester’s
office in Jasenak
• Nedjeljko Marović – now working in the Forester’s office in Drežnica, an
engineer of forestry
• Petar Radojčić – now working as a stoker in a school in Drežnica
• Petar Kosanović called “Žakljar” – now working somewhere abroad
• Marica Vukelić called “Trepavica” – now somewhere in Serbia
From the middle of 1990 until the end of 1991 all of them met regularly and secretly in the
weekend cottage of Rajko Ivoševi ć in Jasenak, the hamlet Zrni ći Jasena čki, at Petar
Radojčić’s in Drežnica, the hamlet Bulici, and at Nedjeljko Marovi ć’s in Krakar, Drežnica.
Mentioned Rajko Ivošević quitted Drežnica in 1991 or in 1992 and he is now somewhere in
Serbia, in Belgrade.
Sometime during August of 1991, for the first time a certain quantity of weapons was
transported by two military personnel carriers of the Yugoslav Federal Army from the 30
direction of Ogulin to the wood “Cungar”, not far away from the village Drežnica. One
officer of the Yugoslav Federal Army by the name Milan Tesli ć, a tall swarthy man, about
35 years old, as I heard, a relative of Dušan Kričković called “Učo”, drove the weapons. On
that occasion, several officers of the Yugoslav Federal Army were together with Tesli ć. On
that occasion, according to my knowledge, which isn’t the most accurate, about 300 semi-
automatic rifles, about 20 snipers, 20-30 automatic rifles and a certain quantity of hand-
grenades and pistols were brought. Namely, at that time, I was the president of the Local
Committee in Drežnica and I worked together with one group of inhabitants, with a crisis
staff of the municipality of Ogulin and with certain officials of the municipality of Ogulin
and Vrbovsko against the armed mutiny and against the stirring up intolerance between the
Serbian and the Croatian population on this territory. That is why those persons, who
engaged in stirring up armed mutiny, hid a lot from me and so I couldn’t come to more
accurate and more precise information. Later, the above-mentioned organisers of the armed
mutiny, especially Petar Radoj čić, Milan Ivoševi ć and Nikola Radulovi ć – a carrier from
Drežnica, engaged in distribution and in division of these weapons on the territory of
Drežnica and Jasenak.
I got acquainted with the mentioned Milan Tesli ć before that delivery of weapons,
sometime in June or in July of 1991, when he came to D .K.’s (called “U.”)
with whom I am best man. On that occasion during the conversation, Tesli ć, among other
things, inquired about the political circumstances and state and about the mood of the
Serbian population on the territory of Ogulin, especially on the territory of Drežnica and
Jasenak. I saw Teslic for the last time early in September of 1991 when he came to Jasenak
by helicopter of the Yugoslav Federal Army and landed near the school. On that occasion,
he brought between 15 and 20 rocket launchers that D .K. and Tošo Mamula
took over. They put those rocket launchers in the house of K ., that is in the school
wh ere he lived. I don’t know what happened with those rocket launchers later. I heard that
shortly afterwards Teslić had a car accident somewhere near Banja Luka, that he was badly
injured and that after that he ended up being in Belgrade. I don’t know what happened to
him afterwards and where he is today.
After Teslić had stopped coming to the territory of Drežnica and Jasenak, sometime late in
September of 1991 Slobodan Platiša came to this area for the first time, allegedly by
helicopter of the Yugoslav Federal Army. I knew Platiša from before because his mother is
from my village and she is married in Gornji Kraj. On that occasion, Platiša came to Petar
Kosanović’s (called “Žakljar”) who invited me to come to his house. When I arrived,
Platiša and K . called “U.” were at Kosanović’s. Platiša was in civilian clothes. He
stayed and spent the night at my place for 2 or 3 days, because I knew him from before.
After that, I drove him to Vodote č (Gornji Kraj). His father is a native of Vodotec and he
has relatives there. According to my knowledge, he went to that territory because of the
distribution of weapons to the population of Serbian nationality and because of the
“shooting” of the entire situation on this territory. As I could conclude from talking with
him, I think that he was one of the “moderate” persons, that he was against stirring up
armed mutiny and that he was for solving the entire situation peacefully.
Later, during the second half of 1991 and until the middle of 1992, Platiša came more often
to the territory of Drežnica and Jasenak. He occasionally visited me, but he came and
contacted most often with D .K., Petar Kosanović, Milan Mamula, Milan and
Rajko Ivošević, Petar Radojčić and Nikola Radulović called “Čiča”, although, accordin g to
my judgement, he disagreed with him politically. During conversations with me, he told me
several times that Nikola Rajnović called “ Čiča” came here of some strange motives and 31
that the rest of us should organise with a view of peaceful solving of the conflict and risen
problems.
Late in October or early in November of 1991, staffs for the observation of the general
situation, for organising local guards and the like were established in Drežnica and in
Jasenak. That was done by arrangement with the crisis staff of the municipality of Ogulin.
Above-mentioned “extremists” and organisers of the attempt of the armed mutiny on this
territory tried to enforce their politics and their way of solving the situation upon these
staffs, but they failed it. So, they withdrew from the work of these staffs. At the same time,
Petar Radojčić, Milan Ivošević, Nedjeljko Marović and Marica Vukelić withdrew from the
Council of local committees due to disagreement with the work of the same.
Extremists continued meeting regularly after that and they tried to establish, to say so, a
certain parallel authority of their own by means of which they would boycott and render
impossible the activity of the rest of us.
After weapons of the Yugoslav Federal Army had arrived in the territory of Drežnica and
Jasenak and had been distributed to “confiding” inhabitants of Serbian nationality, during
the second half of 1991, a military training was conduced using these weapons for the
territory of Drežnica on the so-called Drežnicko polje, directed by Petar Radoj čić and
Milan Radulović called “Pavlin”, and for the territory of Jasenak in the wood towards
(ILLEGIBLE WORD), directed by D .K. called “U.” and Petar Kosanović.
Besides the above-mentioned, which I personally saw, I am aware that during September
and October of 1991, weapons came several times by helicopter not far away from Jasenak.
Helicopters landed on one glade next to a road that leads towards Mrkoplje. When those
weapons arrived, Rajko Ivoševi ć and Nikola Rajnovi ć called “Čiča” were always present.
Those weapons, as well as the other ones, were then distributed to confiding persons of
Serbian nationality. Besides that, one part of weapons came by military trucks from the
direction of Vrhovine across Prokik and Vodote č by a forest road that had been cleared and
completed in a hurry during summer of 1991, probably just because of those needs. Besides
weapons, a certain quantity of explosives that was also distributed to inhabitants arrived. I
don’t know where all of that is today.
Before the mentioned delivery and distribution of weapons on the territory of Drežnica,
Jasenak and the so-called “Gornji Kraj”, during the first half of 1991, Mile Kosanovi ć (son
of Mitar), Todor Mamula, Boško Mamla called “Krapan”, Jadranka Obradovi ć and several
other younger persons went from Jasenak to the military-commando-terrorist training in
Pančevo and in Knin. Later, the afore-mentioned Mile Kosanovi ć and Jadranka Obradovi ć
married and then they went to Canada, while Todor Mamula went to Belgrade.
During 1990 and early in 1991, Nikola Medakovi ć, a president of the Local Committee of
Plaški then and later a president of the arbitrary and self-declared municipality of Plaški,
came often to the territory of Drežnica and Jasenak with a view to connecting Drežnica and
Jasenak with Plaški, to organise the armed mutiny on the territory of Ogulin and then to
finally separate themselves from the Republic of Croatia, that is to join the so-called “SAO
Krajina”. With regard to that, Medakovi ć often contacted me, but I disagreed with his
political views. That is why we stopped contacting and we parted, so that Medakovi ć
continued contacting with his like-minded persons Petar Radoj čić, D .K. and the
like.
Late in 1990 or 1991, one group from Drežnica and Jasenak, whose members were
K., Nadjeljko Marović, Duško (ILLEGIBLE WORD), Dragan Trbović – who drove 32
a car and some other persons, stayed in Knin due to consultations with Babi ć, Martić and
others from the leadership of Knin and of the Serbian Democratic party of that time.
Late in 1991 or early in 1992, “extremists” from the territory of Drežnica and Jasenak kept
contact with like-minded persons from Plaški and they went back and forth to Plaški
(ILLEGIBLE WORDS). Together with above-mentioned weapons and ammunition
(ILLEGIBLE WORDS) Drežnica and Jaseak a certain quantity (ILLEGIBLE WORDS)
came, probably for maintaining mutual relations. I don’t know where those “motorole”
ended up later.
Because of organising of the armed mutiny and connecting Jasenak, Drežnica and Gomirje,
Lazo Mamula and Borivoj Dokmanovi ć came often, and they still come today, from
Gomirje to Jasenak and there they contacted with the above-mentioned extremists from
Drežnica and from Jasenak.
In the second half of 1991, Milan Mamula, Milan Ivošević and Stamenko Pejakovi ć
procured about 10 tons of various food and put it in a worker’s centre of the Forester’s
office in Jasenak and in a fireman’s centre that is at a saw-mill in Jasenak. That food had to
serve as a reserve in case of the armed mutiny. The larger part of that food was distributed
to inhabitants later on. That food was procured by buying for forest logs through one
Vujnović from Vrbovsko or from Gomirje.
As I have already said, D .K. called “U.” got hurt by entering a minefield
when reconnoitring the radio transmitter “Mirkovica” after the Yugoslav Federal Army had
rocketed the repeater. After the rocket attack on the repeater, K, together with Petar
Kosanović and Todor Mamula called “Tošo”, went reconnoitring by order of Rajnovi ć and
Rajko Ivošević.
The main distributor of weapons in “Gornji Kraj”, on the territory of Vodote č and
surrounding hamlets and villages was Bogdan Božani ć called “Koji ć” – a relative of
Slobodan Platiša, whom I drove to Platiša on that occasion that I talked about before.
Božanic was later held in custody in Karlovac for some time and then he was exchanged. I
don’t know his present whereabouts.
During 1992 and 1993, two persons were killed on the territory of Jasenak. One of them
was a person of Croatian nationality and the other of Serbian nationality. I do not know
who committed these terrorist actions. I heard that late in 1991, Miloš Mamula, a father of
mentioned Tošo Mamula, shot at a vehicle by which Dr. Saks from Ogulin was going.
According to my rough estimate, a total of between 700 and 800 “barrels” – rifles,
automatic rifles, pistols, about 15-20 rocket launchers, about 20 snipers, a certain quantity
of explosives and large quantity of weapons with ammunition came to the territory of
Drežnica and Jasenak.
Besides the mentioned quantity of weapons and ammunition, a certain number of mortars
and hand-grenades arrived. Those weapons were hidden in Drežnica, hamlet of Joi ći, in the
house of the late Djukan; then not far away from the place Brezno in one cave in the wood
called (ILLEGIBLE WORD) and in various other places, while one part of the weapons
and ammunition was distributed to inhabitants as I have already said. I am not familiar
where those weapons are today. I think that Petar Radoj čić, Nadeljko Marovi ć, Stojan
Tatalović called “Joi ć”, Duško Radulovi ć called “Škoro”, Nikola Radulovi ć – a carrier,
Dragan Trbovi ć, Bogomir Ivoševi ć, Milan Ivoševi ć, Gnjaco Marovi ć, Živko Tatalovi ć
called “Papež”, Stojan Radulovi ć, Milan Mamula, Petar Kosanovi ć called “Žakljar”,
Mladen Kosanović and others should know, that is they know, more and more accurately 33
about that. Late in 1992, one part of those weapons was returned through the Local
Committee and handed over to the police station of the PS of Ogulin that obviously has
accurate data about the quantity of the returned weapons and ammunition.
During 1992, a certain amount of money in DM came from Begrade as, allegedly, help to
the Local Committee. Petar Kosanović, Petar Radojčić and Borivoje Dokmanović took over
that money. I do not know how much money it was and what happened later with that
money. I know that people who travelled to Beograd asked about the money and what
happened with it because it should be allotted to inhabitants and that wasn’t the case.
That is all I have to state. “
There are no further questions for the witness.
The witness is warned about Article no. 77 subsection no. 1 of the ZKP and he states that
he heard the dictation of the record, that the same does not have any remarks and that due to
that he signs it with personal signature.
Finished.
Witness statement was given by: Đ.
ANNEX 339:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M.Č.
M.Č., son of H. , born on ... in the village ...,
Brčko; a Moslem, a citizen of the Repuc of BIH, without permanent address; a major of
the air force of the former Yugoslav Federal Army; last service in the Counter-Intelligence
Group of the Security Agency of the Combat Air Force and of the Anti-Aircraft Defence in
Zemun, military post 8115-15 Zemun, gives the following:
STATEMENT
“I would like to begin the statement with facts, memories and reconstruction of my work
and of the work of other operatives in the Counter-Intelligence Group of the Security
Agency of the Combat Air Force and of the Anti-Aircraft Defence.
During the time when I was working in the Counter-Intelligence Group, the head of the
Security Agency was a colonel Slobodan Rako čević, the deputy Savo Lap čić (now
deceased), Radoslav Mitrovi ć (now deceased) and the others. Since 1988, following
persons were employed in the Counter-Intelligence Group:
− The head of the Counter-Intelligence Group: Tomislav Čuk – a colonel
− The deputy of the head of the Counter-Intelligence Group: Ratko Radakovi ć
– a lieutenant-colonel
− The assistant of the head of the Counter-Intelligence Group for the internal
enemy: Pavao Bućan
− The assistant of the head of the Counter-Intelligence Group for the East
intelligence services: Svetozar Džigurski – a colonel
− The assistant of the head for the operational technique: Nabojša Savanović 34
− The assistant of the head for West intelligence services: Ljuban Karan
− Darvin Lisica – a captain
− Zvonko Tišma – a 1 class captain
− Vukoman Milosavljević – a captain
st
− Nikola Radujko – a 1 class captain
Besides the mentioned ones, there were other officers in the Counter-Intelligence Group,
especially in the operational technique, that were of no safety-operational importance.
The Counter-Intelligence Group of the Security Agency of the Combat Air Force and of the
Anti-Aircraft Defence directly co-ordinated the work of the counter-intelligence groups
detachments, 1 stof Skopje, 2nd of Zagreb and 3 rdof Sarajevo. In Zagreb, the 2 nddetachment
th
was situated on Maksimirska cesta no. 63. From that detachment at the 5 VAK, the head
of the detachment was Mirko Martić – a lieutenant-colonel and besides him Ivan Sabolovi ć,
Čedo Kneževi ć – a captain, Miroslav Juran – a captain, Ljubiša Slavuj – a second-
lieutenant, Ljubiša Ljubišić – a standard-bearer, Stjepan Rakari ć – a major, Miroslav Balan
– a captain worked in the detachment.
According to my knowledge, between 1990 and February of 1992, isolated individuals
from the Counter-Intelligence Group of the Security Agency, as well as from the 2 nd
detachment of the Counter-Intelligence Group in Zagreb, were comprised in, that is were
active participants of some, in the war crisis of the crumbling of Yugoslavia, important
actions directed by security services of the former Yugoslav Federal Army. Namely, at the
beginning of the crumbling of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, that is
after multiparty elections in the Republic of Croatia, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Serbia
and in Slovenia, security services of the former Yugoslav Federal Army were responsible
for the preparations for the mutiny by “tree-trunk revolution” (putting up barricades) and
for the arming of the Serbian population on the territory of the Republic of Croatia, as well
as in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I would like to set forth my knowledge about that process
that took place from the middle of the 1990. Namely, with regard to that I was in work
bound for the territory of the north-east Bosnia, with the escalation of the crisis in the
former Yugoslavia, I was more and more present in the field in the entire Bosnia. Early in
1991, with my stays in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I gradually began to notice the presence of
certain officers from the 2nddetachment of the Counter-Intelligence Group from Zagreb on
the territory of Biha ć and Cazinska krajina and Banija and Kordun. With regard to that I
personally knew all of those officers and that they prized my operational work, and I was
from the superior command, some of them set forth concretely their operational tasks and
reasons for the presence on thnd territory. In this way, I gradually comprehended that my
colleagues, members of the 2 detachment of the Counter-Intelligence Group from Zagreb,
were engaged in distribution of weapons from military warehouses to the population of
Serbian nationality on Banija, Lika, Kordun and to the Serbian population in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (Bosanski Novi, Prijedor and other).
In the continuation of the statement, I would like to detail this:
During the stay in Biha ć, that is in September of 1991, on the airport Biha ć in the so-called
“Lovačka kuća” (“Hunting-lodge”) I met Major Čedomir Knežević from the 2 nddetachment
of the Counter-Intelligence Group in Zagreb. In one comprehensive conversation Kneževi ć
brougth up that he, together with lieutenant-colonel Smiljanić from the Security Agency of
the 5 army and other officers Ljubiša Slavulj – a second lieutenant from the Counter- 35
Intelligence Group of the 2 nd detachment, Miroslav Juran – a captain from the 2 nd
detachment, Vukašin Gledi ć – a major from the regiment “Vojin” of the airport Pleso,
nd
Ljubiša Ljubiši ć – a standard-bearer from the 2 detachment, were on the specific
assignment. That assignment was the organisation of the distribution of weapons,
instruments and other military equipment to the Serbian population on the territory of Lika,
Banija, Kordun and West Bosnia. I can remember well that Kneževi ć pointed out that
general Aleksandar Vasiljevi ć, from the “Security Administration” of the Federal
Department for the National Defence, was directly leading the action, the work, and that
our head, colonel Slobodan Rakoč ević, didn’t know every detail of that work. He even told
me that this operation was conducted under the pseudonym “Proboj 1” (“Breakthrough 1”).
About the method of the distribution of weapons to the Serbian population, Čedomir
Knežević told me that they kept records to whom and what they give, that the entire
operation went on according to the established schedule, planned with necessary documents
to whom, what and when distribute out of the military equipment and armaments. During
that time, in September, when I was in the “Lova čka kuća” (“Hunting-lodge”) in Biha ć,
Knežević and Smiljani ć were drawing up a summary report about the realised and that
report went directly to the Federal Department for the National Defence to general Aco
Vasiljević. I haven’t seen that report as an integral document, but I was present in the
“Lovačka kuća” (“Hunting-lodge”) when they were drawing up that report. Kneževi ć also
pointed out to me that they make detailed lists to whom, in what village in Lika, Banija and
Kordun, how and when they delivered weapons and other combat means. I remember that
he stressed that they were delivering that to the Serbian population so that it succeeded in
defending itself from the Croatian authorities and that he personally didn’t derive profit
from that, but if he found out that someone engaged in a black-marketing of that weapons
or if someone benefited from it in another way, that he would personally shot him. On the
occasion of that stay, Kneževi ć also showed me mainly armaments of infantry (automatic
rifles, mortars and non-rebounding cannons) in one of warehouses near the “Lova čka kuća”
(“Hunting-lodge”). I also have to say that Kneževi ć emphasised that this part of the
business was a well kept secret and that other officers on the airport didn’t know anything
linked to this assignment. With this he wanted to inform me so that I wouldn’t accidentally
“let out” the nature of their business on the Biha ć’s airport when contacting with
colleagues. I don’t know the entire methodology and technology how Kneževi ć, Smiljanić
and others distributed weapons to the Serbian population on those territories. However, I
am aware of that persons, their collaborators in distribution of weapons, were local officials
of the Serbian Democratic Party who would practically come with lists of weapons and
instruments that they needed for their positions and through mediation of them they, in
some places, mostly at night, distributed weapons and equipment to members of the Serbian
Democratic Party in those places. In September of 1991, Kneževi ć introduced me to one of
local leaders of the Serbian Democratic Party in Bosanski Novi, for whom I know that he is
a butcher, and through mediation of whom they, in that way, distributed weapons in
Bosanski Novi. For sure, and Knežević gave me a hint, that the only task of the “Proboj 1”
(“Breakthrough 1”), that is of the activity of the group on Biha ć’s airport, wasn’t just the
distribution of armaments to the Serbian population in Lika, Kordun, Banija and parts of
Bosnia, but the task was also the organisation of collaborators, better to say of local
political followers, who took over political functions and executive power on local levels
and so they could carry out what they were ordered. In this way, I think that on those tracts
such operational group, or better to say the system of security of the former Yugoslav
Federal Army, could organise and realise all political and other objectives.”
Statement given by: M .Č. 36
ANNEX 340:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S.Š.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
GOSPIĆ POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: S .Š., inrview
held on on 22ndOctober 1992 at Gospi ć Police Department with the former officer of the
JNA who worked at the former Dom of the JNA in Gospić.
(…)
While he worked in Gospi ć, S. claims that he did not distribute the weapons from the
Gospić barracks to the Serbs, but that it was done from the barracks – storehouse of the
weapons in Sv. Rok near Lovinac.
(…)
On Plitvička Jezera S. mostly drove the commanders of the IKM and who replaced each
other in short terms. He noticed Colonel SAVO JURASOVI Ć who commanded in the
actions of conquering, that is, exiling the Croats of Vaganac, Drežnik, čko Selište
and Rakovica. Lieutenant Colonel DUŠAN SMILJANIĆ often visited IKM on Plitvice. He
was at the security, and all the dirty games were his idea. Under his authority the Serbs all
over Lika were armed.
(…)
During July and August 1991, mostly at night, they transported weapons from Sv.Rok and
Skradnik, and which was distributed among the Serbs in Lika. The weapons were
transported mostly at night. Usually after a visit of Lieutenant Colonel Smilć and
General Borić, the Serbs would be armed on massive scale.
(…)
In the attack on Vaganac, Drežnik, Drežni čko Selište and Grabovac coordinately
participating were the Army, military police company, scouts company, company of the
Territorial defence in whose formations were volunteers from T. Korenica and Vrhovine.
(…)
Cannon support was given by the tank company that came from the area of Banja Luka and
a company of ZIS cannons from Bihać.
Statement given by: SŠ. 37
A NNEX 341:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF IB.
THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
CRIMINAL POLICE DEPARTMENT
WAR CRIM ES AND TERRORISM SECTION
(organizational unit of the Ministry)
number: 511-05-04/1-4184/97-98.
date: the 8hof April, 1998
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen I.B., occupation – pensioner, born on the ... , ...,
UCRN …, gave to the authorized official person of the criminal police of the Karlovac
Police Administration the following information:
“I stayed at home in Crna Draga after the occupation of the village in October, 1991, but
most of the villagers managed to get away. I could not get away because I stayed in my
house too long, and later on I could not reach Kupa because the Serbs cut my way off. In
the hamlet Britveci, Nikola Britvec (died in the meantime) and I stayed, and so did the late
Bara and Ivan Britvec, and also a woman who later died in an accident on Lošinj where her
daughter lived.
The Serbs immediately after they entered Crna Draga, set on fire my and Nikola Britvec’s
wood house, I hid myself for 2, 3 days in the woods, I slept in a copse because I was afraid
they might kill me, and the rest of the remaining Croatians did the same. My house was just
the first one next to the late Ivan and Bara’s house, it was 30 meters away, so we spent most
of the time together. Only I, together with the late Nikola Britvec went to sleep at Mile
Dobrić’s at night in the hamlet Dobri ći, that belongs to the Prkos area, but is only 500 to
600 meters away from Britvec. Mile lived alone and his two sons had married and moved in
with their Croatian wives’ families on the left side of the river Kupa, and they stayed there
during the whole war. Therefore the Serbs were distrustful of Milo, but nevertheless Nikola
th
and I used to sleep there for about 6 months, I think it was till the 12March, 1992. We
used to sleep in his stables, and during the daytime we went home to feed the cattle because
my stables, just like Nikola’s were undamaged, and we had some cattle. Besides working at
home and the fact that we, the remaining Croatians helped each other, we all used to work
for Serbs when they asked us to. Nikola and I used to eat at Mile Dobri ć’s, he used to cook
for us and he was the only person who acted normal, and in return we helped him at work.
The local Serbs, I think neighbors, did not harm us, but the patrols that used to go around
the village used to slap us and beat us, but that was a normal thing. It all depended on what
a person was like. At one time one person kicked me hard in the abdomen, and when I fell
he asked me to stand in front of him, and as I could not he slapped me. Another man, who
was with him, barely saved me for the first one would have possibly killed me.
In the hamlet Dobrići the already mentioned Mile Dobrić, Čedo Dobrić, Petar Dobrić lived,
his son Đuro and Petar Zrnić with his son Budimir, called “Bude” who was married and his
son Gojko who was not married.
The Serbs probably pressured Mile Dobri ć, and he somewhere at the beginning of March,
1992 told us that we could not stay any longer at his place and that we had to go. He told us
that he could not take care of us any longer and cook for us, and we understood his situation
for he was an old man. 38
I took the blankets from his stables with which I covered myself at night and I carried them
in a wheelbarrow to Britveci (lower). I planned to sleep in my stables, and I slept at Mile’s
mostly because there I was sure, the same as Nikola, that the Serbs would not harm us.
Nikola Dobrić went to sleep at Čedo Dobrić’s, also in the hamlet Dobrići because they were
godfathers. It seems that there were some kinds of quarters at Čedo’s but I am not sure what
it was about.
As I was passing by Petar Zrnić’s house with my wheelbarrow, I think it was the day when
I was moving to Britveci, his wife Milica came to meet me and she asked me where I was
going, and I said that I was going home. After that she called her daughter-in-law, Bude’s
wife and she talked to her about me coming to sleep at their place for the time being. Her
daughter-in-law, Mara, came from a mixed marriage between a Serb and a Croatian
woman. She was Evica’s born sister, and Evica was Svetozar Biži ć’s wife and he had just th
come back to Prkos. Mara agreed that I could sleep at their house, so from the 12 of
March, 1992 till the middle of May, 1992 I slept at Zrnić ’s place. I also ate there, usually at
the table together with them, and they, considering the situation, acted pretty well. I slept in
the kitchen on the first floor, and this floor was built out of wooden planks, and usually the
men from the Zrnić family slept in the next room.
The day before the murder of Ivan and Bara Britvec, in the period around St. Joseph church
holiday in 1992 or maybe a few days later, I spent the whole day at my house in Britveci,
and as usual I was with Ivo and Bara. When it began to get dark I was on my way to Zrni ć’s
house. Just as I was passing the new house that Marko Britvec, the son of the late Ivo
Britvec, began to build before the war and that was around 300 to 400 meters away from
the Britvec wood house, I heard Gojko Zrni ć (Petar Zrni ć’s son at whose house Ivo was
sleeping at) calling someone: “come on, are you finished, are you coming”. He did not
mention any name. Gojko and that other person were at Gornji Britveci (Upper Britveci).
That is to say there is hamlet Gornji Britveci and hamlet Donji Britveci (Lower Britveci)
where I used to live, and the nickname for the Donji Britveci was Luka či. At that moment I
did not pay much attention to those words, but their meaning became clear to me only later.
At that moment I was about 200 meters away from Zrnić’s house, but I did not see Gojko or
this other person on the side road to Donji Britveci.
Half an hour later after I entered into the Zrni ć’s house, I heard shooting from automatic
arms, and according to the direction of the shooting I concluded it was in Donji Britveci. I
and the Zrnić family were just sitting at the table and when the shooting was heard I said
that Gojko was shooting and that he will bring venison. They said nothing, but I think they
knew what was going on, and I had doubts too.
About half an hour later, Gojko came home holding an automatic rifle in his hand and
immediately after he entered he threw it on the two-seater and he took his shirt of. His
father told him “you son of a bitch, did you really have to do it”. Gojko said nothing, he just
passed through the kitchen and went to bed.
Nobody talked about that that evening, I also went to bed in my room, but I did not sleep at
all that night, I was shivering with fear, thinking that I would be killed too. In the morning,
I got up earlier than usually and I went to my house in Donji Britveci, Milica even asked
me where I was going that early, and I answered that I had to wash some things. I came to
my house and I fed my cattle, but the whole time I anticipated something. I looked towards
the Britvec’s house and I saw that the window was open, but I did not see smoke coming
out of the chimney. I found it strange that Bara had not already lit the fire, so I immediately
went to their house. When I entered the house I happened to find Ivo Britvec in his room, 39
lying on the bed, covered with a blanket, but his head was, as it is said, beneath his legs and
his legs were on the pillow. His right arm was under the blanket, raised on the level with his
head and it was rigid. I thought he was asleep so I shook him and I felt that he was cold and
dead for a long time. When I took a better look I saw that the whole right side of his head
was crushed, because he was shot in that part of his head, and also in the chest and stomach.
I immediately went to Bara’s bed and I saw that she was covered with a blanket up to her
chin. I uncovered her and I saw that she was also shot in the chest and stomach, and that
both of them were dead.
I immediately went to Zrni ć’s and I told Milica Zrni ć that the Britvecs were killed this
night, and she answered “sure”. I told her that they were really killed and that the command
should be notified, and she answered that the command already knew that. I think that
Milica and Petar went to see the late Ivo and Bara to find out if they were really dead, so in
the morning Milica knew about their murder, and they had probably covered Bara with a
blanket that night, because the blanket did not have bullet holes.
Marko Bjeloš (a native of Sjeni čak, his father’s name is Milan) immediately came that
morning into the yard of Gojko Zrni ć and they talked about something very quietly a little
further away. I think that this Marko Bjeloš was also an accomplice in the Britvec murder,
but I can not verify that because I did not see neither him, nor Gojko shooting the Britvecs.
I did not notice anything strange about Gojko later, after that incident, I think he would
have become unsociable or he would start drinking, but even before he was reserved and
underhand, unlike his brother Bude.
Later that morning, the ex-policeman Ćane (Stanko Č iča from Vrginmost) came, and he
went to see the scene of the crime, where the Britvecs were killed. I think he organized the
bringing of the caskets for the late Britvecs, and I and the late Nikola Britvec, together with
2 or 3 Serbs put the Britvecs in the caskets. They were not buried until the next day and
they were buried in front of their own house in their yard. Marko Krmpoti ć who is now in
Germany, the late Nikola Britvec and the late Mile Dobri ć, together with a couple of Serbs
who were on duty position in Crna Draga buried them.
The Serbs took the house (where the late Britvecs were murdered) somewhere in 1993 or
1994 because it was a wooden house, but I do not know where they took the house and my
barn. After I went to Karlovac at the beginning of 1993, the Serbs took everything I had,
except the cows that I had sold some time before, so with that money I bought myself a
carton of cigarettes.
The Britvec couple were probably killed because Zrni ćs were never fond of the late Ivo,
especially when they talked politics, and they were in a kind of dissension. His father was a
member of the Ustashas and he was killed in the last war.
After the murder and the burial of the Britvecs, the Serbs did not conduct any kind of
investigation, nor was this incident discussed, except for the fact that Nikola and I used to
talk about it alone. At one incident, I think it was the fall of 1992, when we were picking
plums, I told him that Gojko Zrni ć probably killed the Britvecs, and he just said that he
thought the same. Not long after that Gojko’s mother, Milica verbally attacked me on the
road, and she asked me how I could keep saying around the village that her Gojko killed the
Britvecs. I told her that I was not saying that at all and that it was not true. Nikola probably
told his godmother about our conversation and she was Č edo Dobrić’s mother and he used
to sleep at her house and sometimes he would talk to her when they were alone. 40
I think that the Britvecs murder happened a few weeks before the murder of the 6 old
people in Bosanski Kovačevac, because after a while, Bude told me that I would not be able
to go to St. Petar’s Church in Kovač evac because it was burnt down when the miller Grga
and 5 more people were killed.
Nevertheless, I am not so sure in what I had said because I do not completely remember
how the incidents chronologically happenned while I was in Crna Draga in 1991 and 1992,
due to the fact that I was constantly under pressure and in fear, so I did not pay much
attention about what happened or when, and I could not and I was not allowed to write
anything down.
As a consequence of all I had gone through, sometimes I do not follow myself (I am
referring to my memory) and my wife can confirm that. For example, I thought I had been
th
sleeping at Mith Dobrić’s house till the 12f May, 1992 but I had not, instead I had been
there till the 12f March, and the next two months I had spent at Petar Zrni ć’s house, and
from May onwards I had slept at Č edo Dobri ć’s house where Nikola Britvec had been
staying for some time before, and we both stayed there till the fall of 1992.
I am prepared to repeat everything I stated in front of the Court, but in case that many
people will give statements, I would like to be protected so that those people could not find
out the fact that I also gave a statement, because I think that maybe some of the Serbs will
be summoned when they come back, and they probably will, and therefore I could find
myself in an unpleasant situation because we all know each other there.
Statement taken by:
Police officer Ivan Horvat (signature)
Official record of the information received from the citizen
according to the act 177 instruction,
2ndsubsection of the ZKP
A NNEX 342:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF SČ.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
CRIME-INVESTIGATION POLICE SECTION
WAR CRIM ES AND TERRORISM UNIT
No. 511-05-04/1- /98
Date. 6 April 1998
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen S.Č., a retiree by occupation, born on ..., JMBG (Unique
Citizens’ Registry Number), with residence in …. On 3 April 1998 he gave the following
information on the murder of six elder citizens of Croatian nationality in B. Kova čevac in
March 1992 and on the place of their burial, to an official of the crime investigation police
of the PU (Police Department) Karlovac at the premises of the PU Karlovac.
(…) 41
We were going towards the house of Ivan Britvec aka “Grof” (Count), who was born
sometime around 1924 or ‘25 and was living in Crna Draga, we were actually by car. We
could not reach the house directly by car so that we walked the last 300 or 400m. His
mother Bara was also living with him; she was already 85 years old.
While we were approaching the Britvec house, Čedo said, “somebody killed the Britvec
family this evening”. I knew the Britvec family very well, as well as everybody living in
the broader area of Lasinja, since I had been the commander of a sector for thirteen years
while I was working for the Police.
Ivan and Bara lived in a wooden house; I think it also had a dirt floor so that when I entered
the house the old woman lying dead on the couch on the left side of the door. That room
was covered with automatic rifle brass bullet cases. The woman covered with a blanket so
that I could not see which body part was mostly wounded. Ivan was lying next to the bed in
the other room, which was also covered in bullet cases. I did not notice if their house was
turn up side down and if the murder motive was robbery, although I would not know why
they were murdered.
Before they were murdered, they used to have two cows and some smaller cattle and after
they were buried their relatives sold the cattle. Nikola Brežan called “Mika” sold one cow
to Čedo Bućan from Prkos, and I do not know to whom they sold the other cow. That Mika
Brežan gave part of the money to Pane Bulat in order to settle the expenses for the casket,
so that Pane gave part of the money to me since according to him I had helped in this case,
but I refused to take the money and gave it back to Nikola Brežan.
As soon as I saw that the people were murdered, and it was evident that the whole thing had
happened the night before, which was also confirmed by Čedo Dobri ć, we returned to
Dobrić’s house and I called the command and asked them for instructions. From the
Headquarters, Dragan Gvozdić, the then assistant commander of the battalion, as a civilian
he was headmaster of a school, as well as a man from Topusko, who was an operation
officer in the headquarters, and before the war he used to be a driver for “PIM”, got in
touch with me. I do not know which one of them answered first, but they told me that they
could not make any concrete decisions, but that I should return to the Command, and that
they would see then what should be done. I returned to the command with the
communication specialist, Žarko Obrovac, and Žarko said that Pane Bulat had probably
murdered Britvec, although officially nobody knew who had murdered them.
After I had returned to the brigade command, I talked to Mile Novakovi ć who had at that
th
time been commander of the 19 Brigade and he told me that it was their concern (meaning
the Britvec murders and their burial), and ordered me to go to B. Kovačevac.
Immediately after that I went to B. Kova čevac with Žarko Ožegovi ć, and we immediately
went to the unit stationed near the creak (Commanding officer was Savo Malobabi ć), near
the unit from Topusko. However, they sent us to the neighbouring unit, which was located
some 50 m from the house of the miller Grga Mihali ć. I went to the yard of the house with
Žarko where the unit was located, but I cannot remember who the commander of this unit
was, it is possible that it was Đuro Krivokuća, but I am not sure. The command of that
platoon which was super ordinate to the two units was in Prkos in the hamlet of Rokinić i,
but I do not remember who the commander was.
In that same yard where the elder people were murdered a man who was on sentry duty the
night when the incident occurred met us, but I do not know his name. I think he had
freckles and approximately 40-45 years old. First he was with us and later other soldiers
from his unit came. 42
He was very angry and said that they could have been killed in the same way, and was
upset about the way that was handled and asked why all of that had happened. I did not
know what it was about so I asked him what had happened and he told me that I knew very
well from the command what was happening and who had done that. I remember that the
Commander of the platoon was a man nicknamed “Keka”, but I do not know exactly if he
had been present during that incident.
This blond man then showed me the yard building, which was built of full brick (it was
standing next to Zlatko Mihali ć’s house), and then he told me that the elder people were
murdered on the hay in that yard building the previous night. The hay was bloody, and stale
blood was everywhere on the hay and around it up to the well and the top of the well was
also covered in blood. I think that, any brass automatic weapon bullet cases were lying
around. We approached the well but could not see anything in the well at least nothing that
reminded me of a human corpse.
I remember that a foot was torn off, probably because of an explosion, and it was lying next
to the well or further from it on something, I do not remember where. I do not know if there
were talks about what to do with the foot, and if it was thrown into the well. I do not
remember if the top of the well was mined, anyway the top was still on the well at that time.
The two who had been on sentry duty the previous night did not say what had happened
exactly nor if anybody had come and murdered the elder people, but it was evident that they
had not done it and that they were afraid.
When i saw all of that I decided to return to the command of the battalion since the whole
case was above my authorities, and Žarkovi ć had repeated that these elder people had most
probably been murdered by Pane Bulat and because of that he had requested a rifle the
previous night, but I do not remember if these two on sentry duty had mentioned who had
murdered the elder people since they were evidently frightened and nobody really wanted
to talk about the whole affair.
th
When I returned to Lasinja I phoned Simo Rokni ć at the Command of the 19 Brigade (the
command was located in Stipan at that time), and reported the entire case to him. I
immediately told him that Pane Bulat must have murdered the people in Crna Draga and
Kovačevac, but at that time I had no evidence about this.
It was agreed with Roknć i that he secures the caskets for the burial of the Britvec family but
the brigade did not allow the original factory fabricated caskets to leave the premises of the
brigade, so that the caskets for the Britvec burial were made at the DIP in Vrginmost from
boards. I have to confess that the command did not allow real caskets because the dead
were Croats and so the command said that regular caskets would be good enough for their
burial.
Milutin Gledić aka “Gusar” (Pirate) transported the caskets so that the late Britvec family
was put into these caskets and then take to the cemetery in Crna Draga where they were
buried. At least that is what I heard from Gledi ć. He was born in 1950 –51, his wife used to
work at the public medical clinic; he was tall, slim and wore a little black beard.
Šimo Roknić from the brigade command told me at the end of our conversation that he
would keep me informed what steps would be taken in connection to the murder of the old
people in Kovačevac, but I never heard anything afterwards. I knew the late Grga Mihali ć
very well and I requested that all measures and actions foreseen in such cases, including an
insight and an investigation. 43
The same afternoon the command of the battalion ordered me to go to Sl. Polje in order to
investigate who of the soldiers had not returned his personal rifle after he was transferred
from one unit to the other and to see how many cases of this happening there were and in
which units these soldiers were deployed. Anyway. I was not assigned to that case any
longer.
The company from Sl. Polje was stationed in B. Kovač evac for a certain period, and the
soldiers requested that the old people be taken out of the well. As for Pane, I think that he
used to talk about the event at the inn “Skula” in Gvozd near Mraovi ć when he was drunk,
he would say that Savo Crevar and I are weak and that he was taking care of things.
As far as the Britvec burial is concerned, Nikola Britvec aka “Brežan” must certainly know
where Ivan and Bara Britvec were buried.
The blond, tall, large man, who drove the military vehicle 110, must have been the brother
of the Brigade commander Colonel Božo Bijelić ; his name was Dragan Bijeli ć, he was
approximately 45 years old and before the war he was employed at “Autotransport” in
Slunj.
I am willing to give a statement at court in accordance with everything i have stated earlier
because I want someone to discover the grave of the elder people and our names cleared.
Statement taken by:
Police officer
Ivan Horvat
(signature)
A NNEX 343:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF R.M.
Republic of Croatia
Ministry of the Interior
Karlovac Police Department
Crime Police Department
Section for control of terrorism
th
27 September 1999
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
R.M., macrdnist, born on ... ; UCRN: …; lives in ...,
.... On 23 September he gave the information on the sufferings of 6 older
persons of Croatian nationality in B. Kovačevac on March 1992.
Around noon or a little bit later, we advanced towards Lasinje stronger on the left side.
Soon, we entered both villages, that is to say, hamlets located between Prkos and Lasinje. It
was only later that I found out they were called Novo Selo Lasinjsko. We had known that
the villages were abandoned as well as Lasinja itself, so we knew there were going to be no
resistance. The inhabitants left the villages after constant artillery and mortar fire that was
directed to these villages for a long time before this final attack.
Our troop did not have mortar support, except a mortar battery firing but the battery was
located in Crna Draga, which was already in our hands. 44
Left from us was one unit of “Marti ć’s police”, but we did not know that at the first place.
Only after we entered one village we saw behind us a unit in the camouflage uniforms
standing on a hill. That misunderstanding was overcome and then we found out it was a
“Martić’s police unit”. I recognized only one man from the unit, Miloš Vu činić. He was
later a policeman of the Vrginmost police station. Before the war, he worked in Karlovac,
and was born around 1970. I cannot understand how he got into such “elite unit”, since
before the war he was sickly and weak.
After several hours, we passed through Novo Selo Lasinjsko and entered the centre of
Lasinje. Then, we went down towards Kupa all the way to the bridge and turned left to the
hamlet of Marušići, where was our position for a certain time. We stayed there for some
time, and then one part was dislocated 300-400 meters left from us. We were in the houses
th
next to the river of Kupa, to the bridge. (…) On that critical evening, about 20 March
1992, on guard in front of the house in which was our division, were me and Mile
Malobabić, his father was Nikola, because guards were usually doubled, both at night and
by day. They were doubled because we were on the front line, so we were afraid that
someone from the Croatian side might surprise us. I remember that exactly between 20.00
and 22.00 hrs there was a shift, but the night had already fallen.
At some time we heard some loud noise from the direction of the division of Savo
Malobabić, which was about 300 meters distant from us. At that moment we did not know
what was it all about, but we thought that some of our men had got drunk, as was usual, so
we did not pay any attention at all.
Until that moment we were in normal relations with those old people who lived in that part
of the village, we sometimes brought them some things they needed, and they were
themselves well off, so that not one of us even thought to touch any of them or to kill them.
Only later, when all that happened, we found out from the member of Savo Malobabi ć’s
division that Pane Bulat and one or two men came, asking for someone to show them where
were the houses of the remaining Croats in that part of the village, and that 2 men came
with them, the already mentioned Mile Vu činić and Marko Mamula, so that they helped
them to pick up the women and take them towards the position of our division, to that
house where the well was and where they would kill them later and throw them in (in front
of the house of Zlatko Mihalić).
While I was on guard, I did not see that either Pane or anyone else came to this house
where there was a well with a vehicle, but I did not pay much attention to the whole thing.
At the same time when they brought those old people from below, from the direction of
Savo Malobabi ć’s division one or two men separated from the group, I do not know
whether one of them was Pane, and they left about 100 meters down the road and brought
the old Grga Mihali ć and his wife, and the rest of the group stayed with the women on the
spot where they would later liquidate them.
After that, Pane and another man went towards our division, and one man came to the
house (the bricked one) just to our left, and that man thumped on the house asking to open
the door, because in that house lived an old woman. Pane turned towards the house, he had
already left directly to our division and went down to the cellar of the house, I do not know
what he said inside, or whom he talked to. Neither did we on the guard pay very much
attention to all that, because it was almost daily that some of our men would get drunk and
would make scenes, it became quite normal. 45
Pane did not spent much time in the cellar where our division was stationed, and he went
towards the house where the rest of the old people were, and the other man that was with
him a moment before took those women for whom he came.
At the time when the whole thing was going on, I did not even know that it was Pane Bulat,
but I found it out only when my shift finished, after 22.00 hrs, after I went down in the
cellar where the rest of the members of the division were. Actually, I realized that it was
Pane only later when I heard the noise of that group that kept together the old people and I
recognized him because of his voice.
I think that the old people were not being tortured and beaten for long before they were
liquidated, but what I heard was that they were interrogating them where the weapons were.
At one moment I heard a machine-gun burst, and a longer one, it must have been AP
kalashnikov, and then the individual shots from pistols, or scorpions that our security had,
and also Pane had it. At the beginning of the burst I heard only one howl, that is a cry and I
will never forget it, and after that nothing could be heard, that is no sign of crying for help.
A few minutes after the fire, I heard an argument between Pane Bulat and Đuro Čeko, who
at that time was a member of the engineer platoon with our batallion, so they were stationed
with us in the school in Lasinja, and they had an argument because Pane was asking, drunk
as he was, that the well be mined. Đuro refused it and he soon got to our division and
telephoned from the cellar to the commands in Lasinja. I heard from the soldiers that he
was asking for anyone, but that no-one was “accidently” there and that he returned right
back.
As I have already said, I heard later that only Marko Mamula was directly present when the
murder happened together with Đuro Čeko and Pane Bulat. I am absolutely sure about
them, and there were probably one or two men with them, but I do not know who these men
were. I think that Mile Vučinić was not with them.
After all had calmed down, me and Mile Malobabi ć changed shifts with some other men,
but I do not remember who replaced us. After I went down into the cellar, after some time
two strong explosions were heard, and I only found out in the morning that one explosion
was caused in the well and that the “crown” of the well had been destroyed in which the old
people were thrown, and the other explosion was caused in the house on the hill to the left,
if you are looking towards the division of Savo Malobabi ć, and in the house from which a
moment before one of the old women who got killed, was taken out.
On the next morning the commander of the platoon – Milan Džakula came to our division
asking what had happened.
The colleague that was with me on guard the other night, Mile Malobabi ć, was very angry
in the morning because he, together with 2 soldiers had slept in the neighbouring house,
next to the one in which we were in the cellar. He was in that house in one of the rooms,
because it was drier there, and in the cellar in which we were was pretty damp and stuffy.
They had probably been in bed already, when those two explosions resounded and they
must have been scared, so Mile said that they could have got killed also, because those
engineers could have mined this house also. Those two explosions were surely caused by
the engineers, only I do not know whether Đuro Čeko was the only one involved, or if this
neighbour R .M., was also with him.
I do not remember whether S.Č. from the security was there that morning, but he
probably was. 46
I did not go right on the first day in that backyard to see what it looked like, after the old
people were killed, I was there only 2 or 3 days later, when all had been cleared up.
On that first, or the second day, Pane Bulat came to our division and asked specifically for
me and Mile Malobabi ć, and he asked particularly for the people who were on that critical
night on guard, when those old people were killed, he called us aside and told us that we
did not hear or see anything. Me and Mile told him that we really had not seen anything,
but I heard there a burst and a conversation, individual shots and a cry, as I have already
said. He did not actually ask for us to keep our mouths shut if we were to be officially
interrogated. It was immediately clear to both of us that he was the one who did that, but we
kept silent and minded, as they say, our own business.
I knew Đorđe Samardžija, called “ Đoko “, only by sight, he was a driver and he usually
drove a 110, but in those critical days I had not seen him with Pane, so I do not know
whether he was in the group that liquidated those old people on that night.
I know that pulling out of the bodies was organized by Pane Bulat, and he brought Adam
Samardžija for that from Crevarska Strana, and that one went down into the well a few
times. I know that on this pulling out of the bodies the late Đuro Krivokuća worked, our
commander of the division, Mirko Malobabi ć, but I think that he stayed only for a day, and
the already mentioned Adam Samardžija.
On that first evening Adam Samardžija stayed and slept with us in the cellar of the house
where our division was, and we protested how could such a dirty man sleep with us at all.
On the next morning, A. Samardžija said that he could no longer do this job, and that he
would not go down into the well any more. I do not know how his conversation exactly
ended with Pane Bulat, but I think that he stayed behind us. That is, on that very day, there
was a shift in our position and we were replaced by a unit from Brnjavci, and I think that
some of its soldiers participated in the pulling out of bodies. Later I heard that one man had
been brought from Bovići or Kozarac so that he would pull out the remaining old ones from
the well because Adam did not want to do that any more.
I know, and I am absolutely sure that the late Đuro Krivokuća did not stay pulling out the
bodies from the well, except that he had pulled them out on the first day, but he went with
us, the other members of our division and he came back on a truck to Sl. Polje. I have not
known until now that Milan Džakula, called “Keka”, had also been pulling out the bodies
from the well.
Considering this unit from Brnjavci, I know only that their platoon commander was Pero
Miličević, I mean the platoon that was directly in our shift and on our part of the line.
I have heard that one body had been set on fire in the hayloft right behind the backyard of
the house where the well into which they were thrown, stood, it could have been the body
of the late Grga Mihalić , himself, and I remember that during this taking out of bodies
exactly that one hayloft was set on fire, but I am not familiar with anything that has to do
with this event.
I do not know how this pulling out of the bodies ended, but next time when we went to the
shift of that unit from Brnjevci, the bodies had already been pulled out, but I do not know
where they were buried because nobody talked about that.
If it will be necessary, I am ready to give a statement before the investigating judge.
Statement taken by police officer:
Ivan Horvat (signature) 47
A NNEX 344:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M.Š.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
POLICE ADMINISTRATION KARLOV AC
POLICE STATION SLUNJ
Date: 15 March 1993
M .Š., son of P. (a father), born in ..., occupation: a farmer, permanent
address: …; gives the following:
STATEMENT
“After the retreat of the Croatian Army and of Croatian policeman from the village
Lipovača, municipality of Slunj, I stayed at home and I met regularly every day with my
neighbours that also stayed behind in the village. Marko Pemper, Ana Malko, Ljubomir
Hodak, Filip Šebalj called “Pilja Ban”, Franja Brozin čević, Mira Brozin čević called
“Seka”, Marija Brozin čević called “Beba”, Katarina Cindrć nee Pemper, Juraj Šebalj,
Barbara Vuković called “Basa”, Ana Pemper, Milan Smol čić, Juraj Conjar called “Jura
Večera”, Mate Brozin čević, Roža Brozin čević called “Roja”, Mirko Brozin čević called
“Čojo” and me stayed behind in the village Lipovač a. None of us was either a member of
some military formation or armed.
The enemy army passed through our village every day, visited us, listed us, interrogated us
and moved on further. One day, they took several of us men by a military truck to the house
of Kotur Nedjeljko called “Ne đo” in the village Grabovac where we had to pull out 4 cows
that were consumed by fire from his cowshed and we had to bury them behind the house.
After that, we did domestic work at our homes every day and we repaired roofs on several
houses that were damathd by grenades during combats that took place in the village. In the
morning on October 28 1991, my sister-in-law A.M. came to my house and told me
that she found everything opened in the house of Franja Brozinčević and that at Mate
Brozinčević’s house, that is in the house, she heard some noise when passing in front of the
window.
Since we found it suspicious that there wasn’t anybody at Franja Brozin čević’s, A.
M. and me went together to Franja’s house and as Ana was the first one who opened
the door of the old house, we noticed Franja Brozičević, Mira Brozin čević Mira called
“Seka” (Franja’s wife), Marija Brozin čević called “Beba” (Franja’s mother-in-law) and
Katarina Cindrić nee Brozinčević (Franja’s sister) lying dead in the house. We went outside
the house out of fear right away, Aelt sick so she washed her face in a little pool and we
went from there to A .’s house, we pulled ourselves together and went to say Mate
Brozinčević what had happened at Franja’s. When we arrived in Mate’s house, A . also
opened the door first and we saw the dead Mate Brozin čević (he was sitting at the table on
a chair), Roža Brozin čević – Mate’s wife (she was sitting in the corner on a chair), and
Mirko Brozinčević – son of Mate and Roža (with half of his body under the table). Then
A .M. and me ran out of fear to a bush above the village and we met a neighbour
Milan Smolčić who did not believe us, so he went by himself and when he came back to us
to the bush, he confirmed that all of that was true and he said to us that he was going to the
village to inform Barbara Vuković and the others, but he did not return to us. After the
night fell, and it was very cold, Aand me came down to A. ’s house where we
spent the night until 05,00 a.m. when w e went through the wood called “Duman” to
Tržačka (ILLEGIBLE) and then to Tržac, municipality of Cazin where found many of our 48
neighbours and Milan Smol čić, Barbara Vukovi ć, Ana Pemper, Juraj Šebalj and Juraj
Conjar stayed in the village after we left, and after the New Year we heard from I
Š. called “B.” that all of them were killed and set on fire in the v illage and that Dušan
Ristić called “Bikan”, a tradesman from Lipovača, told that to I.
In connectio with this statement I have nothing further to state or to add.”
Authorised official:
JOSO BERTOVIĆ
ANNEX 345:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF I.Š.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
KARLOVAC POLICE ADMINISTRATION
SLUNJ POL ICE STATION
Number: 511-05-40/3-1-K-48/92.
Date: 30 March 1993
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen I.Š., the son of F. is a worker and was born on ...;
perma nent address: …; residence address:…; on 28 March 1993, at the accommodation of
the Karlovac police administration, in relation to his stay in the area of the municipalities
Slunj and Cazin, he gave an authorized official, the following information:
“After the occupation of the village of Lipovač a, Slunj municipality, I ran away, together
with my family, to Trža čka Raštela, in the middle of November. While I stayed there I
would come to Trža čka Raštela, to the weekly fair, every Wednesday, in order to find out
what was happening in the village of Lipova ča. At the end of January 1992 I met Dušan
Ristić called “Bikan”, a shopkeeper in Lipovača, in Tržačka Raštela, who told me that some
people from Lipovača were burnt in their houses. Further on in the conversation with Dušan
Ristić I found out that Juraj Šebalj, the son of Ivan, born in 1926, on 31 December 1991
bought a litre of brandy in Dušan Ristić’s store and invited his neighbour Jovan Ristić, who
was a Serb, to come and have a drink of brandy with him. Jovan didn’t accept his invitation
and Jure went alone to his house and later on, in the evening, he went to Ana Pemper’s
house to spend New Year’s Eve there. Barabara Vukovi ć joined them to celebrate New
Year’s Eve with them. Just before midnight, according to Dušan Ristić, Ana Pemeper’s
house was in fire and when Dušan came out of his house to see what was happening he
heard someone crying for help in Ana’s house, but Dušan didn’t dare to go near the house
because he was afraid that someone would kill him. He also saw that Jura Conjar’s house
was burning.
Early in the morning on New Year’s Day Dušan saw that the houses of Ana Pemper and
Jura Conjar were completely burnt, and he also told me that the following people burnt in
the house of Ana Pemper: Ana Pemper, born Krznari ć, born in 1930, from Lipovača no. 53,
Barbara Vuković, born Krznarić, born in 1931, from Lipova ča no. 69, and Jura Šebalj, the
son of Ivan, born in 1926, from Lipova ča no. 63, and in the house of Jura Conjar the
following people were burnt: Jura Conjar, the son of Margareta, born in 1932, from
Lipovača no. 47, and Milan Smol čić, the son of Nikola, born in 1934, from Lipoča no. 49
45. Dušan Ristić didn’t describe how the houses were set on fire or people were burnt, also
he didn’t say who could have done it and whether the burnt people were buried afterwards
of left on the site of fire.
I don’t have anything more to add in relation to this statement.
Authorized official:
Joso Bertović
A NNEX 346:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M P.
SURNAME: P.
NAME, FATHER’S NAME: M., M.
YEAR AND PLACE OF BIRTH: ..., ..., Slunj county, Croatia
RESIDENCE: …
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE: …
EDUCATION:
OCCUPATION: farmer
EMPLOYMENT:
MARITAL STATUS: married
CITIZENSHIP: Republic of Croatia
NATIONALITY: Croat
I give the following
STATEMENT
The army encircled us. There was no escape. We became their hostages. First the soldiers
arrived dressed in uniforms with the five pointed star symbol (the JNA uniform). After
them the “SAO Krajina” (Serbian Autonomous Municipality) police arrived. They came
from the direction of Lika, and barged into La đevci on their way to Slunj. They barged into
our village with tanks. My grandson and I were at my daughter’s place, we were feeding
the cattle. Two men armed with rifles approached us. They enquired if there was any army
in the village. They also said that they were not going to harm civilians. They asked if there
were Ustashas. I said that there were no Ustashas in the village. They ordered my grandson
to go out of the house. The child was terribly frightened. Then they left. After half an hour
they ordered us all to gather in front of Ante Samardžija’s house. When we gathered they
told us that the army from Lađ evci would come to interrogate us. They enquired if we had
any arms. We told them that we did not. Then they said that those people they point fingers
at must go out. They singled out five men and took them to the training ground. Those men
were Slavo Potnar, Vinko Samardžija, Zvonko Potnar, Slavo Klobu čar and Nikola
Samardžija. I do not know why they chose them. They mentally maltreated them and asked
them if any of them had relatives in the army. They did not beat them. Later they took them
back home.
Later there were the others who maltreated us. The “SAO Krajina police” would come
every day. I did not know any of those who came.
One day, my little grandson told me that the army was arriving. I was sitting at the table
and rolling a cigarette. They barged into the house, and asked me what I was doing, how
many children I had and what their names were. I answered that I had three children and 50
that their names are T ., K. and I. I was scared. My wife said something. They
ordered her to be quiet. They told us that they were used to pulling teeth without anesthesia,
flaying skin and many other horrible things. They told her that they would gouge her eyes
out, pull her teeth and cut off her nose. They ransacked the place but did not take anything.
They told me to get ready and go with them. They took me to Gri či and ordered me to look
what was under the brambles. They ordered me to pick up thorny branches with bare hands.
Then they forced me to go up there and said they would follow me. One of them said: “We
did not bring him here to look at him. He is not your brother, take him out, and join us
later.” They left and the one who remained said that he never even killed an ant, that he was
going to fire over my head, and then I could run home. That is how he saved my life. They
came almost every day and maltreated us.
On November 7, 1992, they killed our neighbor Slavo Klobučar in front of his house.
On February 17, 1993, they killed our uncle.
In June a year will have passed since they killed Dane Bogović.
Nikola Vukojević from Slušnica (he himself was killed later) killed Slavo Klobu čar, and
Mile Pašić killed Dane Bogović.
All of those murders happened during the presence of UNPROFOR forces in the area,
however, the UNPROFOR representatives were strictly forbidden to make contact with us,
during which time the Serbian militia could freely move around and do whatever they
wanted. We were obliged to have permits in order to freely move around the area. If one
was caught without the permit, you were killed on the spot. Permits were issued by the head
of the police, Ljuban Klipa. Only fifteen Croats have remained in the area. They are mostly
elderly people. The Army entered La đevci several days after the fall of Slunj. Slunj fell on
November 16th or 17th, 1991.
Among the Serbs who used to come to our village I recognized a man called Tepovac... He
was a member of the “SAO Krajina” militia. He was good to us, but I heard that he did
awful things to people. They looted whatever they found: livestock, wheat, money... If they
found out that somebody had sold his cattle they would come at night, masked, threaten
him with a knife, beat him up and take all his money. People tried to complain to their
militia, but they claimed that the perpetrators were not under their jurisdiction. They
claimed that their people would never do such a thing.
We did not have any money. The shops in Slunj were open, but only people who had
money could buy anything. We used to sell an egg or two and buy ourselves a box of
matches or a packet of cigarettes.
There were more than a hundred houses in La đevci. Some thirty houses were burnt down.
They set them on fire day and night. We did not know who was doing this because we were
not allowed to come close. They drove off their spoils on tractors and trucks. The looters
came from Slušnica, Bro ćanac, Paši ć, Mandi ć, Stara Kršlja, Kordunski Ljeskovac and
Primišlje. They also wore uniforms. Everybody wore uniforms, regardless of their age.
They were constantly drunk. They were pulling down hay-barns and stole things.
Our local church was destroyed in June of 1992. The tower took direct mortar hits, or some
other artillery pieces. The pews were burnt down. The altar pieces were broken. The
sacristy was totally destroyed. No representative of their “government” came to see this.
The church in Slunj was also destroyed during an attack. 51
Only the following Croats have remained in Slunj: Ivan Matanić , Vera Mo ćan, Marija
Maović, Lovre Flanjak, Jelka Mladušan and Mara Obajdir. Earlier, Croats were the
majority of the population in Slunj. The Slunj authorities demanded from us to obtain
affidavits in order to leave the village. At the Red Cross Headquarters we had to sign the
paper stating we were not going to return. The UNPROFOR knows about these documents,
for they are the ones who bring them to the Red Cross Headquarters and then we have to
sign them. Who does not sign cannot leave. By this document we leave all of our estates to
the “Republic of Krajina”. The document stays with them. Mile Miloševi ć is the president
of Slunj county. Their Orthodox priest works at the Red Cross. He came recently. His wife
used to work here before, but she moved to Serbia, so he came to replace her. Their church
remained untouched. There is a daily service. Their people freely go to the church, and the
Croats have no church to go to.
I had oxen. Two unknown men came to me and asked me would I sell them my oxen. It
was before we came here. I sold them the oxen for 700 German Marks and they left. Next
evening the masked men came and asked me for money. They knew that I sold the cattle
and that I had money. I had to give them the money in order to stay alive. The following
morning the UNPROFOR came to pick us up.
I had a completely furnished house, a hay-barn, a shed, a maize barn, eight acres of
agricultural land, a wagon, two cars, and a mower. My son had his own house.
In Karlovac, May 18, 1993
Statement given by: M.P.
Statement taken by: Andrija Pavičić
A NNEX 347:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M G.
The statement of M.G. about the events in the village of Donji La đevac in
the period between 16 November 1991 and 23 July 1993.
MynameisM .G. (the son of N. ). I was born on... in ...
where I lived with my family. I anot employed, we lived off agriculture. …, the
no. of the identification card: …. I give the following
STATEMENT
At the time of occupation of the Donji La đevac area, approximately 20 villagers stayed in
the village. Mostly they were older people and there were also two minors. When Slunj and
Lađevac were conquered, the active army, in which there were also the villagers of the
Serbian villages of Bro čanac, Slušnica, Furjani, and Primišalj, stationed with their
command in La đevac. First a group of approximately five unknown and armed men in
camouflage uniforms came to the village to list us. They took away with them five of the
villagers: SLAVO POTNAR, ZVONKO POTNAR, VINKO SAMARDŽIJA, NIKOLA
SAMARDŽIJA and SAVO KLOBU ČAR to the millitary artillery range in Slunj and they
returned on the evening of the same day.
These first couple of days they were searching for weapons. We told them we didn’t have
any weapons, and they said that they would check it. After that, in a five day period, three
men came to my house, they pointed their guns at me asking from me to give them my
weapons. One of them, quite a big man, hit me with his fist in the chest, and it hurt me for a 52
long time. After that I went to dug out a gun that I had. They didn’t let me dig it out with a
pick but I had to use my fingers and dig out earth and stones that were frozen. I went with
them to ZVONKO POTNAR’s house. They also asked him to give them his weapons and
hit him. After that he gave them his gun. One of them trod on his body saying that he had
better give them the rest of the weapons. After that we went to PAVO CVITKOVI Ć’s
house and they also asked him to give them his weapons, but they didn’t beat him. They left
me in the house and they went to La đevac. So they would come to villages every day and
rob the houses where there weren’t any people. I remember that the following time they
molested me three unknown men came, it was the winter of 1992. They came to ask for
weapons once again. Two of them were searching through the house and the third stayed
with me. He had a knife on his gun and he kept saying that he was going to butcher me. He
asked me about my sons and the weapons. They took things from the house and left me
alone.
In the spring and summer of 1992 no one beat me. I would hide when I saw someone
coming. In November 1992 SLAVO KLOBU ČAR was killed. In the house were his father,
MILE POTNAR, and ANTE SAMARDŽIJA. According to MILE POTNAR, three of them
came. They beat the father, and killed the son Slavo. After that UNPROFOR took the father
to the Glina hospital where the old man died.
In February 1993 PAVE SAMARDŽIJA was killed. He was killed in the yard of JELENA
CVITKOVIĆ’s house where he sawed wood. On the following day PAVO DELA Č and I
went to see what happened and saw him lying dead in the yard. We saw that he was cut on
the neck, and he also had a hole in the head where they shot at him. I only know that a man
whose name was MANDIĆ from Furjani was a commander for some time.
At the end if 1993 no one molested me, but I was constantly afraid and I was hiding all the
time. We were told on more occasions that we wouldn’t see Croatia, so I was afraid. I came
to Karlovac on 23 July 1993. On that day approximately 53 persons came to Karlovac.
By signing each page of this statement M .G. guarantees its authenticity, that is,
guarantees that the statement is not given under coercion and that the written form of the
statement is identical to what MG. has said.
In Karlovac, 2 November 1993
The statement is given by:
M .G.
The statement is taken by:
Gordana Predović 53
ANNEX 348:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF A.K.
Statement of A. K. about the life in the village Arapovac, municipality of Slunj,
th rd
from November 17 1991 until January 23 1992.
A.K., son of I. (a father), born on ... in the village ...
where h e also lived alone; divorced, has a daugh ter withom he lives now; occupation: a
farmer, nationality: a Croat, now is a member of the Croatian Army; lives in Karlovac,
...; number of the identity card: …; gives the following:
STATEMENT
“My village Arapovac, which is 7 km far from Slunj, is a small village with about 10
houses. The village is completely Croatian. The bigger Croatian village near us is Gornji
Lađevac. There is a school, a shop, a church and a Vestry. The closest Serbian village
across Korana is Miljevac, which is 4 km far, and near by it is the Croatian village Kremen.
th
When Slunj fell on November 16 1991, the people fled. 7 of us stayed behind in the
village. All of us were older persons. Firstly, there was shelling and the people ran away in
all directions. We were in a wood for 3 weeks and we came home only at night to feed
cattle. We heard from Ivica Pleš that Chetniks ordered us not to hide, but to hang white rags
on our houses, that we shouldn’t be afraid, that no one wanted us. It was cold, a rain, snow.
I found written on the front door if I didn’t come home, they would set the stabling on fire.
Whoever didn’t stay behind in those few houses, houses were burnt down.
Mile Mandić (60 years old) and his group were the first ones who raided the village. They
were the first ones who robbed and battered. I know one Branko Blanuš (from the village
Bogovolje, 35 years old), Slavko Orlić (from the village of Bijelci, about 40 years old) and
Nikola Dražić (from the village of Turkalji, about 40 years old) in that group. They took
Ivo Pleš away from the village in an unknown direction and he has never since been heard
of. Every day different persons came to the village. They came in groups from 3 to the most
12 persons. They came and looked for weapons. Trashing, robbing and burning happened
every time. I remember that sometime before the Christmas in 1991, in the village Dubrave
three older women were killed in a house, they were strewn with flour and pigs bit them all
over. I remember that about the middle of December of 1991, one group of 12 persons
came. They were wearing white uniforms because there was snow. They were young men
from 25 to 30 years old. Joso Medved from Gornji Lađ evac told me that on that day when
that group came, a gunshot was heard, he fled and when he returned home, he stumbled
across them. Firstly they battered him black and blue, took him 100 meters far from the
house and told him to bury Jura Vuković. They had killed him with bursts on a doorstep of
the house and Medved buried him.
We, men, had the obligation to go every 8 days to Slunj to the Police station to report
ourselves. I didn’t go often because, when I went to get a certificate, I was browbeaten and
interrogated. The life was hard. I watched a neighbouring village burning, I heard that
people were killed and I saw that I could not stay.
When I.M. and his wife A. (they are my wife’s uncle and aunt that lived
in Gornje Lađ evačko Selište; a small wood parted me from them) w ere killed, I s aw a
tractor and three of them. They passed across my field to M. s’. A shot wasn’t
heard. I saw the house on fire. There are no people any more. 54
That same night, I set off to Bosnia. Six of us went and all of us were older people. The
snow was a half of meter high. We forded Korana, threw wet clothes in the water and
proceeded towards Sturlić in Bosnia.
As far as I can see, Janko Jezdić from the village Brač anac was the head of those local
Chetniks. He used to work in the Military Department in Slunj. At that time he was a
pensioner, that means that he was an older man. “
By signing every page of this statement, its giver A.K. confirms its authenticity,
that the statement was given without coercion and that the written statement is analogous to
the given statement.
In Karlovac, March 14 th1995
Statement was given by: A.K.
Statement was taken by: GORDANA PREDOVIĆ
A NNEX 349:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF I.M.
THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
KARLOVAC POLICE ADMINISTRATION
SLUNJ POLICE STAT ION
(organizational unit of the Ministry)
Number:
Date: the 26thof March 1993
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen – I.M., son of I., occupation – agriculturist, born on the ...
rd
..., residence – permanent address – …, temporary residence – …, on the 23 of March
1993 in the Karlovac Police Administrati on, connected with his stay on the occupied
territory of the Slunj municipality gave to the authorized person of the Slunj Police Station
(name of the department of the Interior) the following information:
th
“I left for Bosnia together with the other villagers of Lađevac and Čamerovac on the 16of
November 1991 because of the Serbo-Chetnik occupation of the Slunj municipality. I went
into the village of Šturlic were I stayed till the 19November 1991 when my neighbor,
Š.F. and I decided to return to our village and we so we did. I was alone in the
house and my wife D. ca me with my brother A. from Bosnia 15 days later. When I
came home I found my cattle that was straying on the fields around the house, I gathered
the cattle and I took it to the cowshed and I was hiding in the woods around our village.
When my wife D. came, Slavko Pleš from Čamerovac, who brought her from Bosnia
then said that it wo uld best for us to register in theSerbo-Chetnik command that was
located in La đevac. We immediately went there to register and on the road, at the Grgi ć
cross, an officer of the so-called JNA came in the military vehicle and we stopped him there
and we asked him to give us a pass for moving because we did not want to go to La đevac as
it was getting late. He got mad and he cursed at us, mentioning us and Tu đman but
nevertheless he decided to give us the passes and so we went home. While we were in the
house we used to see every day the members of the Serbo-Chetnik formations dragging the
cattle and the things of the fugitive Croatians from Salopek Luka and Dubrava. I did not
recognize any of them because lots of them had beards, and they wore the military uniforms
and carried weapons but because of the personal safety I could not look at them for too 55
long. Once they even came to our house, three of them came with the red tractor, “Ferbus”
brand and they searched the house. Salopek Sima from Furjan was at our house then and
one of those members of the Serbo-Chetnik formations, it was Milan Paši ć, called “Bijeli”
(white) from Bro čanac, hit Sima with his fist. I did not know the other two. One of them
had a beard and a fur-cap and the other was rather young. After Paši ć beat Šima Salopek
they went, but Pašić left his leather gloves in the house and since they already were about to
go in the tractor in the direction of Videkić Selo (village) Pašić sent that young man to fetch
the gloves. Then this young man told us that it was lucky for us that Paši ć did not kill us
because he was crazy. The days passed till the 16 thof January 1992, that day I butchered
pigs and my wife D. went to my neighbor F.Š.’s place and she brought him
some bread because the man was alone in the house and she came back soon. When she
came back she told me that the red tractor with three members of the Serbo-Chetnik
formations passed along the road in front of F.’s house and it was going in the direction
of the house of the lateNiko Medved. We were working and about 2 p.m. on that same day
I heard four shots from the fire arm coming form the direction of my sister, A.R.’s
house. My house was about 300 to 400 m away from A. ’s house and besides the four
shots I did not hear anything more. I was not worried about that becau sethe members of the
Serbo-Chetnik formations used to shoot very often for no special reason. Not long after that
I heard four shots again and then I heard bullets whizzing over my head. At that moment
my neighbor, Roze Mrkonja (she is now in Zagreb at her son, Jura Mrkonja’s place, at
Maksimir, near the stadium) ran to us and she told me that what was going on there, she
told me that those three bandits wanted to take away the cattle from the house of the exiled
Croatian, Pave Matezović but since she fed that cattle she told the three of them that they
should not do that and than the person, she called him “Bradonja” (the bearded man) who
was about 100 m away from her fired the four shots at her but she managed to escape. After
that Roze stayed at our place and around 3 p.m. I heard two shots coming from the direction
of the house of F.Š. that was about 500 m (airline) away from us. Again we did not
consideththe worst possibility, we thought that they were just frightening us. After that, on
the 16 of January 1992 nothing else happened, in fact I did not know that day that my
sister A. and F.Š. were killed because we were not allowed to go out of the
house. The next day, around 10 a.m., my brot her A.M. ran to our house and he was
all scared and he told me that he found A. dead. Then I and he went back to A. ’s
house and then I saw her lying sideways nea r the threshold of her house. A. looked
terrible because the hens and the cats ate the flesh from her face and fingers and there was
blood all around her. Then my brother A. told me that we should place A. into the
house and that I should get F.Š. so he co uld help us. A. stayed beside A. and
I wen t to F.’s house and when I ca me there I found F. killed, in front of the house,
un der the old pear-tree. he was ly ing sideways, convulsed and there were a lot of blood,
even 2 m away from him. F. looked terrible because the hens and probably the cats ate
the flesh from his face and from t he fing ers. When I saw that I got scared and I went back
to my brother A. immediately and I told him what I had found. Then I A. decided not
to touch anything and we went back t o my house . We told my wife D. and Roze
Mrkonja about that and at that moment Slavko Pleš came to our house and he brought me
cigarettes from Bosnia. We told Slavko what had happened and he said that I and A.
should get ready and that he would go home to Čamerovac to get his car and that the three
of us would go to Slunj and report the whole thing to the police of the “Serbian
Autonomous Region of Krajina”. We got ready and when Slavko came he took us to Slunj
to the Police station that was situated in Tutek’s house (SIZ was located there before the
war). There I and A. gave statements to some inspector whom I do not know, that is,
A. gave the statement on A. and I gave the statement on F. After that inspector 56
took our statements we went with those statements to his boss, the inspector who was also
unknown to me, and he was located in the building of the former Territorial Defence and on
that occasion he asked us the same questions connected with A. and F. , and he was
writing something a nd when he finished he told us that we were all going to the scene of
the crime. Me, Slavko Pleš and my brother A. went in Slavko’s car and those two
inspectors went in the official car. We came to La đevac and the members of the Serbo-
Chetnik formations were on the road and they stopped us and threatened Slavko Pleš to kill
him because he reported such cases to the police and while they were threatening those two
inspectors did not say a word. After that we went to my sister, A.’s house and then the
inspector started to investigate and his boss went back to the v ehicle because as he said, he
could not watch that. All the time I was with the inspector and my brother A. was with
us. We found four shells from the machine-gun (7,62) and when the inspector took
everything down we went to F.Š.’s house and the inspector wrote something there
again, but we did not find any shells. When that was all over, that is, when he finished the
investigation I asked him what should we do with the dead bodies and he answered me that
we should bury them. Then I told him that we would bury the bodies in La đevac where the
people from our village were usually buried and I asked him who would protect us during
the burial. Then that inspector asked in an angry way who offered him protection and he
turned and then they left in the car in the direction of Slunj and me and my brother A.
went to my house. When it got dark we came back to the house of my sister A. and we
wrapped her in the blanket and put her in a room (mill room). We closed th e door and we
went to the house of the late F.Š. and we wrapped him in the blanket too and put
him in the summer kitchen. While we were wrapping F. I noticed that he had a big shot
wound on his chest. A fter we put him in the summer kitchen we locked the door, went into
the cowshed and we let the cattle out and then we went home.
After that we lived in fear for another 3 to 4 days and we constantly anticipated that we
would end like A. and F. and that made us run away to Bosnia with couple of other
villagers of Videkić Selo in the m iddle of the night on the 20 thof January 1992. There was
some snow and the fog appeared on that night when we decided to run away, we took the
white sheets, wrapped them around ourselves and me, my wife D., my brother A.,
Jure Bionda, Milan Bionda, Ante Bionda, Mile Žgela and his son Milan left the village and
during that same night, at dawn we arrived on the territory of Bosnia, that is, in Sturlic
where we stayed for couple of days and after that we came through Bosnia to the free
territory of the Republic of Croatia.”
Authorized official:
Milan Lukač
(signature) 57
A NNEX 350:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M .S.
THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
KARLOVAC POLICE ADMINISTRATION
SLUNJ P OLICE STATION
Number: 511-05-41/1- /92
Date: 23 October 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen M.S., the son of M., a farmer, was born on ...;
permanent address: …; residence address: …, …; on 15 August 1992 in Čeglji 128/a, in
relation to his stay on the occupied territory of the Slunj municipality, he gave an
authorized offical of the Slunj police station the following information:
“After the fall of Slunj, that is, on 16 November 1991, I stayed at my house in Dubrava.
Together with me was Mile Matani ć, the son of Vale from Dubrava, approximately 82 or
83 years old. Somewhere around 22 November 1991 “Teritorial Defence of the SAO
(Independent Autonomous Region) Krajina” and Chetniks passed through Dubrava in
armored personnel carriers accompanied by infantry. There were lot of them, they were
shooting, burning things, robbing. Since I watched the whole scene from a far away I
couldn’t recognize anyone, I just saw that they set the following houses on fire: the house
of Matanic Ivo, the son of Tomo from Dubrava, the house of Ivica Matanicalled “Žuti”,
the son of Mile, the house of Tomo Stanišić, the son of Ivan, the house of Mile Medved, the
son of Mićo, the house of Jure Radoč aj, the son of Joso, and the house of Tina Medved. I
couldn’t exactely see what they used to set the houses on fire, but before a house would be
in flame I would hear a detonation inside of it. I was hiding inside of my house for
approximately three weeks, that is, I would come to feed the cattle and then I would run
away back to the wood. After three weeks Milan Lackovi ć came to my house, he used to
work in “Komunalac” firm in Slunj, he had a helmet with a star on it, a camouflage
uniform, an automatic rifle, and a knife and pistol at his belt. Together with him there were
four more men whom I didn’t know. They were in civilian clothes, they only had cockades
on their hats, and they were armed with long weapons. I didn’t notice them while they were
approaching the house, so they caught me. They asked me about members of Ministry of
the interior and the National Guard. One of them hit me with his fist in the ribs, took out his
knife and put it under my neck, and asked me where my sons were. They molested me and
since I didn’t answer they left me and went away.
Pero Miljković (a storekeeper) from Kordunski Ljeskovac came to me even before. He was
in civilian clothes, he had a fur-cap with a cockade on it, he had a beard, and a knife in each
of his boots. I know him well because he had worked as a storekeeper in Dubrava before
the war. He molested and beat me. Together with him in the group there were 7 more men
whom I didn’t know. They had fur-caps and cockades, I think they were also from
Kordunski Ljeskovac.
Sometime at the beginning of December 1991 I was arrested by the so-called Territorial
Defence and Chetniks together with Jure Ugarkovi ć from Čamerovac. The Chetniks came
in a red van and surrounded my house. I didn’t recognize anyone. There were
approximately 10 of them. After they arrested us they started molesting and beating us. One
of them took out his knife and said that he would butcher us because he specialized in 58
butchering. I think his name is Mile Mandićcalled “Kovačić”. The same people put me in a
“Golf” car that they found behind Jure Matani ć’s house. That “Golf” was in possession of
Joso Pleš, the son of Jure. They put Jure Ugarkovi ć in the van in which they came, and so
they took us to the military artillery range in Slunj. They locked us up there, in a cell where
there were two Serbs. One of them was Mi ćo Perić from Batnoga, and I don’t know the
other one. We talked to them and they told us that they were imprisoned because they were
robbing Ustasha houses. The officers of the so-called JNA and Territorial Defence
questioned us at the artillery range. They wanted to know how many of the members of
Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Defence there were and where they were, and they
asked us about the pillbox and so on. They questioned us five or six times a day. It
happened every day for 6 days and nights, that is, while we were at the artillery range. I saw
there Dušanka Čubra. She was in civilian clothes together with three of four men in military
uniforms. I also saw a young man. I think he was from Podmelnica, but I’m not sure. He
was dressed in a military uniform, he molested me and beat me and said that I should be
killed because I was an Ustasha. He was accompanied with a few uniformed people whom I
didn’t know. After six days they came to cells to pick us up, and they brought us permits on
which it was written that we could move freely and that we could return to our homes. They
put us in a van and instead to La đevac they brought us to Žal čeva Kosa in the direction of
Cetingrad. There they threw us out. In Žal čeva Kosa there were 60 more members of the
Territorial Defence and Chetniks. They came in four armored personnel carriers and 3 to 4
trucks. They were carrying out an action of the territory search. They put me in a combat
armored vehicle, and Jure stayed in the van. We went to Batnoga and when we came there
we turned and came back. There wasn’t any shooting on that day, and the people who were
there were unknown to me. When we returned back to Žal čeva Kosa one of them
approached me and told me I was the leader, and that we would go to La đevac and if I do
something wrong that I would get a bullet in the forehead.
When we came to La đevac we stayed there for a while and more military trucks with men
joined the column and we headed for Dubrava, that is, at the entrance to the village they
forced us out and I saw many armed men around me who were ready to shoot. One group
headed for Ugarković and the other for Barić Selo. There was a lot of shooting on that day.
An officer questioned me in Slunj but I don’t know his name, and 6-7 soldiers came with
me to my house. They left me in the house and went towards the Korana canyon, to look
for Ustashas as they said. Later on I heard a lot of shooting coming from that direction, but
I don’t know what had happened.
After the so-called cleansing of the territory, it was peaceful for a while, but since I was still
frightened I only fed the cattle at home and after it I would return to the wood where I was
hiding.
The things stayed the same until 25 December 1991 when I decided to go to Marija Bari ć’s
house. I took a hen so she could make a soup because it was Christmas. Together with her
in the house were Roza Bari ć and Anka Mrgan. Since I was afraid that someone could see
me I approached the house from the direction of the valley, and then I went behind the store
in Dubrava and behind the hay-stack of Joso Bari ć called “Joji ć”. When I came close to
Marija Barić’s house I saw entrance doors open so I came closer and saw that pigs were
walking about the house, there were many of them, and all the doors were open. I entered a
room and passed through it and came to another room where there were some more pigs. I
looked at a table and saw Marija Barić lying completely naked between the table and a bed.
Her arms were cut off at the level of shoulders, her left leg was cut off above the knee, and
the right one under the knee. Her arms and legs I didn’t see anywhere near her dead body.
The room was covered in blood and the pigs were eating her body. 59
Anka Mrgan was lying on the bed in the same room, between the windows and she was
murdered and naked too. I glanced at her and saw a long cut across her forhead, it seemed
to me that her body was completely broken.
On the left side of the same room, lying between a stove, bed and a small chair, there was
Roza Barić, the daughter of Marija. She was also completely naked.
It all happened very fast, I was in panic, I was overcome with fear, and the bag that I
brought fell from my hand, I couldn’t feel my legs so that it took me a great effort to go to
the valley, behind Joso Bari ć’s house. While I was in the valley cars came from the
direction of La đevci, I heard shooting, but I couldn’t see a thing. When I got myself
together I managed to get to the wood, and after a while I went to Mile Matani ć’s house to
tell him what happened. After that I went home and then I visited Jure Ugarkovi ć and told
him that the best thing for us would be to leave the village and go to Bosnia. Since Jure
didn’t want to leave immediately, I went home and in the meantime the Chetniks came and
caught me. There were approximately 7 of them. They all had fur-hats and cockades on
them. They asked me about my sons because they were members of the National Guard,
and they started to beat me so hard that the skin under my left eye cracked. They also
stabbed me with a knife in the right arm (in the upper arm muscle). They were all local
people from the area around Furjani. One of them, Mile Mandi ć called “Kovač ić”, came
here before. I couldn’t see who stabbed me with the knife because I was unconscious. They
threw all the things about the house, I was lying, all covered in blood, on the floor. I only
heard when they said that they were going to check the area and that when they came back
they would finish what they started with me. When I noticed that they were gone, I ran, all
bloody and beaten up, to the wood, and towards the Salopek mill. I waded through the river
of Korana although ice started forming. I stuck to the southern side because the northern
side was covered with snow, and I didn’t want to leave footprints so they wouldn’t find me.
I came to Trnove and planned to go to Šturlić, but before I came there they caught me at the
brook called Deždanac. There were approximately 35 to 40 armed men dressed in military
and camouflage uniformes. They took me to a house in Bogovolja near the bridge over the
river of Korana, because their headquarters were there. They asked me where I was going
and why I was so bloody, and I answered them that I had fallen and hurt myself. They
molested and beat me there. They took me to a room and they drove nails into the doors.
The room was without windows. I heard their conversation. One of them suggested that
they should kill me immediately because I could run away.
After that I didn’t hear a thing and nobody came to the room where I was. I was in terrible
pain, I couldn’t even raise my arms. On that night I decided that I should try to run away.
Somewhere between 2:00 am. and 3:00 a.m. somehow I managed to climb the window that
was without a window pane, and although it was high above the ground I decided to jump.
So I jumped and fell on the ground. I lay there for a while and since there was no one there
I crawled to the area between the rest of the houses and there I met Sulejman from Šturli ć.
He took me then to Šturlić, and from there to a hospital in Biha ć. I was in the hospital for
12 days. They sewed the cuts I had and when I recovered I went to Cazin where I stayed for
a while and after it I came to Zagreb through Bosnia.”
Authorized official:
Milan Lukač
(signature) 60
A NNEX 351:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M M.
M. (T.) M.
Occupation: worker
Address: …
Born in ... in ...
th
After the occupat ion of t he municipality of Slunj on 16 November 1991, I stayed in
Lađevačko Selište, and so did a few of my neighbours. In our village there would often
come by a red tractor, members of the Chetnik forces from the direction of Salopek Luka
where they were settled in the house of Pavo and Tomo Salopek. Nikola Draži ć, Slavko
Orlić and Dragan Mandi ć would always be on that tractor and I knew all three of them
before.
They would rob and molest people in the village and as soon they heard the tractor, the
people would run and hide in the woods. On one occasion they caught me and threw a rope
across a branch of a nut tree at my house and below the tree they put a chair and threatened
that they would hang me if I did not give them the weapons. In the end they let me go.
All three of them were then there. When they caught me the second time, Dragan Mandić ,
called Zorin, forced me to lie down asking me whether I knew how to butcher pigs. I lay on
my back, but he kicked me telling me that I had to lie on my side because the pigs were
being butchered that way. He took out a knife and he knelt on me and he pulled that knife
across my neck but he did not hurt me. He threatened that he would cut my ears and dig out
my eyes if I did not tell him where my gun was. Since I hid my gun well, and was certain
that they would not find it, I did not want to tell them anything about the gun. On one
occasion the three of them passed by my house on the tractor and went to the house of
Nikola Valentić and set the whole property on fire. After that they went to the house of
Valentić Jure, which is 150 m far from my house. Jure was in his backyard and Mile
Matanić left his land-mower in his backyard. The three of them asked Jure Valenti ć for the
documents of that mower and when he did not give these to them, and he probably did not
have them, they killed him right in his backyard with the carbine. I did not exactly see
which of the three of them fired, I saw him lying dead in the backyard, they then brought a
can of petrol, poured this over him, dragged him to the barn and set everything on fire. I
watched that through the slightly opened doors of my house.
About eight days after that I saw smoke from the direction of the house of Ivan
Morosavljević and Joso Lončar.
As to the murders of the Rado čaj’s I personally do not know anything about that but I only
heard that their houses were set on fire and that they burned in their houses. I also do not
know anything about the murder and burning of the house of Ivan and Anka Morosavljević,
Jelena Cvitković told me about that, who allegedly saw when his house was set on fire.
The witness is warned according to the article 77 of the issue 1 ZKP, the minutes were not
read.
Done at 11.15 hrs.
Statement was given by: M.M. 61
A NNEX 352:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF M G.* (1)
STATEMENT – LAĐEVAČKO SELIŠTE
Occupation: housewife
Address : …
Born in ... in ...
Before and during the occupation of the territory of the municipality Slunj and my village
D. Lađevac, I have lived alone in the house … because my husband died about 4 years ago.
In fact, after the occupation I left my house and went to my sister’s … her husband I… to
Lađevačko Selište where I stayed until they were killed on …, after which I moved to Paula
Jelić’s* to Lađevačko Selište, and in May, 1992 I returned to my house in … where I stayed
until 23dJuly 1993, when I was, through UNPROFOR, transferred to Karlovac.
On the day of the murder of my sister and my brother-in-law I was in their house. Some
kind of noise was heard from the direction of the house of Tomo Hrvojevi ć where the
Chetniks were and I advised my sister and my brother-in-law to run, but they remained in
the house and I went to … because I was afraid. Her house was about 1 km distance from
my sister’s, and my cow was there that I kept feeding there. Somewhere around noon I set
off towards the house and then both of us noticed that Joso Lon čar’s house was on fire, and
when we climbed a hill we saw my sister’s house on fire. Afterwards I went to their house
and it was completely burned, and the barn and the stable were intact. I did not see their
bodies so I assume that they burned in the house. Who set this house on fire, I do not know,
neither did I hear from anybody who did set it on fire.
I know where Nikola Valentić’s and Jure Valentić’s house is in D. Selište. Passing through
that part of the village I saw that the barn of Jure Valeć was set on fire, and the story
went around the village that he was killed and thrown into the fire. I also saw, passing
through, that Nikola Valentić’s house was set on fire, and who did all that, I do not know.
Passing by the houses of my brothers … and …, whose house was in Selište at Rado čaj’s, I
saw that this house has completely burned and together with my brothers son and …, my
brother’s wife. On that same day but in the house of Roza Radoč aj, she and Zora Putnar
were killed. I earlier said about the killing of my sister and her husband, and this happened
two days before in the house of my brothers. I personally saw who did it, but people were
saying that this was done by some people from Miljevci. I personally do not know any one
of the accused, that is, Slavko Orlić, Nikola Dražić and Dragan Mandić.
I remember that when my son-in-law heard that my brother’s house was burned he went
there to see all that, and when he came back he said that he did not notice any traces by
which you could conclude that the people left the house, but that he only saw a tractor’s
tracks leading towards the house in the snow and tractor’s tracks leaving the house in the
direction of Donje Selište, from where they allegedly came.
When I came to see my sister’s house the snow was also there and I did not see any traces
of them leaving the house.
These people that made noise in the house of Tomo Hrvojevi ć came to his house by a
tractor, and they also came by a tractor to my sister’s house, but through the side way
through the woods.
After my brothers’ house had been burned, Joso Lon čar escaped to Slunj with his family,
and on the day when Joso’s house was burned, I saw that Joso, Franjo Magdi ć came with
the police from Slunj to the scene of the fire. I was then at Paula ć’s. I remember that 62
something banged in the village at the moment when Joso Lon čar and Franjo Magdić from
Slunj went to the scene of fire of Joso’s house, and at that moment a man wearing a
sheepskin coat passed by and asked us whether we were alive and I said that we were still
alive, I do not know that man. After that he went towards my sister’s house. It was a man of
medium height, with a longish red face.
The witness is warned according to the article 77 issue 1. ZKP; the minutes were not read.
Done at 10.05 hrs.
Statement given by: M.G.
A NNEX 353:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF M G.* (2)
Surname: ...
Name, Father’s name: M... …
Year of birth: ...
Place of birth: ...
Addres s: …
Temporary address: …
Qualifications:
Occupation: housewife
Marital status: widow
Citizenship: the Republic of Croatia
Nationality: Croat
I give the following
STATEMENT
st
My two brothers, their wives and a son of one of my brothers were killed. They died on 21
January 1992. When the first snow fell, three men on a tractor came from Soviš će Donje,
on Tuesday at 11.00 hrs, wearing military uniforms. It happened in Soviš će Donje. My
brothers and their wives were killed: M.R. , I.R., M.R. and R.
R. and A.R . I do not know how they were killed. W hen the people came
back to the village, they saw houses on fire. Theyere probably burned. My sister and my
rd
sister’s husband were killed, …, two days later, on 23 January. I was with them. I heard
when they banged at their neighbours’, they were looking for something. They ran away
when they heard about the R. ’s. My sister and her husband set off to see what had
happened to the R. ’s, they were coming back fro m there. They were killed around
noon, when they were coming back. Nobody saw any thi ng. Two neighbours were there, but
they were also killed: …. These were the women who were over 50 years of age. … did not
run anywhere, and … was born in this village, the same as …, and she came there to look
after her brother’s cattle, because her brother escaped. The cattle were then taken away.
These two women were found by my brother killed with a gun. It was …, who was killed
three days after that. The police came later. There was no UNPROFOR. They took me to
the investigations, asked me whether I was there. If I were there I would not be here now. I
did not see any one of those people who were doing the killing. Paula Jelć, the woman I
was staying with and where my cow was, did not go anywhere. She had two ill people with
her: a girl that could not move and a man who was also ill, she was saying that nobody
would hurt her, and they did not touch her. When they killed Pavo Samardžija at the … on 63
th
17 February 1993, there were two men, a tall one and the other of medium height, wearing
uniforms, one about 30 years old, with a beard, and the other about 50 years old. They said
that they came from Serbia. They made me and Pavo cross ourselves in their way. They
said that they were from Serbia, but they knew everything there. I have never seen them
before. They had knives and short guns. Their knives were big, saw-like, and short. I had to
give them brandy until they were drunk. When I went to give them a glass they would let it
fall out of their hands. I would pick it up, bring another one, and they let it fall. One took
me into the house to fool around with me. I cried and begged him not to touch me, that I
was an old woman, that I would die. He made me take my clothes off in front of him. They
did that to women. He felt pity on me and let me go. They did not bring M. * into the
house. They beat him outside when they st opped drin king stinging him with a knife. When
I came into the house, they told me to sit on the bed. I sat. To take off my kerchief/shawl. I
took it off. He put a knife against my neck. When I moved a bit, he asked why I was
moving. When I came outside, the one that was outside hit me. They ordered us to kneel
down. My leg was stiff from the last war. They beat me because of that. He was about 54-
year-old man. They both started to beat M. , and I then ran away towards the woods. I
thought they would fire and kill me. M. wa s asking to kill him, not to torture him. I saw
when they stabbed him with a knife in the forehead. They cursed our Ustashe mother.
When I ran away, I heard in the bush a shot, then they killed him. They found two bullets
near him, …. A commission came the day after and a doctor Ana Kurajlija, who works
there now. UNPROFOR was not there. Their man came who worked on the evacuations, he
was from the UNPROFOR or had some connections with them. He reports on the
evacuations. His name was Slavo. The Serbian police only said that the Ustashe were
making trouble. I was interrogated and they signed it all up, from where they came, how
they were dressed. UNPROFOR came to Slave Podnar’s uncle, to the village of La đevac.
They had never been in our village. Pavo had said that we should not be afraid because they
had said at Podnar’s that the patrols would do the rounds and that the “blue” would protect
us now. That was why we did not escape when those were coming.
It is about 5-6 km from our village to Slunj. There were no buses. I was going on foot,
carrying milk and eggs. I had my path down which I was going. We got the permits to pass.
I do not know whether the Serbs had to have those permits. A policeman said that it did not
matter any more, that we did not have to have them any more.
Everything burned at my sister’s. I registered to get an identificaiton card. As soon as they
came we had to register for the permit. Some were saying they were the Chetniks, some
that they were the national army, once they said that they were the partizans. Those that
came into the house said that they were the Chetniks. Those who came to kill me and M.
I had already heard that I should be calmed down. Our people buried M. Our people
asked for security, two policemen, so that nobody would intrude. Pave and two more men
from our village were buried. One was killed, the other one hanged. First Slavo Klobu čar.
They beat and chased people, but they still did not kill. Then they killed Slavo Klubu čar, in
the evening, at 20.00 hrs. They were looking for brandy, he told tthm that he had none. He
was killed in November, and the other one in February, on 17 February. Whenever there
were any complaints, the police would say that they would investigate that. When they
threatened me and …, they thought that I sold him the cattle, and that was some other
woman, so they came to ask the Deutche Marks from me. They came with a gun, knocked
me down in my house, pointed a gun at me and started beating me looking for the money.
They asked who was with me, who escaped, because my neighbour managed to escape
when we heard that they were coming, when the dogs started barking. I told them that I had
no money and that they could do what they wanted to. That was the last time when they 64
threatened me. A policeman said to me when I was getting my identification card. When he
asked me how I was. I told him that I was always in fear. He asked why I was in fear. And
the one said, “We won’t do you any harm, your people will “. They only said that they
would find them. After the R. ’s had been killed, they said that they were caught up,
and that those would not come any more. An d they came this winter and killed this man. I
did not go to complain. Some of our people went, but they would say that they could not do
anything to them, that the police were in charge of that, that they were civilians. When
UNPROFOR came, a woman called Marta would come with them, she was a Serb. She
would allegedly prepare us for the evacuation. She would interpret. I do not know the
language they talked to each other, nor from which countries were these from UNPROFOR.
th
In Karlovac, 10 August 1993
The statement was given by: M.G.
The statement was taken by: Andrija Pavičić
A NNEX 354:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J.T.
Surname: T.
Name, Father’s name: J., M.
Year of birth: ...
Place of birth: ..., ...
Address: …
Te mporary address: …
Qualifications:
Occupation: Agriculturalist
Marital status: Married
Citizenship: the Republic of Croatia
Nationality: Croat
I give the following
STATEMENT
When Lađevac fell in action on 1stNovember 1991, we escaped to Popovac, from Popovac
to Selište. 12 days after we came back to Popovac. We stayed there. Later I was escaping
and hiding until December. I did not sign in, I could not. They did not call us up, but were
catching us. They were special military forces. They did not wear any caps, we thought that
they were “Beli orlovi”, but they were not, it was the active army. A first lieutenant, a
Montenegrin led them from the test range in Slunj. He led the patrols that were going the
rounds in the villages. When they caught me, I could not escape. I escaped and hid during
the attack, they surrounded my house. A boy, a soldier climbed after me, he saw me there,
but he did not want to give me up. Probably because of the children. People that were
caught were usually taken to interrogation, to refugees’ camp, to prison. They would catch
7-8 people and send them to Vojni ć, to Glina. They would keep them as much as they
wanted to, 4-5 days, or longer. I was there for 4 days, after, when Mile and Joso escaped.
The prison consists of one room, with military beds, short military mattresses, military
blankets. A colonel interrogates. He asks about the weapons, that we do not have. I had a
gun, which I did not give, I hid it. They beat us, the wall is all covered with blood. 40-50
cm is all covered with blood. These people that beat us were not local people, that was the
active army, special. I do not know about the cases of forced mobilization, except for those 65
for work details. Robbery was regular. They would go, for example when they found a
tractor, by car, and mechanics would be there. I know that Milan Cvjeti čanin was robbing,
Milan Juzbašić and Milan Kresev took my tractor, one of them came from Brezovac and
the other from Bro đanci. They were young, 19 and 23. If someone would contradict them
they would beat him. They would kill younger people, that was certain. When they stole
from me, I saw that they sat on it and set off. I reported that, but nothing happened. They
knew where the tractor was, but they could not go there and get it. These were the
representatives of the UNPROFOR.
We communicated with each other as best as we could manage. They came with the
Serbian police. Marta came with them, I told her where my tractor was. Joso Kati ć, the
superintendent for our region at the Krajina police, said he knew about it, and that they
would deal with it, but everything ended with this. They asked me about sterythndg, they
knew everything, but they must not go and get it. That was about 1 or 2 May 1993. I
waited for 15 days for them to give me my tractor back. If they had returned it to me, I
might not be coming here. “Today tractor, tomorrow cow, the day after tomorrow head” –
that was what they told me. Vukelić , Simo Delić and Galin, all tipsy, came to me. Galin
came from Slunj. His name was actually Đuro Tepavac, Galin was his nickname. Mi ćo
Vukelić, from Bro đanci, had a house in Slunj, Simo Delić lived also in Slunj. They came
the morning after they took my tractor, around half past six. They did not come in the last 5
months. They even brought a heavy machine-gun and they were wearing uniforms. They
never before brought the heavy machine-gun. Galin also wore a sabre, 70 cm long. I
measured it while I was standing next to them. They did not fire, they just came in, like
cowboys.
UNPROFOR would come if someone was killed, if someone died, otherwise not. They
allegedly, would write something down, but that was no use for the dead. UNPROFOR
would go just down the main road, while we were miles away, through the woods. They did
not come into the villages at all. You could say that they were under the direct influence of
the Serbian authorities – because the Serbian authorities chased them away several times
from their points. Later the Serbian forces would take those points, because, allegedly, our
fighters would attack. They chased away the UNPROFOR from the points in the barracks.
When they did this, a murder or robberies would happen. I was not there, except for once
when they brought a man, when we were doing some masonry, building a wall of a room in
a house. Then grandpa, me and the little one were at the shooting. Beli came, that was what
he was called Milan Pašić, from the village of Pašići. He came from Jame, near the village,
not exactly near the house. He came, there was 6 of us there when he started firing at the
house. It was a Croatian village. We all had to get out. There was a man called Bocun, Mijo
Katić, with Paši ć. He did not interfere, nor did he defend us. In a few minutes he was
beating us successively. When he came to me, he threw the boy into the house, because he
was standing next to me. He is in the first grade. There were more people there: Ivo Žgela,
Ivo Lucić, Joso Bogović, Miro Topić and his wife, the boy and me. He put us in a line to be
executed. Then he separated Ivo lucić and Ivo Žgela. Little Željko started crying because of
his grandpa. He let those two go. Topi ć’s wife escaped through a window, he then started
beating me with a butt-end across my ribs, grandpa behind his ear, and Joso Bogović he hit
the most. Then a boy on a tractor came, later he was killed, – Rade, a Serb, he calmed him
down, and allegedly took his gun. They let us go. We did not make it to the house when we
heard a machine-gun burst, they killed Dane Bogović. They emptied an entire clip into him.
The man was waiting for a meal to be cooked in the house, and when he saw them, he
wanted to run away, to hide. Beli killed him. Dane was about 60 years old. The police 66
came. They caught Beli, he was in prison for a week and now he again ravages. He is now
at the test range, driving a truck. UNPROFOR did not come.
I know a lot of people by sight, but I do not know their names or surnames. The major one,
who was dangerous and who wanted to kill, was Milan Cvjeti čanin. He worked as a waiter
before. It seemed that something was wrong with him. Then Rade from Kosa, I do not
know his last name. That is as to the gang. These were the gangs that would go around the
villages, go without any directions, the commanders did not bother them. It is wrong that 5,
6 commanders could not keep under control those people. Only if the commander ordered
them to bring it to him. They robbed, destroyed houses, took everything, wooden garages
and everything that was movable. If there was something he liked, it did not matter whether
you were at home or not. If you said something, you might get beaten. They were not all
like that. There were some who defended themselves.
For setting the houses on fire, the major one was Bekrija Čuić, he came from Bro đanci,
then Neno Tepavac and two more, I do not know their names. They set on fire the house of
a poor man, my neighbour, who did not have anything. They yelled like Indians.
UNPROFOR was just passing down the road. They saw a burning house, but they did not
react. The UN army was better equipped with the weapons than the police, but they did not
have the order.
In winter, last year, murders were happening. There was snow. People were burned alive, or
murdered. The murdered were the last named R. : M., I., A., R., his son, then
my aunt B. Fi ve of them burned in two houses . More members of their family were
burned in the war, these were the others. Next to them two women were killed. In one
house, one in one room, the other in the next room. A few days later they killed Ivica
Morosavljević and his wife and set them on fire. A group did that, they were going by
tractor. A man that was with them was from Ruma, he was the main one among the
murderers. The two were from our region. The first time they came, a man they called Orli ć
was with them. The one from Ruma was always there. He was a tall man, about 100 kg
weight. He actually came from our parts. He came from Ruma for a leave. They killed Jura
Valentić. Also in G. Selište. They killed him, set the barn on fire and threw him inside,
dead.
One Ivica, I do not know whether I will say his correct surname, we call him Janjin, was
thrown into an abyss. Some heard him, all across the Korana, calling for help. That was not
near us. We knew where they might throw him. Maybe we could pull him out. Nobody
wanted to listen to anyone. When that happened, everyone vanished, wherever they could.
They were running away. That was in November 1992. M.G. can witness that.
She was there, she called them to run away, they did not w ant to go out of their house. They
were making a meal, they wanted to eat, and they were gone, unfortunately.
They killed Slavo, first they beat him heavily, and then they killed him. They also killed
Pavo, from behind. The Serbian police knew about this. They had to know. For four days it
went on up there. UNPROFOR did not come. They were up there when Slavo was killed,
they signed something and that was all they did. They did not organize the security when he
was being buried. The churches were destroyed. St. Juraj (George)’s church was set on fire
last year, I do not know the exact date, but it was in July. The chapel was ruined right at the
beginning. They made a toilet there. In the centre of La đevac. The church is behind the
school, perhaps a 100 m distance from it. The chapel was right in the centre. UNPROFOR
saw all that, but they did not react to it. Something was wrong. They saw the robberies, the
tractors being taken away, and they did not do a thing about it. Even the oxen were taken 67
away, they never asked any questions, although they saw the robberies. Some were saying
that they were keeping those tractors, looking after them, but they did not.
Their policemen would be glad to get out of it, at least those that I know. Everyone was
giving them orders, the army theirs, the commander his, their chief was not a bad man.
They were all 35-40 year old people, that worked before in Zagreb or in Karlovac. Some of
them have worked in Zagreb or in Karlovac for 10 or 15 years. Their life there was
miserable. Their salaries were 10 DM, chief’s maybe 14. The conditions were bad for them.
The army’s salaries were 7-8 DM. A friend of mine was dismissed from the army, and
instead of him came a man form Belgrade, an active captain, he replaced Bošnjak from
Slunj, who sometimes wanted to protect the Croats. He could protect you at that moment,
but they would take revenge the next day. The police could not help much, because they
were less armed than the army.
There was moving in into the Croatian houses. Mostly in Podmilice, around the gas station,
one part towards Taborište and into the centre of Slunj. Around 2000 people moved in
there. They came mostly from Ruma, Belgrade. There were even people from Požarevac.
Maybe from Leskovac. I could see that by the registration plates, and all were some strange
people. I could see that they were not local people. Once, when I went to the municipality, I
saw an elderly man reporting there. He wore a blanket across his arm, he got a room in a
building down there. He told me that he came from Belgrade. He was about 65 years old, a
backpack on his back, and you could tell by his face that he was not from our parts. And
you could tell by them all, by the children, by their speech, that they were not from our
region.
The school was working. My children were in the first and in the second grades. There
were two first and two second grades, in each 26-28 pupils. In the high school were two
first grades. Now they opened the second grade in the high school, which was not there
earlier. That proves how they moved in. At the meetings you could notice by their speech
that they moved in from Serbia. And now the priest Simo teaches the catechism. My boy
did not want to go. He told the priest :”We cross ourselves like this, and not like this.” At
the end it was my fault that he did not go to the catechism lessons. I told him not to go if he
did not have to. There were 5 of our children that went to the catechism lessons: my two
children, Paulina Matešić , Slavko Pleš and one little Pleš. The older one went to the
lessons, and the younger one did not.
th
In Karlovac, 10 August 1993.
The statement was given by: The statement was taken by:
J.T. BuljanMiljenko 68
A NNEX 355:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M P.
SURNAME: P.
NAME, MOTHER’S NAME: M., J.
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: ... , ..., Slunj county, Croatia
RESIDENCE: …
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE:…
EDUCATION:
OCCUPATION: housewife
EMPLOYMENT:
MARITAL STATUS: married
CITIZENSHIP: Republic of Croatia
NATIONALITY: Croatian
I give the following
STATEMENT
Four days after they occupied Slunj, the Chetniks started barging into nearby villages. They
said that they were not going to hurt civilians that they were looking for Ustashas. We told
them that there was no one left in the village, everybody had already escaped. The Chetniks
came to our village, Donji Lađevac, on November 21st or 22nd, 1991.
My father and son looked after one house. They (the Chetniks) came to the house and
forced them to get out. They (the Chetniks) put a barrel of a gun into my kid’s mouth. My
son was twelve years old at the time. They asked him if he had any arms. During this time I
was at home.
Donji Lađevac is a purely Croatian village. It is surrounded by the Serb populated villages:
Pečanac, Slušnica, Kršnja Stara, Kršnja Nova, Lipova ča, Vasin Selo, Pojer and Mandi ći. I
do not know if the residents of those villages participated in the attack on our village. The
attackers were Serbs, but I do not know their names. Upon arriving in our village, they
ordered all of the residents to gather for a meeting in my uncles’ house. They said that those
they pointed their fingers at had to go with them to a military training base. They detained
those whom they chose to go to the base, and the rest of us were free to return home. Their
leader chose the men. They took away five people: Zvonko Potnar (53 years), Nikola
Samardžija (27 years), Slavko Klobu čar (53 years), Vinko (around 40 years) and Slavko
Potnar (around 60 years). In the evening they (the Serbs) returned them home. The men told
us that they (the Serbs) asked them if they had any arms. They (the Serbs) said if they did
have, they should surrender those arms immediately, and no one would hurt them.
They (the Serbs) maltreated civilians; they did all sorts of things. They (the Serbs) killed a
lot of people. Those who survived sought a way to obtain the documents UNPROFOR and
the Red Cross required to get them out. Those who had a family who could send them the
documents left, while those who did not have anybody had to stay.
The first nine people were killed in January 1992. Seven of them went by the name of
R., two of them were Muslims whose last name I do not know. They were murdered
inside their houses, and then those houses weet on fire. Seven of them were set on fire
by daytime while two women were murdered and then taken by the JNA to a Catholic
cemetery behind Mrtvana in Slunj and buried there. The victims who were set on fire were
not buried. They still lay there in the ashes. The Chetniks did this massacre. I saw them in 69
the village. Their Slunj militia allegedly went to the village and claimed that no massacre
ever happened.
Seven Croats were murdered in the village of Furjan. The Croats also inhabited this village.
It is located five kilometers away from Donji La đevac in the direction of Bosnia. We heard
about the incident from our villagers who dug out the graves, transported the bodies to
Lađevci, and buried them in the village cemetery. They (the Serbs) burnt down entirely
Lađevac, Poljane, Salopek Selo and Furjani.
My uncle P.S. was murdered two months ago. He visited me on that day. After
leaving my place, he went to his neighbor to saw he r some wood. While he was doing that,
two Chetniks came around and killed him, after interrogating and maltreating him. Four
months ago the Chetniks murdered Slavo Klobučar.
UNPROFOR (the Polish and others) were in the area all the time. They are stationed in
Slunj and are not allowed to come to our villages. They collaborate with the Chetniks. It is
not safe for Croats to live there. Since UNPROFOR came, many people have been
murdered. For example, they (UNPROFOR) may simply stand there, doing nothing, while
a house is burning next to them.
While we were down there, we used to go to Slunj.Some houses still stand destroyed, some
have been rebuilt. The Serbs came from Banja Luka and other places and moved in. We
could enter Slunj only upon obtaining the monthly permits at the militia station. The person
in charge of issuing the permits was Ljuban Klipa, the head of the police. He is a Serb from
the hamlet of Škorić, village of Sljeme, Slunj County. He used to work in the police forces
in Zagreb. With this permit we could move only in the Slunj area. As soon as we left the
house, we had to carry it with us. The Croats live poorly there, they have to hide. They live
in a constant terror. Nobody works. Only the Slovenian plant “Prebold” is still functioning.
It employs only Serbs; there is not a single Croat on its staff.
Five of us (my father-in-law, my mother-in-law, my two children and I) were sent all of the
necessary documents by my husband and husband’s brother, and we went out. Fifteen
Croats remained in our village, all of them elderly people. They may get out soon as well, if
they are still alive.
In Karlovac, May 18, 1993
Statement given by: M.P.
Statement taken by: Miljenko Buljan 70
A NNEX 356:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF K .Z.*
K. Z.: I was born on … in …. I am a housewife, Croatian by nationality.
After the occupation of Slunj and its surroundi ngs, in Gornji Popovac there remained only
16 of us. When the Chetniks arrived in the village for the first time, we escaped into the
woods because of the heavy shooting. When it all stopped, we returned to our houses. One
week later, two Chetniks entered my house; they asked me if I had anybody else in my
house, where my children were, and why I was alone. This happened several times but they
did not do anything to me.
On February 17, 1993, two unknown men came to my house. One of them was young –
about 25 years of age, he had a beard. The other one was about 10 years older. First they
forced me to stand near the wall and then they hit me with rifles. Then they started to touch
me by saying: “Would you like to do it?” I asked: “What?” Then both of them raped me,
punched me and then they left.
On April 17, 1993 I spent the night at my house. I only slept at my house occasionally after
that. Somebody hit my door and I had to open it. There were three Chetniks who wore caps
with Chetnik marks. They searched for a knife so that they could slaughter me. As they did
not find it, one of them took some pliers from a cupboard and he wanted to pull my teeth
out. However, the older one told the other two not to do it. When one of them did not know
what to do, he took matches and set fire to my bed. The older man stopped it again. Then
the most violent one (he had a small beard) raped me again. When they left, I went to Slunj,
to UNPROFOR and I told them what they had done to me.
After the first time (on February 17) I went to the Serbian police but I was not allowed to
speak to the higher-ranking officers. So I went to UNPROFOR but they did not understand
me. So I wrote down on a piece of paper who I was and what had happened to me. The
following day they came to my house with a translator (a Serbian woman) and I did not
understand what she was telling them. Finally, they asked me if I was Croatian or Serbian.
As all the residents of the village had been maltreated, all of us went again to UNPROFOR
and asked them to protect us. They told us that they could not to protect us and the only
thing they could do was to transfer all of us to Slunj. But we could not accept that.
Before they raped me, they took away my TV, radio and killed two of my pigs. S.T.* was
raped too. She was separated from her children and her father-in-law and uncle were locked
in a room when they raped her. When we reported it to UNPROFOR and to the Serbian
police, they took us to identify the perpetrators. S.T. recognised three of them.
Over UNPROFOR and the ICRC I was exchanging messages with my daughter who was in
Zagreb. I cultivated the soil the entire time because I had a horse and I also slaughtered
pigs. The Chetniks came to take meat and other food but mostly they took the “rakija.”
I saw that life was becoming impossible so I prepared the papers so that I could leave for
Zagreb. One day I was near my water-well when I saw a car approaching my house. I
started to run but I saw that an unknown man and a neighbour were walking towards me. I
stopped and they told me not to be afraid. The unknown man was a Serb who knew my
daughter and he told me to be careful and not to sleep at my house. He forbade me to tell
anyone that he visited me. So I slept at my neighbours’ house, which was a little bit further
from mine, so it was safer. 71
On May 3, 1993 UNPROFOR arrived, with a translator, and they told me to get ready and
that the following day I would go to Karlovac. Then 8 of us from Gornji Popovac were
driven to Karlovac.
By signing each page of the statement I confirm its authenticity. I gave this statement
without coercion.
In Zagreb, May 31, 1993.
Statement given by: K.Z.
Statement taken by: Nada Likarević
A NNEX 357:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A.Ž.
Surname: Ž.
Name, father’s name: A., G.
Date of birth:..
Place of birth: ..., Slunj
Address: …
Temporat addres s: …
Occupation: housewife
Marital status not married
Citizenship: Croatian
Nationality: Croat
I give the following:
STATEMENT
I went to Bosnia after Slunj was occupied. I was in the house with Draga Šegavac. The
local Serbs robbed. They burned, robbed, and took cattle, grain: corn, wheat, everything.
We could not go to police to complain. When I was about to come here the Commander
came. He came when I was sitting on the stairs crying. He asked if I was hungry and in a
case that someone maltreated me I could freely come to him to complain in the school
where they were based. They were divided. There were a lot of them. One group was in
Mile Panić’s inn, another in the school, and some were in Mile Radurina’s house, in Bacara
was the main Command.
They knew robbing took place. After they intervened but nothing was left. If something
remained they would come and take it. They took the tiles from the remaining tail roofed
houses. The Commander was not there, he did not stop it.
The village of Furjan was burned down. The houses of the following persons were burned:
Jure Panić, Ante Pani ć, Ivica Pani ć, Vid Šegavac, Šajer, Franjo Žgela, Jure Žgela, Mile
Žgela, Mara Žgela, Janko Žgela, and Joso Žgela. Vid Žgela and Pavo’s houses were not
burned but they were killed. Draga Šegavac told me about it but she did not see it
personally. They were making plum brandy. Two men came. They passed through the
village and arrested 6 persons: Marija Žgela, Pave Žgela, Vid Žgela, Vid Šegavac, Pave
Žgela and Mile Cindrić. 72
The persons were taken out of a pit and buried on the graveyard in one grave in Lađevci.
All of them have a cross and epitaph. A priest was not on the funeral. The church was
burned down only one wall remained.
When I was coming back from Bosnia, Draga told me that there were no people. She was
looking for them. She did not know they had been killed. UNPROFOR was not there yet
when they were killed. I do not know the persons who robbed. They spoke like we did. In
my village no man remained. There were only dogs, cats, and I. I slept in Draga’s house.
The soldiers told me to go back to my house. They took the tiles from her house as well.
The crime took place 4 days before UNPROFOR arrived in the village.
Karlovac, 10 August 1993
Statement given by: Statement taken by:
A.Ž. Andrija Pavičić
ANNEX 358:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S.T.
THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
KARLOVAC POLICE ADMINISTRATI ON
CRIMINAL POLICE DEPARTMENT
TERRORISM PREVENTION DEPARTMENT
(ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT OF THE MINISTRY)
NUMBER: 511-05-04/1-K-30/91/99
Date: the 8hof December 1999
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen – S.T. , occupation – traffic officer, born – on the ...9..., UCRN – …,
th
residence – permardnt address – …, on the 7 of November 1999 in the
offices of the 3 Ogulin Police Station, Plaški Police _____, connected with the
participation in the attack on Saborsko on the 12of December 1991 as a member of the
company from Plav ča Draga gave to the authorized official of the Karlovac Police
Administration (name of the organizational unit) the following information:
“Till the beginning of the war I worked as a traffic officer and the head of the railroad
station in Plaški and after the mobilization, sometime at the end of the summer of 1991 I
was posted as the officer in charge of the technical – material resources of our company
rd
from Plavča Draga that was one of the three companies of the 3 battalion. Bogdan Grba
from the village of Gornje Jezero was the battalion commander.
Before the attack on Saborsko, I think it was just that morning when we set for the attack,
all the units that were prepared and organized for the attack were lined up in Lička Jasenica,
in the center of the village, near the church. Part of the tanks and the armed transporters
were down on the road.
On that occasion the Colonel Čedomir Bulat was personally present there as the
commander of the army from the military range. We were all lined up in platoons and
st
companies within the formation of our 1 battalion, and the commander of the police of that
time in Plaški, Dušan Latas was also there with 20 to 30 of his men and probably the 73
reserve police was also present because the normal composition of the station consisted of
12 to 15 people.
Medaković was also present with the “members of the Marti ć police” and there were about
20 to 30 of them. I did not know little Medakovi ć at that time, I do not know where exactly
did he come from or how he imposed himself, but I remember that Bogdan Grba, our
battalion commander had a bad opinion of him because he said that Medakovi ć was an
about 24 years old bum student and he asked if such a person could lead the men. Most of
the time our Bogdan Grba could not stand Medaković, even before the attack on Saborsko.
I also saw Đuro Ogrizović called “Šnjaka” in Jasenica and he represented himself as some
kind of member of the state security or even the head of something similar and he acted
accordingly. I used to see him before the war and I think that at the beginning of the war he
drove a BMW with Vršac license plates and a group of 4 to 6 people escorted him and they
all acted very arrogantly and violently. He lived in his weekend house.
I do not know if Peić (Zdravko), a native of Ogulinski Hreljan who married or moved into
wife’s family in Plaški was with Marti ć men or with Šnjaka. Pei ć worked in the sawmill
and he came here only at the beginning of the war. Certain Cveki ćs, I think Mane Cveki ć
and certain Trbojević called Čkalja were in the group that escorted Šnjaka.
I can not tell exactly how many members the battalion under the command of Grba had, but
there were about 30 ofsts from Plav ča Draga, and beside that company the company from
Janja Gora and the 1 company from Lička Jasenica came. I do not remember if there were
any volunteers from the 2 nd and the 3 battalion among us.
According to my estimation there were about 200 to 300 local people lined up in Jasenica
that morning and the rest of the people were members of the JNA, partly active
commissioned officers and noncommissioned officers and partly the members of the young
conscript army.
I remember well that on that occasion the Chief of the Staff of the Plaški Territorial
Defence was there, I think it was the active officer and Major by rank, Nikola Dokmanovi ć.
Đoko Jakšić was at that time the assistant to the commander of the 1 stbattalion of Bogdan
Grba and he was in charge of the rear.
Miloš Jovetić called Sena was also at that time the assistant to the commander for the rear
in the 1stbattalion, but he was also in charge of the rear of our company from Plav ča Draga
and he was my immediate superior and Jaksi ć was his function superior. At that moment,
when we were setting off for the attack on Saborsko, the Plaški brigade was not officially
formed yet, it would be formed a few days later.
At that time I was there on a duty as the officer for the technical – material resources of the
company from Plavča Draga.
Just in the period before the attack on Saborsko the military police was formed and they
were the individual formation. stanko Šupica was their commander, he was the reserve
officer of the JNA, Captain 1 Class.
Before that attack we waited for a day and a half or 2 days in Li čka Jasenica, because it was
raining and it was foggy so we could not start with the attack because our artillery,
especially the aviation could not act. The people started to complain and the day before the
main lining up the Colonel Čedomir Bulat spoke to the people and he explained that we
could not attack due to the bad meteorological conditions and he told the people to be
patient. Those two days while we waited, we were accommodated in the houses of the local 74
people in Lička Jasenica. The part of the active army was probably accommodated on the
barracks area on the hill.
That morning when we were all lined up they read the order on the attack. I do not
remember exactly if somebody read it in front of all of us, but I remember that Marko Brdar
either retold or read the order to us. He was the active noncommissioned officer of the JNA
in the period before the war and I think that during the war, just during the attack on
Saborsko he was the commander of the company from Plav ča Draga. That is to say, I
exactly remember that he read the order, I do not know who issued the order, but the order
stated that our company must escort the tanks a little further away from them, on the left
side of the main asphalt road that leads from Li čka Jasenica to Saborsko. We were
supposed to proceed along the slopes of the Sivnik hill and come sidewise above Saborsko
and we did that that day. We did not make the attack from the main road because a few
days earlier either a trench was mined or the tank mines were placed on the road.
I think that we had breakfast around 9 a.m. and then we went over the bridge on Jasenica
and immediately after we crossed the bridge we turned left and across the small wood we
stretched our formations to the 200 or 300 m width and we were about 500 m away from
the main road for Saborsko. I remember that 2 tanks and an armed vehicle were with us and
our task was to escort them and cover them as infantry and they went ahead of us and
cleared the ground because we were afraid that the ground towards Saborsko was mined.
We took care to walk exactly on the ground where the tank tracks had passed.
I remember that Marko Brdar was with us and he led the attack of our company.
Immediately before the attack, the artillery preparation that lasted half an hour to an hour
was performed and 2 MIG-21 planes flew over Saborsko 2 or 3 times.
At that time Bulat had the quarters in a weekend house on the left side of the road that leads
to the village of Dabar and that road has on its right side a branching-off road that leads
from Lička Jasenica to Saborsko. That weekend house was just near the “Jelenko” bar.
I do not know exactly who attacked from the west wing, that is, from the position of the
st
Lička Jasenica railroad station and then over the Vukeli ć Poljana (field), (note – 1
company Lička Jasenica and the Martić police and the Plaški police, so the emphasis of the
attack was on that sector).
I know precisely that there were no more units in the space between our company from
Plavča Draga and the main road that leads from Li čka Jasenica to Saborsko and our field
was so steep that we barely walked. There was some unit on our left side but I do not
remember which unit was that.
Till noon we passed about 2.5 to 3 km in the direction of our attack and while we were
heading, the tanks and the armed vehicles opened fire sideways to the right side on
Saborsko, I think they opened fire on the first parts of Saborsko, called Tuk and Dumen čići.
I think that at that moment we came on the macadam road that leads from the former
hamlet of Skrad (it was deserted because the military range was formed there) and we
stopped there to wait the following order. From the position where we stopped we could
visually see those two hamlets of Tuk and Dumen čići. We saw that some of our units that
probably attacked from the other side, started to enter those two hamlets because the houses
were on fire. We stayed on the position on the macadam road where we came before for 3
or 4 hours, maybe more and we started to come down to Saborsko only before the twilight.
I do not know the reason why we did not enter Saborsko earlier, maybe the higher
command was afraid of some kind of counterattack of the Croatian forces and just when we 75
started to come down to Saborsko we saw that completely everything that we could see at
that moment was on fire and the road by which we came down from the direction of Skrad
enters Saborsko near the store and there we entered the village. On our way down to
Saborsko the houses were checked and searched in case some of the people stayed there
and it was normal to shoot from grenade launchers at houses, to throw bombs into
basements etc.
When we started to come down towards Saborsko it was evident that the hamlets Tuk and
Dstenčići were on fire more than other places and later I heard that Duško Čikara from the
1 company from Lička Jasenica stood out in it mostly. He was the railroader in Plaški so I
knew him personally and Miroslav Milakovi ć was also mentioned in a sense that he also
stood out. I think that at that time he was the deputy commander of the company from
Lička Jasenica. In fact they entered Saborsko first.
When we entered Saborsko, I mean our company, we gathered down by the store and
normally we were thrilled, we shot in the air and we were aware that we have done our job,
but we were not thrilled because everything was on fire, because nobody of us older men
thought that the thing would develop in such a way and that the civilians would be killed
and that they would burn things. I personally did not see a single prisoner, not in the
uniform nor in the civilian clothes, but I know from what I was told that about 10 to 12
civilians were captured and taken from Saborsko to Li čka Jasenica first, to the school
basement or center basement, but after a couple of days Branko Čikara, a bus driver, took
them in a bus and handed them at the control point near Vojnovac to the Croatian army, I
think. I think that those civilians were exactly in the center building and that everyone who
wanted could visit them and it is a sure fact that they were molested and abused in that
situation.
On the direction of the attack where my company passed nobody was caught alive and I
also state that I did not see a single dead body. Probably the people ran away and retreated
before we arrived.
When we came down to that store I saw Pei ć (Zdravko) and the Cvekićs and Šnjaka. I think
that Peić and Cvekićs broke into the store and took some things out to the tractor-trailer and
it was probably taken to Li čka Jasenica. I personally did not steal anything, but the fact is
that surely things and technical equipment were taken from the houses, especially the
tractors. At the end of 1991 or at the beginning of 1992 the commander of the 145 thbrigade
of that period, Trbović ordered that the tractors, trailers and similar things that were brought
from Saborsko, I mean the things that were stolen by the participants in the attack, should
be brought on the factory area in Plaški and so some part of things were collected.
Just as we were in Saborsko itself, our soldier, Bogdan Č ubra came from somewhere all in
tears and he said that Pero Bi čanić called Krtan was killed. He said that Pei ć and the ones
that were with him killed him. I did not see it myself but probably Čubra saw it or he found
Pero dead and they were good friends.
It was evident that the church, especially the bell-tower was hit several times from the tank
but besides that the church remained intact but in the next 15 to 30 days it was mined and it
was said that Šnjaka and his group did it. I know for sure that my neighbor from the village
of Lapat, Rade Latas, brought a smaller bell from the church from Saborsko and that bell
was in the garden of his house or in his yard, I do not exactly where it ended later (note –
that bell was found; Rade Latas is in Rome or in India, he sold the house and he has no
intention of coming back). 76
That evening I saw Momčilović called Kole, he stole a tractor somewhere and he was in the
group with Cvekićs and Peić and they stole things from the store. Later he brought “Lada”
car from somewhere and during the war he brought the entire inventory for the inn they
opened in Plaški.
When it got dark, we stayed for an hour or two in Saborsko, we waited for the further
command and then we were told to come back to Lička Jasenica and so we did walking and
driving along the main road. I do not know if any unit passed through completely whole
Saborsko and joined the units from Korenica because those units were supposed to attack
from the other side. I did not see the units from Korenica that night nor later.
Later, I think it was the next couple of days after the occupation of Saborsko, I did not go
on the hill and I know that besides the thefts, the cattle was gathered in an organized way
and the local people could change or take part of the cattle if there was any better cow,
horse etc. More than 100 cows, oxen and horse were collected and I do not know if there
were any sheep or pigs because it was the season for butchering pigs.
st
I know that the commander of the 1 battalion, Bogdan Grba went every evening at 6 p.m.
to report to the Colonel Bulat so probably that night, after the occupation of Saborsko he
went to report to Bulat.
As far as I can remember, that first night, only the 1 stcompany from Li čka Jasenica stayed
as a defence security at the first houses in the Dumen čić hamlet, I think that the position
was near the Šolaja house and parts of our company from Plav ča Draga and Janja Gora
went there in the following days.
If it becomes necessary I am ready to give a statement again in front of the Investigative
judge about everything I already stated.”
Police officer
Ivan Horvat (signature)
official record of the information
received from the citizen according
to the regulation from the act 177,
2nd subsection of the Criminal Proceedings Law 77
A NNEX 359:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF P.M.
Number: KIO – 245/92 – 53
RECORD OF WITNESS HEARING
P.M.
Made on 2 June 1992 at the Ogulin Dis trict court. Investigative judge: Ksenija Zorc.
Recording Secretary: Silvana Sulina. Criminal case against NIKOLA MEDAKOVI Ć and
others because of the criminal offence from the article of Criminal Law (“NN 53/91”).
P.M., the son of I. , was born in ... He is ... years old. He is a
police officer and works in thgulin police staon. Lives in .... Now he is
staying at the Ogulin police station.
During the first attack I was in my house in .... Later on I was, with the
other villagers, in a refugees’ camp in the Jelenovac wood which is located in the direction
of Plitvice. I stayed in the wood until 8:00 p.m., so that I saw two tanks entering a
graveyard, the part of the village closer to Kuselj. These tanks destroyed the graveyard.
Three tanks were destroying the center of Saborsko, the part near the school. Two tanks
headed for the Alan hill and from there they aimed at and destroyed houses.
Recording secretary: (signature)
Investigative judge: (signature)
Witness: (signature)
A NNEX 360:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF A.B.
The council reaches
DECISION
evidence proceeding continues on 21 September 1992 at 9:00 a.m. with witness h
THE HEAD OF THE COUNCIL (Signature)
RECORDING SECRETARY (Signature)
CONTINUES ON 21 SEPTEMBER 1992 AT 9:00 A.M.
The same people are in attendance.
Witnesses: A.B.
It is established that the following witnesses didn’t come to the main hearing: Joso
Matovina – summons are not added to the record, Dane Matovina – summons are added to
the record, Nikola Serti ć – summons are not added to the record, Zvonko Conjar –
summons are added to the record, and the witnesses in attendance state that he is
hospitalized.
The main hearing is going to begin in absence of the witnesses who didn’t come, and the
necessity of their hearing is going to be decided on later, depending on the result of the
main hearing. 78
The summoned witness is A.B., the daughter of J.Š., ... years old, born
in Saborsko, permanent address: …. Warned according to the article 325 of the Criminal
Proceedings Law (CPL), that is, she is obliged to inform the court about everything she
knows in connection with this case, and that the giving of false statement is a criminal
offence, and, according to the article 229 of the CPL she is not obliged to answer some
questions if there is probability that by answering them, she herself or some of her close
relatives could face a risk of being criminally prosecuted, deprived of material goods, or
very disgraced, she
STATES
I know all of the accused and they were the first who did this to us, they are the chief
leaders, Plaški and Jesenica were their main base from where they could attack Saborsko. I
have known the accused since they were school children, and at that time they used to come
to Saborsko, and besides we used to go to Plaški often and buy what we needed.
The main attack on Saborsko began on 12 November at 9:00 a.m.. First they attacked with
planes, and after that they bombarded the village and were shooting from machine guns.
Moreover, from 5 August we would ran away and hide in the wood every day and then we
would return, because every day they attacked us. On 10 or 11 November it was peaceful,
they weren’t attacking, and on 12 November, at 9:00 a.m., they attacked with planes, and
we had to hide in the basements. At the time, I was together with the following people:
Milan Bičanić, Nikola Bičanić, Petar Bičanić, Ivan Vuković, Jure Vuković, and Jure Štrk in
a basement, besides us there were also: Jeka Vukovi ć, Ana Bi čanić, Bara Bi čanić, Kata
Vuković, Kata Štrk, Marija Hodak and Jeka Vukovi ć. All together there were 11 or 12 of
us. There were some members of the National Guard with us, and they managed to escape.
Well, when a woman came in and said that they were entering the village, members of the
National Guard ran away, and the rest of us stayed in the basement. We thought they would
pass by us if we kept quiet. However, at one moment we heard a voice coming from the
outside and it said: “Give me the matches!” so, because I was afraid that they could burn us,
I stepped out of the basement and ran into two soldiers who weren’t from our area. They
were in uniforms and had helmets on their heads. I joined my hands and told them not to
shoot. I also said that there weren’t any soldiers in the basement, but only civilians. One of
them then told me to call the others to get out of the basement, and I did as he said. The
people from the basement were distracted. After we got out of the basement one of them
threw a bomb in it.
On the road in front of the house they lined us up in two lines. The men were on the one
side and the women on the other. My husband was the first in the line. One of the soldiers
asked him who put obstacles at the entrance to Saborsko. He answered that the Army did it,
and then the soldier slapped him on the face.
While some of the soldiers stayed in order to keep their eye on us, the others pointed
machine guns at the men and took them to a wall of a house approximately 20 meters
removed from us. I only saw the soldiers stepped back, and after that I heard two machine-
gun bursts. I suppose they were fired at the people. At that moment I said that my poor
child would come home and won’t find neither mother nor father, because I was afraid that
they were going to kill us too. One of them asked me where my child was and I said he was
serving his time in the army in Osijek. Then he asked me why he was in the Ustashas’ army
and I answered him that he went to army in June. After I said it they were silent for a while
and then they told us get lost in half an hour. I’m pointing out that my son was in the army
but he ran away and joined the National Guard. 79
We started runing each of us in a diferent direction and so we reached Jesenice at 3:00 a.m.,
and afterwards we went to Ogulin.
This army stayed and set houses on fire, I point out that there were a lot of civilians among
them and I remember an elderly tall man who had gray hair and was in civilian clothes. A
lot of them were in camouflage uniforms, with nothing on their heads, and they had white
rags in their hands. While we were still there one of the soldiers said to a woman that he
killed her son, and that young man was really killed, but the woman wasn’t there at the
time.
So I don’t know what happened to the following people: Milan Bi čanić, born in 1927,
Nikola Bičanić, born in 1928, Petar Bičanić, born in 1935, Ivan Vuković, born in 1932, Jure
Vuković, born in 1930 or 1931, and Jure Štrk, born in 1929 or 1930. I only know that I
heard two machine-gun bursts fired at them when they were taken behind the wall.
While we were still in Saborsko I recognized the accused: Nikola Medakovi ć, Miroslav
Milaković, whose father was a forester, and Branko Šupica. They were all in camouflage
uniforms and went from one house to another, setting them on fire, taking the goods, and
they were also throwing away the uniforms of the National Guard when they would find
them.
When I saw Miroslav Milakovi ć, Branko Šupica and Nikola Medakovi ć they were setting
the hamlet of Bičanići, placed between them and my house, on fire.
While we were running away from Saborsko I didn’t see any dead people, the villagers of
Saborsko, because there was shooting.
While we were running away Kata Vukovi ć said that her mother-in-law was shot
approximately 5 meters away from the house we were hiding in, and on a field, Ana
Bičanić, born in 1924, was shot and her body stayed there.
We knew before that Medakovi ć, Šupica, and others were going to attack. Our neighbour
Nino Šolaja and Bogdan Šolaja, who had “SAO (Independent Autonomous Region)
Krajina” pass, would sometimes came to visit us in the basement, I point out that they had a
radio-station and informed the rest of them what was happening. Nino Šolaja said that we
civilians could run away and that the army would stay. I said that we couldn’t run away
because we were surrounded and I asked who would stay with our sons, and he said that we
should go to Jasenica. Anyway, Nino Šolaja is the father of Anka Šolaja and his son Željko
Šolaja was with the Chetniks for a while and after that he went to Belgrade. Also Bogdan
Šolaja’s son whom we call Boca joined Chetniks.
Chetniks, on the Borik hill, kept saying that Saborsko was going to be named Ravna Gora,
and people who were captured in Li čka Jasenica told us, later on, that the sons of the
Šolajas were Chetniks. When it comes to Anka Šolaja I don’t know whether she was with
them, but she was there all the time.
My house was also destroyed. After the fall of Saborsko, some young men went there and
said that there were only some house walls left. However, the members of the UNPROFOR
were there and they said that the village was completely destroyed and that there was
nothing left there. At the entrance to the village, Chetniks put the panel on which it was
written “Ravna Gora”.
When asked by the deputy OTJ (public prosecutor of municipality) in Rijeka the witness
states: 80
When Medakovi ć, Milakovi ć, and Šupica were burning the village, there were many
people, both our local people and strangers. I don’t know who ordered the village to be
burnt, but they went from one house to another and set them on fire.
When asked by the council members the witness answers:
The members of the National Guard slid the hill down and made an obstacle at the entrance
to the village, in the direction of Jesenice, but tanks managed to pass. My house was placed
at the entrance to the village, looking from the direction of Jesenice.
Next to my house there were the Šolajas’ houses which weren’t burnt like ours, they were
only damaged by shells. People are saying that their houses are still there.
All of these Šolajas were Serbs, only Anka Šolaja’s mother was a Croat woman.
Statement was given by: A.B.
A NNEX 361:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M D.
Kir 71/92-2
M.D., born on the ..., ..., Ogulin municipality.
At the beginning of August 1991 the shell and artillery attac ks and even the shooting
th
attacks began on Saborsko and they were conducted almost every day till the 12 of
November 1991. But in spite of that most of the houses and the farm buildings remained
undamaged.
During that period most of the women, children and older persons moved out of the village
and almost all grown up men stayed in the village.
On the 12 thof November 1991 around 10 a.m. the so far strongest artillery attack on the
village began and this attack was supported with the aviation attack and bombing and
shelling.
Together with the Croatian army and the police, most of the villagers retreated from the
village.
Around 2 p.m. the tanks entered the village from the direction of Lička Jasenica and the
infantry of the JNA entered after them.
Coming out of the basement I saw that my house was on fire and I saw that the four houses
that were near my house were also on fire.
The two neighbors told me that I should ran away wherever I could because I would be
killed and they told me that Nikola Dumen čić and Kaja Dumen čić were killed in front of
their house. Naka Šolaja told me that some soldiers came and that they found Nikola and
Kaja Dumenčić and first they asked them who they were and Naka told them that they were
“Šolajas” and then these soldiers asked the Dumenč ićs who they were and they said that
they were “Dumen čićs”. Then one of the soldiers took out a gun and fired a shot in the
forehead of Nikola Dumenčić and then a shot in the forehead of Kaja and he killed them. I
did not see the bodies of these people.
When I came to school I found in a room the following people: Slavko Dumen čić, his wife
Kata and his daughter Vesna, Ivan Malko č and his wife Jaga and Mate Malko č. They 81
locked all the people that I found in that room, including me and Jagoda Dumen čić, in one
room but they let Šolajas go. The next day, in the morning, Dane Malko č and his wife Kata
were brought into that room.
During the period while we were captured Nikola Medaković came into the room. He was a
young man in civilian clothes, I do not know him and he introduced himself by saying: “do
you know me, I am Nikola Medaković from Plaški, have you heard about me.” He said that
Saborsko was gone and that it was completely destroyed and that they would destroy what
was not destroyed yet and they would go up there to destroy everything to the ground so
Saborsko would not exist anymore.
That day when I ran away from Saborsko to Li čka Jasenica, after Saborsko fell, on my way
to Lička Jasenica I saw that the houses in the other part of Saborsko, situated between my
hamlet and the center of the village, were on fire.
While I was locked those three days in the school, in Li čka Jasenica I saw that the soldiers
were taking the cattle from the direction of Saborsko, towards Plaški. They were taking it
along the road that passes by the school and they were also driving tractors with trailers and
horse-drawn carts and the slaughtered pigs, furniture, television sets, refrigerators, chain-
saws, different kinds of tools and the clothes were on it.
On the 15 tof November 1991 in the afternoon, the already mentioned Nikola Medaković
told us that we were free and the bus came and it took us to Vojnovac where we were
released and after that we went on foot to Josipdol and then to Ogulin where we reported to
the Croatian authorities.
Statement given by: M.D.
A NNEX 362:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M.M.
Number: KIO – 245/92-
RECORD OF WITNESS HEARING
M.M.
Made on 06 May 1992 at…. The na mes of th e investigative judge, recording secretary, and
the accused are illegible.
M.M., the son of M., was born in ... He is ... years old. He is
retired. His permanent address: …. His residence address: …. He is not related to the
accused.
Local Chetniks burnt the village of Dumančići immediately after they entered it. I even saw
when my neighbour Dobre Čikara fired from a gun and killed my sister J.D. and
my son-in-law N.D..
Recording secretary: (signature)
Investigative judge: (signature)
Witness: (signature) 82
ANNEX 363:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J.M.
Number: KIO-245/9
RECORD OF WITNESS HEARING
J.M.
Made on 6 May 1992 at …. Investigativ judge: Ksenija Zorc. Recording secretary: Silvana
Sulina. Criminal case against NIKOLA MEDAKOVIĆ and others.
J.M. (born H.), the daughter of N. was born in ... She
is ... years old. She is a housewife. Her permanent address: …. Residence address: …. She
is not related to the accused.
Around 11:00 a.m. when the attack stopped for a while, we ran to a nearby wood. My
husband’s niece S.M., who is ... years old and unable to move, stayed alone in
the house, so that I don’t know what happenedo her after we had left. My mother-in-law
M.M. also stayed in her house, no. ..., and I also don’t know what happened to
her. She couldn’t ran away because she was blind.
Recording Secretary (signature)
Investigative judge: (signature)
Witness: (signature)
ANNEX 364:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A.Š.
RECORD OF WITNESS HEARING
A.Š.
Made on 08 April 1992 at the Rijeka District court. Investigive judge: Ksenija Zorc.
Recording secretary: Silvana Sulina. Criminal case against NIKOLA MEDAKOVI Ć and
others because of the criminal offense from the article 142 taken from the Criminal Law
(“NN 53/91”).
Beginning at 11:40a.m.
The following persons are in attendance:
Deputy District Attorney in Rijeka Ljubiša Drageljevi ć.
A.Š., the daughter of N. was born in ... She is ... years old. She is
a salesperson; unemployed. Lives in …. She i now in …, in the house of …. She is not
related to the accused.
I lived in Saborsko together with my parents, N.and M.Š. , and my
brother Ž.Š.
On 12 November 1991, in the morning ho urs, arond 10:00 a.m., the army suddenly
attacked. First the aviation attacked. The bombs were thrown from the plane on Saborsko.
A bomb hit Mile Bi čanić’s house, which was near our house. At the time my mother, my
brother, and I were in the house. My father went to our neighbor’s house to help him
butcher pigs. 83
Since there wasn’t a basement in our house, we hid in Stevo Šolaja’s basement, and there
were also the following villagers: Jaga Malko č, Ivan Malko č, Slavko Dumen čić, Kata
Dumenčić, Vesna Dumen čić, Marta Malko č, Dane Malko č, Kata Malko č, Bogdan Šolaja,
Desanka Šolaja. We were in the basement until 04:00 p.m., that is, by the time the attack on
Saborsko ceased.
At the end of the attack, Bogdan Šolaja left the basement alone and went somewhere. He
didn’t tell anyone where he was going. Later on I saw him in Li čka Jesenica. Also, when
the attack stopped Dane Malko č and Kata Malkoč left the basement and I have not seen
them ever since. Sveto Ogrizović took the rest of us to Lička Jesenica to save our lives.
On the way to Ličke Jesenice my father joined us. He told me that during the attack he was
hiding with Stevo Šolaja, Marko Dumen čić and Manda Dumen čić in the basement of
Marko Dumenčić’s house. They left the basement when the attack stopped. Chetniks set
that house on fire.
The house we were hiding in was at the entrance to the village, and the attack came from
the direction of Lička Jesenice and Korenica. We ran away towards Lička Jesenica, and we
didn’t have to pass through the whole village. While we were running away, I turned back
just for a second and saw the village in fire. I noticed that the church was on fire. Also, I
noticed army in the distance. The soldiers wore uniforms.
On arriving to Lička Jesenica the 13 of us were accepted by the army which had Red Cross
insignia on the sleeves. While I was standing in front of Savo Malbaša’s house, I saw about
15 tanks coming back from Saborsko.
Later on, in the evening hours, they accommodated us in a school, and Mihajlo Kneževi ć
who was dressed in uniform was in charge of our accommodation. Three armed soldiers
among whom I recognized Dujo Klipa from Li čka Jesenica, who late on died from
hemorrhage, kept watches. While we were staying in the school, my cousin P.
M. from Lička Jesenica came to visit us and brought us some food and blankets.
He was dressed in military uniform.
I saw Nikol a Medaković when we were entering Lička Jesenica and he was then dressed in
military uniform. He was shouting at us saying that we were Ustashas and that we should
all be killed. In the morning of the following day Nikola Medaković came to school and
said that he was a president of “the Plaški municipality”. He was in a tracksuit. A young
man who was dressed in the camouflage uniform accompanied him. Nikola Medakovi ć
wanted to know if we were afraid and when one of us said that we were not afraid because
we were in Lička Jesenica. He then said that Lička Jesenica was no longer existing and that
it was annexed to the “Plaški municipality”.
There were 13 of us in the school and we were all afraid. Nikola Medakovi ć said that he
was going to let all the women to Ogulin and that he would keep men as hostages. He
stayed with us for approximately half an hour, and while he was leaving he said that he
would let us all go to Ogulin. He even asked for a volunteer who would deliver a letter in
Ogulin, in the municipality building. Jaga Malkoč said that she would deliver the letter, so I
suppose she did it.
After Nikola Medaković left the school, a girl dressed in uniform and a soldier brought us
food.
Some time later, Đoko Jekeša from Plaški came to visit us. He was dressed in uniform. My
cousin P.M. came a little bit later and advised us to say to soldiers, during the
questioning, that we would stay in Li čk a Jes enica. That day, around 12:00 p.m., P. 84
M. came back again and took my family and me out of the school and drove us to
the village of M. The rest of the people stayed in the school for three more days,
and I don’t know what happened to them, but I suppose they returned to Ogulin.
We stayed at my cousin’s house for a couple of days. My cousin’s wife and their two
children weren’t staying at the house because they were already gone to Serbia, to
Lazarevac.
On the forth day, in the morning hours, my father, brother, and I, at our own risk, started
off, in a tractor, to Saborsko to see what had happened to our house and belongings.
On our way we met approximately 10 soldiers who were on they way to Li čka Jesenica,
and were coming from Saborsko. Among the soldiers I recognized Vukan Momčilović from
Lička Jesenica who was driving his own car of the “Lada” brand. He told us that it was
dangerous to stay for too long in Saborsko.
On arriving to Saborsko we saw a horrible sight, everything was burnt and knocked down,
cattle wondered about the fields, only a few of the houses weren’t destroyed; the house of
Budo Šolaja, Bogdan Šolaja etc.
Our house was also destroyed by tank shells, so that everything inside of it was destroyed
except for the kitchen.
In the kitchen I noticed that all of the valuable things were taken away. Tractor with a
trailer wasn’t destroyed.
On leaving Saborsko I saw Jeka Vukovi ć lying dead near my house. We didn’t touch her
dead body, so that she stayed lying on the same place. We loaded some things in the trailer
and tractor, and took it with us back to M.
Few days later, my father, my brother, my cousin, and I went again by tractor to Saborsko
to take the rest of our belongings. In the hamlet of Tuk we looked for two elderly women
but we didn’t find. After that we came back to our house, and in the pine wood in front of
the house, we saw Kata Dumenčić and Nikola Dumenčić who were dead. Their bodies were
in the state of decay, so we didn’t touch them but we left them lying on the same place. We
loaded things in the tractor, and took them to M.
While we were on our way to M. my father told us that J.T. , our cousin,
was hiding in Saborsko, in Bogdan Šo laja’s house. On the same day, my father and cousin
P.M., took some food to J. , but he was taken to Li čka Jesenica, so that we
found about him immediately after he came. Approxi mately 20 minutes later a police car
arrived and Dušan Latas and an elderly man were in it. The both were dressed in police
uniforms, and on their hats they had the Serbian flag insignia. They searched J. and took
him afterwards to Plaški. Later on I fund out that he ended up in the Glina prison and that
he was exchanged and that he is now in Zagreb.
I noticed that Milan Pavlica from Lička Jesenica was there. He was also taking things from
Saborsko in a tractor.
Also the following people were taking goods from Saborsko: Vukan Mom čilović, Budimir
Vukelić, Milan Vezmar called “Cicija”, Sveto Ogrizovi ć called “Sretko”, Mile Vukeli ć
called “Crni”, Milan Malbaša called “Čombri”, Ilija Grba called “Ican”, Ilija Vukelić called
“Vasa”, Petar Grba called “Tulac”, Željko Mom čilović, Zoran Dragi ć, Vukeli ć called
“Čučan”, Vukelić called “Paja”, and Zdravko Pejić. 85
From the beginning of the fights Milan Pavlica was in Plaški, and before he had lived in
Belgrade. He was a member of the “Marti ć’s police” and I saw him on more occasion in
Lička Jesenica. In Li čka Jesenica he would stop cars and searched both cars and
passengers. During the attack on Saborsko he participated in the attack, and, later on, he
robbed the possessions of the Saborsko inhabitants.
Vukan Momčilović was also a member of the “SAO (Independent Autonomous Region)
Krajina Police”. After the attack on Saborsko I saw him, on few occasions driving away the
robbed goods from Saborsko.
Budimir Vukelić called “Capinov” was a member of the “Territorial defence”. I heard other
people talking that he was robbing possessions of the inhabitants of Saborsko. He was
given a tractor in Plaški, and I suppose they gave it to him because he participated in the
attack on Saborsko.
Milan Vezmar called “Šicija” was also a member of the so-called “Territorial defence”
since July 1991. He participated in the attack on Saborsko and later on he robbed the
possessions of the inhabitants of Saborsko. He stole a tractor in Saborsko that used him to
take robbed goods.
Sveto Ogrizović called “Sretko” was a member of the so-called “Territorial defence” and he
participated in the attack on Saborsko. He is the same person who, after the attack, took my
family and 12 more inhabitants of Saborsko to Li čka Jesenica, and then he was dressed in
military uniform.
I forgot to state that, while we were leaving Saborsko, he threatened that he would kill us if
we looked backed in the direction of Saborsko and stayed too long. To be precise he didn’t
threaten us but he wanted us to leave Saborsko as soon as possible.
Mile Vukelić called “Crni” participated in the attack on Saborsko, and after the fall of
Saborsko he was, as a highly confidential person, in charge of carrying post from Palški to
Lička Jesenica.
Milan Malbaša called “ Čombi” was a member of the “SAO Krajina police” and he
participated in the attack on Saborsko. I saw him taking away robbed goods from Saborsko.
I heard people taking that the following people: Ilija Grba called “Ican”, Ilija Vukeli ć called
“Vasa”, Petar Grba called “Tulac”, Željko Mom čilović, Zoran Dragi ć, Vukeli ć called
“Čuča”, Vukelić called “Paja”, and Zdravko Peji ć, participated in the attack on Saborsko
and were later on robbing the possessions of the Saborsko inhabitants.
20 days after Saborsko was conquered I saw a military bulldozer leaving, in the direction of
Saborsko. Later on I heard that they buried the dead in a hole near Marko Vukovi ć’s house.
I heard that on that occasion were buried Petar Bi čanić, Nikola Bi čanić, Ica Bi čanić, Jure
Štrk, and others, all together 18 of them. I suppose that, on that occasion, were buried
Nikola Dumen čić, Kata Dumen čić, Jeka Dumen čić, and they are the persons whom I
personally saw dead. I heard from Stevo Šolaja that Anka Bičanić was killed in Tuk.
Those who killed somewhere in the direction of Titova Korenica were buried in Kusilj.
On 28 February 1992 I went by bus from Li čka Jesenica to Bosanska Krupa. My neighbor,
N.M. obtained me a pass valid for the relation Plaški-Belgrade. The pass was
signed by the authorized official of the Military post 1250, Dmit ar Mirić. In the pass it was
written that I travel to Belgrade for a visit. However, my intention was not to go to
Belgrade but to Bosnia. 86
First check-up point was on the military artillery range in Slunj. We were checked up by the
military police. The second time the check-up was conducted in Glina by the persons
dressed up in camouflage uniforms that had “Krajina police” insignias on it, and on their
caps they had Serbian flag insignia. The third time we were checked up it was on the bridge
before the entrance to Bosanski Novi. On one side the members of the “SAO Krajina
police” checked us up, and on the other the members of the Bosnia and Herzegovina police.
After that check-up I came to Banja Luka through Prijedor. From Banja Luka I went by bus
to Bosanska Krupa where my friend Besim was.
I point out that my brother Ž.Š. was mobilized in Li čka Jesenica by the so-called
“Territorial defence”, but he wore th e uniform for only ten days. After that he managed to
obtain a pass and left for Belgrade and he’s still there.
I called my brother Ž. on the phone from Lička Jesenica, but his friend Besim talked to
him, so he waited for me at the bus stati on in Banja Luka. I stayed at Besim’s house for 6
days, and then I went to Derventa where I stayed at Maca Šolaja’s house for 5 or 6 days.
After that I went to Prnjavor where I stayed at my son-in-law’s sister place, G.K. ,
until 01 April 1992. Then I went to Zagreb with the intention to go to my sister in Rijeka.
At the bus station in Zagreb I met Slavko Kovačić and Josip Hodak who wanted to find out
from me who the war criminals from Li čka Jesenica who massacred the inhabitants from
Saborsko were. I took a bus to Rijeka from Zagreb, but in Severin na Kupi police patrol
stopped me so I couldn’t continue my trip to Rijeka.
In Lička Jesenica, except for my family, there weren’t any other Croatian families.
My father N.Š. didn’t have anything to do with the enemy, that is, with the JNA,
so-called “Territorial defence” and “SAO Krajina police”. My father used to go to Pl aški
but I don’t know whom he contacted.
My brother Ž. is attending University of political sciences in Belgrade. My other
brother M. is living in Rijeka and he works in “...” “...” but momentarily there is
no work f or him. My parents stayed in Li čka Jesenica. I am now staying with my sister
Ž.J. and my brother M.Š..
I know by sight the following people: Ni kola Medaković, Miloš Jovetić , Đoko Jakši ć,
Miloš Momčilović, and Miroslav Milakovi ć. I don’t know Branko Šupica. I saw Nikola
Medaković only twice, as I stated before. I saw Đoko Jakšić in the school in Li čka Jesenica
and the other time in the post office and then I noticed that he had three or for stars on his
uniform. I saw Miroslav Milakovi ć once in the post office and he was dressed in uniform
without insignia of the rank. I didn’t see Miloš Momčilović. His wife, who works as a nurse
in the military artillery range, worked before in Saborski, but in June 1991 she moved away
to Plaški.
I have nothing else to state.
Finished at 02:30 p.m.
The witness was warned according to the article 82 of the CPL.
Record wasn’t read.
Recording secretary: (Signature)
Investigative judge: (Signature)
Witness: (Signature) 87
A NNEX 365:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M M.
Number: KIO-245/92-9
RECORD OF WITNESS HEARING
M.M. (name and surname)
made on the 7thof April 1992
in the MEDICAL CENTER in OGULIN
Present court officials
Investigative judge – KSENIJA ZORC
Criminal case against NIKOLA MEDAKOVIĆ and other
Recording secretary – SILVANA SULINA because of the criminal act
142 from the adopted Criminal Law (“NN 53/91”)
started at 5 p.m.
The following persons are present:
Rijeka Deputy District attorney – Ljubiša Drageljević
Name and last name, name of the father – M.M., son of M.
Occupation and residence – worker at ..., from ..., house number ...
Place of birth and age – born in ..., ...years old
Relationship with the accused and daaged – no relationship with the accused
Before the period of war happenings I lived in Josipdol in the shared household with my
mother and four brothers.
In August 1991 the Croatian soldiers of Josipdol performed the attack on the house of
Milan Dević from the direction of Josipdol. Since Milan Devi ć was a friend of mine I was
revolted with that attack so on the 23of August 1991 I got dr unk with Milan Dević and
then the two of us asked one of our acquaintances named Đoko to drive us to Vojnovac in
his vehicle, “Zastava 750” brand.
Since Đoko was from Vojnovac, he stayed in Vojnovac at his house and the two of us went
to Plaški on foot. I point out that we consumed some more liquor in Vojnovac.
When we came to Plaški we were taken in the Plaški Police Station and they conducted a
conversation with us and when we stated that we wanted to join the Territorial Defence that
would defend Plaški, we got uniforms and “PAP” (semi-automatic rifle). Dušan Latas was
the commander of the mentioned Police Station. There were 8 police officers together with
the commander in that Police Station and they were mostly the policemen that worked in
the Ogulin Police Station before and those were the following: Stevo Jakšć, Tozo called
“Šogota”, Rade Kraji ć, Milan Šumonja, Boško Skorupan I mention the fact that we got
those uniforms in the Military Command in Plav ča Draga and Boško Jan čić from Josipdol
was the commander of that unit and there were no insignias on those uniforms and I heard
from the other people that Boško Jan čić, nicknamed “Gljiva” (mushroom) the commander
of that command, that is, the unit in Plav ča Draga. There were all together about 30 to 40
people in that command and they were mostly the villagers of Plav ča Draga and they were
the members of the reserve composition of the JNA.
After we took the uniforms we were situated in the house of Bogdan Kosanovi ć, called
“Kičin” from Plaški. We stayed for about a month in his house and the members of his
family were not in Plaški because they left for Serbia earlier. I state that because his father
was also in the house. 88
At that time the “Plaški municipality” was not yet formed. Skradnik was attacked some
time later, that is, just before I came so I took part in the collecting of the weapons.
The 30 of us were organized on the guard position in the village of Kuni ć and on the
position called “Bocino brdo” (Boca hill). Bogdan Kosanovi ć called “Kičin” was the guard
commander. We kept watch for 24 hours, with a break of 8 hours. The password changed
everyday and the passwords were invented by Savo Kova čević called “Umjetnik” (artist)
from Kunić.
All the people that were organized on the mentioned guard position wore the uniforms of
the JNA. I mention the fact that in the village of Plav ča Draga itself I noticed the members
of the police of the “Serbian Autonomous Region (SAO) Krajina” and they wore
camouflage uniforms and on their heads they had berets with cockades. Among them I
recognized the following people: Saša Miš čević and his three brothers, Kuki, Predrag and
Nenad Knežević from Latin (the twins), three Čikara brothers from Jasenica, another two
from Lička Jasenica, three people from Blato, Dragan Kosanovi ć, Veljko Kraguljac called
“Keljac”, son of a driver of the DP “Autotrans” Rijeka called “Vujo”, Željko Miš čević
called “Šurda” from Ogulin, Nikola Dokmanovi ć called “Bato”. After I came the brothers
Milan Dević, Dragan and Duško joined us.
Nikola Medaković called “Medo” (teddy bear) was the commander of the village of Plaški
and Rade Milanović called “Labra” was the commander of the police but only for 20 days
because he transferred to Knin. Dušan Latas was the commander of the Police Station in
Plaški.
After a month I transferred to the “Martić” police in Plaški because the wage was better and
more regular.
Mile Dragaš was the commander.
The main attack on Saborsko happened a month and a half later.
It started at 5:30 a.m. That same day, the lining up of all the armed units was performed
before the attack, including the Territorial Defence, “Martić police”, the JNA and the armed
villagers of Plaški. The lining up was performed in Li čka Jasenica on the 12 thof November
1991. Nikola Medakovi ć performed the review of troops and he also read the order on the
distribution of the weapons, the organization of the attack in the units and the villages in the
Saborsko surroundings. The General Bulat signed the order. The order anticipated the
occupation of Saborsko at no cost, even despite the casualties on our side.
Miloš Jovetić called “Sena” was the Chief of Staff of the Territorial Defence of the village
of Plaški and he took part in the organization of the attack on Saborsko.
Đoko Jakšić was one of the commanders, that is, one of the commandants of the units and
he together with Miloš Joveti ć was the Chief of Staff of the Territorial Defence and Miloš
Jovetić was the commandant too. Branko Šupica was among the lined up armed formations
and he was the reserve Captain 1 stClass and at that time he was the commander of the
military police in Plaški. Miloš Mom čilović called “Kole” and Miroslav Milakovi ć also
took part in the attack and they were both the members of the “SAO Krajina” police.
My detachment made the attack from Mom čilović, out of the direction of Li čka Jasenica
and Bogdan Mom čilović was the commander of the attack of our detachment. The attack
lasted for 4 and half hours and the aviation, the tank unit, the howitzers, the anti-tank
cannons, and mortars of different calibers attacked. The tank crews consisted of
professional soldiers, partly the volunteers that came from Serbia as well as the villagers of 89
Plaški and the surrounding villages that were members of the reserve composition of the
JNA. There were all together 23 tanks, and the person, whose last name was Peji ć,
nicknamed “Buba” (beetle) was at the head of the tank column.
After the aviation bombed the village, the tanks entered Saborsko first and after the tanks
the infantry came. All together 700 members of our armed formations entered Saborsko.
I personally did not enter Saborsko with my own unit, because we were prevented by 7
machine-gun nests but still half of my unit managed to enter Saborsko.
I heard about everything what happened in Saborsko from the ones that entered Saborsko
so I found out who burnt houses, did the shooting, robbed etc. I found out that Peji ć and the
person nicknamed “Buba” burnt most of the houses as well as Nedeljko Trbojevi ć called
“Kičin”.
Then I found out that Peji ć took 8 people out of the house near the local center, those
people were hiding in the basement and they were civilians. They were older people, about
60 years old. During the attack 3 members of the National Guard, about 35 years were
captured. They were taken to the Plaški Police Station and they were detained there for 8
days and after that they were taken to Titova Korenica where they were shot. Milan Grba
from Plaški, a worker in the Plaški Factory, was also, among the others, in the unit that
performed the execution. That same man killed in the village of Latin Milan Grba, the
person with the same name, with the explanation that that Milan Grba passed secret
information to the Croatian Army and he did that by coming into the “Josipdol” hotel.
A great number of civilians got killed in the aviation attack while they were in the forest
near Saborsko.
The Š. family that lived in Saborsko, whose names I do not know precisely, used to
disclose the positions of the defenders in Saborsk o ev en before the fall of Saborsko and
when Saborsko was conquered they told who fought in the defence forces of Saborsko.
Later they were allowed to go to Lička Jasenica.
Pejić, “Buba”, Nedeljko Trbojević called “Kičin” and the other “Marti ć” people robbed the
possessions in Saborsko. “Buba” took at least 5 to 6 vehicles from Saborsko, so he took the
vehicle owned by Mate Matovina from Saborsko, “Zastava 101” brand, license plates – OG
53/81, then he took the vehicle of “Yugo” brand, blue-colored, license plates – ZG 637-
724, the vehicle of “Dajc” brand, license plates – OG 174-81, the vehicle of “Regata” and
another expensive car whose brand I do not know. All the tractors from Saborsko were
taken to Lička Jasenica. The persons who took the tractors during the attack on Saborsko
had the right to buy them first because they were sold on the auction at the price of 30,000
to 40,000 Dinars (Yugoslavian). The part of the stolen cattle was sold and the part was
taken to Plaški on the farm in Kunić owned by Miloš Jan čić from Josipdol. About 40 to 50
cows and 15 calves were taken.
After the fall of Saborsko, nobody buried the dead people so they were all left on the places
where they died. In the last 15 days, because of the arrival of the blue helmets, the army
buried those people with excavators on the places where they got killed and the graves were
marked with the crosses that had no names or surnames on them.
I saw that when I was going to Knin and among the soldiers who were doing that I
recognized a person nicknamed “Mi čko” from Plaški. I mention the fact that I noticed only
the older people among the killed ones. 90
In the past month it was decided in the command that Saborsko should be called “Ravna
gora” because it was planned that this village should be cleaned so that name would suit it.
They even brought the panels with the name of the village written in Cyrillic script. Milan
Čikara from Li čka Jasenica, the private transporter and Bogdan Jan čić called “Janjac”
(lamb) from Plaški transported the ammunition, the bodies and other necessities.
The medical assistance in Plaški was organized in a way that the emergent cases and
heavily wounded people were transported from Udbine to Beogran and Petrova Gora.
Lightly wounded people were treated in Plaški, in the local clinic. Živko Vrcelj was the
main doctor in the clinic and before that he worked in the Ogulin medical center. Savo
Kovačević was the dentist. The doctor Jelena Jančić and 10 medical nurses, who worked in
the Ogulin medical center, were also there.
Nikola Drakulić organized the school classes together with his wife, Marija Drakuli ć, Miloš
Vucetić and one teacher from Ogulin, Jovo, I do no know his last name.
After Saborsko was attacked, Nedjeljko Trbojevi ć called “Ki čo”, during the action of
“cleaning”, went from house to house and he threw bombs, burnt houses, that is, cowsheds
and he burnt a few houses with rocket launchers.
Not long ago I had the opportunity to hear in Plaški that the persons, one with the last name
of Pejić and one nicknamed “Buba” bragged about having massacred the three civilians
about 35 years old in the village of Glibodol and they massacred the cross in the hamlet of
Glibodolski. He does not know what were the names of those persons. On that occasion he
heard that the first took out the eyes of these civilians, massacred their faces and cut their
ears off. Then they tied them to the horses and dragged them around the hamlet and finally
they buried them in the ground.
After Saborsko was conquered one part of the captured civilians was taken to Li čka
Jasenica and Plaški where they were detained and questioned. The earlier mentioned Peji ć
questioned the civilians, but Branko Šupica, Miroslav Milakovi ć and Miloš Mom čilović,
the members of the “Marti ć police” – military police department, also interrogated the
civilians. I do not know if the civilians were physically abused on those occasions but I
know that later they exchanged those civilians for the members of our forces.
I do not know exactly, but from what other people told me, it turns out that all together 200
people, the civilians were killed in Saborsko.
The bodies of the killed people were not intentionally buried; they were left to lie on the
places where they were killed and if they had not anticipated the arrival of the blue helmets
the bodies would never have been buried.
Nikola Medakovi ć and the other commanders of the units, while they were issuing the
orders to kill the civilians in Saborsko, used to say that they are all Ustashas and that they
should all be killed and completely destroyed. That is the reason why all the houses were
pulled down and all the people who could have testified about those brutalities were killed.
During the organization of the attack on Saborsko there were no alternatives. All the older
people, that is, all the men in Plaški had to take part in the attack, on the contrary they
would be liquidated. However, later nobody openly opposed the liquidation of the civil
villagers of Saborsko and as far as I know, the villagers of Li čka Jasenica told that the
civilians, their recent neighbors, should not be killed. None of the villagers of Plaški
refused to take part in the attack on Saborsko. 91
After Saborsko was conquered Nikola Medakovi ć spent some time there, he issued orders
to liquidate the people as well as the orders to steal the properties. On that occasion he also
issued orders to pull down the houses and to completely destroy almost the entire village.
The only houses that were spared were the family houses of the Š. family, the Serbs.
As far as the command personnel of the so-called JNA is concerned, the earlier mentioned
General Bulat, I do not know his name, and Milan Trbovi ć, the Colonel, a native of
Drežnica, issued the main orders connected with attack on Saborsko. That Trbovi ć was
stationed in forester’s house Plaški and from there he issued the orders connected with that
attack to his subordinates.
I would like to mention certain details connected with the conquering of the village of
Slunj. Together with the members of the so-called JNA, 7 villagers of Plaški also took part
in the attack on Slunj. These villagers were the members of the “SAO Krajina” police. 5
days after Slunj was conquered, I personally spent some time in Slunj with Veljko
Kraguljac called “Keljco”. On that occasion I realized that the whole moll, the Police
Station, 5 to 6 inns were put on fire and that many private house and the “Slunj čica” hotel
were destroyed.
The earlier mentioned Peji ć and the person nicknamed “Buba” also took part in the attack
on Slunj. On that occasion they stole the properties of the citizens of Slunj and I know that
that they stole a car, “Citroen” brand, Karlovac license plates, one “Regata” vehicle as well
as a personal car, “Golf” brand, owned by the Slunj Police Station. They sold the “Citroen”
and the “Regata” in Belgrade and the “Golf” is still in Plaški, has police plates, rotating
lights and it is used by Plaški Police Station. The Yugoslav flag and the Serbian flag with
“4 C-s” are flown in Slunj. During his stay in Slunj Veljko Kraguljac stole 2 washing
machines and 3 stoves, “Gorenje” brand from the moll as well as the 3 circular saws,
“Stihl” brand. Going back to Plaški he transported these things to Serbia and sold them.
I personally did not steal anything from Slunj
I mention the fact that during the period till the arrival to Ogulin I was still the member of
the Territorial Defence of the “SAO Krajina” and that my wage was 25 000, 00 Dinars.
During the whole that period I was in Plaški and I did not took part in combat activities.
The members of the JNA left Plaški and the surrounding villages about month and a half
ago. The only one from the command personnel who stayed in Plaški is Colonel Petar
Grahovac who now wears the insignias and the uniform of the Territorial Defence. Since
they are expecting the arrival of the United Nations armed forces, most of the people who
were engaged by the JNA in the conflicts so far, have transferred to the police of the “SAO
Krajina” and the smaller part of them transferred to the Territorial Defence. Dušan Latas is
still the head of the police of the “SAO Krajina” in Plaški and the mentioned Petar
Grahovac is in the command of the detachments of the Territorial Defence. Nikola
Medaković is momentarily the president of the so-called “Plaški municipality” and he is in
fact the commander of all those forces and the organizer of the political life in Plaški and
the surrounding villages.
The contacts towards the interior of the Serbia are conducted towards Knin, where the
orders are issued and towards the Belgrade. I do not know who they contact in Belgrade.
I went to Josipdol with the intention to cross the territory that was under the control of the
armed forces of the “SAO Krajina” and to stay living in Josipdol again that was under the
control of the Croatian Army. I have to stress out that first of all, I was disappointed with
the fact that when I came to Plaški I did not get a house of any person that escaped to 92
Belgrade and that was promised to me while I was coming to this territory. Further on, I
was disappointed with the crimes that were committed by the members of these units on the
territory of Saborsko and wider so I definitely decided to come back, counting on the fact
that I could be criminally prosecuted because of my participation in the earlier described
incidents.
I came to Josipdol on foot, by the railroad tracks. I contacted my brother and I stayed at his
place for a day. My brother told me that there is no chance for me to stay in Josipdol so I
decided to go back.
On my way back I entered the minefield and then I was injured because I stepped on a
mine.
After the mine exploded I was shot at from the position on the other side where the
members of the Plaški Territorial Defence were and they threw bombs. I think it is obvious
that it was the attack of the Croatian Army and I state that before they started shooting at
me I lay injured for two hours.
After that I was taken out from that position near Vojnovac by the members of the Croatian
Army. It was one neighbor of mine, Marko Gračanin who saved me.
Mine injured both of my legs and my left hand that was fractured. Those were all heavy
physical injuries.
I have nothing more to state.
Witness was warned according to the act 82 of Criminal Proceedings Law.
The record was not read.
Finished at 6.30 p.m.
Recording secretary: (signature)
Investigative judge: (signature)
Witness: (signature) 93
A NNEX 366:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M L.
Kio-55/93-37
OFFICIAL RECORD - M.L.
Made on 20 May 1993 at the Karlovac District cou rt. Investigative judge: Vesna Vrbeti ć.
Recording secretary: Danica Žunac. Criminal case against SVETOZAR MARJANOVIĆ
because of the criminal offence from the article 142, page 1 and 2, of the OKZRH. Public
prosecutor: Dragan Novosel.
M.L., the son of J., was born in ... He is ... years old. He is a
... His address is: …. He is not related to the accused.
The wi tness is warned according regulations in terms of the articles 229 and 231 of the
Criminal Proceedings Law
STATES
In the period of time between 07 October and 31 December 1991, which period of time I
am asked about, I was the president of the Executive council of the Karlovac municipality
and the president of the Crisis staff of the town of Karlovac.
We only had light armaments and we didn’t have enough of them. The first heavy
armaments we got was when the barracks of the former JNA in Bjelovar, Varaždin and
other were taken over. That happened at the end of October, and on 14 October we took
over some barracks in the town of Karlovac and got some armaments from there.
All the attacks were usually launched at the beginning of a month and they would last for
10-12 days. However, in December a very intensive attack took place in the second half of
the month and lasted until the truce.
I negotiated with colonel Marjanovi ć three times, and, as I stated before, that happened in
Gornje Mekušje. It happened during the war, while before, we conducted conversations in
the town, on more occasions. To repeat, all the negotiation on our side were carried out
with the purpose to prevent people from being killed and save material goods and the town
from being shelled. However, during all these conversations Marjanovi ć threatened to use
force if we didn’t do as he ordered. The best thing to describe these negotiations is to say
that he ordered and we had to listen to him. I was considered to be a radical type of
negotiator, so Colonel Marjanović threatened me. So, 10 days before the municipality
building was shelled he said that he would shell my office. Then the police officers were
killed in Žuta Lokva and we protested at Colonel Marjanovi ć’s office. Then he said:”I’ll
shell your office too.” He did that on 7 October 1991, in the afternoon. And on that
occasion the municipality building was hit and badly damaged. The real reason why we
protested was because the rebel Serbs in Vojnić and Gornji Sjeni čak were being armed,
because we were informed that Colonel Marjanovi ć sent trucks with weapons there. The
rebel Serbs were the ones who killed the police oficers in Žuta Lokva, and we protested
against arming the Serbs.
I must add that even before the first major shelling of the town of Karlovac, the weapons
from the barracks of the former JNA was aimed at the town during August and September,
until the barracks were transferred from the town.
We were adviced by the Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia that we should block the
barracks in such way that we stop providing them with electricity, to block phone lines, and
the providing of food. We did as we were adviced, but we even did more than that just in 94
order to save the town. Colonel Marjanovi ć also threatened because of that saying that he
would shell the town if we stopped providing his formations with all these necessities. He
would even show his power by passing about the town with his armament while that was
still possible. Also he threatened that he would shell the villages along the river Kupa and
get to the other side of Kupa and completely destroy those villages if we didn’t remove the
obstacles we had put there. These obstacles were on the left bank of the Kupa river, while
they were on the right bank. In that way we wanted to prevent them from getting over to the
other side of Kupa. As I stated before we provided the formations of the former JNA with
the necessities and we indulged them in blockade, just in order to save the town, although
that was against the orders of the Croatian army Headquarters.
When you ask me to describe the attitude of Colonel Marjanovi ć in all these conversations
and negotiations I would just compare it to the attitude of General Mladić inBosniaand
Herzegovina these days. That means that Colonel Marjanović talked and we had to listen to
him. I even remember one of his threats-he said that it would be nice if he could keep us for
a weekend in Vojnić. I already talked about the rest of his threats which he had achieved.
The last conversation was on 7 January 1992 in Turanj, near the inn “Apolo”. There were:
colonel Marjanović, captain Gajić and a Lieutenant-Colonel whose name I can’t remember.
On that occasion Colonel Marjanovi ć insisted that the possessions of army officials who
left Karlovac should be brought to them, and that the other military persons, that is, their
families who had stayed in the town, could leave the town.
One event particularly impressed me during that last conversation. A young man, a member
of the Croatian army, Planinac, was killed in the area where the negotiations were on 25
December 1991, and that dead body lay there until 7 January 1992 when we came to
negotiate. Colonel Marjanović told us to take the corpse with us, so that we began to search
for it. During the search, a member of the JNA, who, I remember, was from Novi Sad,
stepped on a mine called “pie” which cut off his feet to the level of ankle. Since there
wasn’t a doctor on the spot, I, as a veterinarian, had to give him medical help. The young
man was conscious and he managed to say, while he was on a litter, to all of us present
there, which also included our enemy “Stop this, why should we die and become disabled
because of someone’s interests.” His words deeply touched me.
I would also like to state, which I know from my own experience, that they mostly shelled
those parts of the town where there weren’t Serbian inhabitants, such as Turanj and Švar ča.
The parts of the town where mostly Serbs lived were less shelled and therefore less
damaged. Only those parts of the town from which the JNA officials’ families moved out
were shelled and destroyed more. 95
Colonel Marjanović never said during conversations that he was sorry for what he did to a
town whose citizen he was also before. When I said that he seemed a reasonable man, I
thought reasonable when compared with the conversations we conducted before the big
attack on Karlovac in October 1991. Sometimes it happened that individuals or smaller
groups, which possessed weapons that weren’t registered, arbitrarily shot at the barracks of
the former JNA, and then Colonel Marjanovi ć said that we should stop them from doing
that, and that he knew how to deal with the situation in case we didn’t take care of it. We
tried to stop it, but it was dificult to control each individual at the time. Later on when they
started to shell the town, I couldn’t say Marjanović was reasonable. Also, he never said that
he was ordered to shell Karlovac from the Headquarters, but he would always say “I will”.
Therefore I think they were his decisions. In the beginning I thought the situation here
could be like in Rijeka for example, without shelling, but that obviously didn’t happen.
The witness doesn’t want to read the record because he followed the dictation.
Finished at 11:30 a.m.
Witness statement was given by: M.L.
A NNEX 367:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF D.P.
Name: D.
Surname: P.
The place of birth and age: ..., the age of ...
Address: …
Statement made on 20 A pril 1993, at the County Court in Karlovac.
Present Court Officials:
Investigative Judge: Vesna Vrbetić
Court reporter: Danica Nikolić
Criminal Proceedings against: Svetozar Marjanović
For the Criminal Act from Article 142, Section 1 and 2 of the General Criminal Law of the
Republic of Croatia
Begin of the hearing: 8:50
Present are:
Prosecutor Dragan Novosel
Defendant Sollicitor Stanislav Rožman, from Karlovac
The witness has been warned to testify according to Article 238 of the Criminal
Proceedings Law (ZKP)
He is giving the following:
STATEMENT
I was mayor of Karlovac from 5 June 1990 until 5 March 1992 and as such I was invited to
negotiate with the Garrison Commander of the former JNA in the town of Karlovac,
Colonel Svetozar Marjanović. Before the war, Colonel Svetozar Marjanovi ć was a member
of the National Defence Council and that it is how we met. We were together at 3 or 4 96
meetings and I can tell that he had always behaved correctly. But after the elections in the
Republic of Croatia, the contacts and collaboration with the JNA stopped. I can give an
example of that. It was customary for the chairman of the civilian government to be present
at the seeing off the conscript soldiers, but once I had not been officially invited. I was
invited to another of these seeing offs, after I had criticized such actions. Then they did not
inform me about the situation in the JNA, on their combat readiness etc. They did not use
Croatian symbols on official places and the former JNA used only Yugoslav symbols,
claiming that they were not taking sides. The relations became more tense, and the troubles
began with the murder of the policeman of the Karlovac Police Department in August 1991,
in the river of Budak. We, as the civilian government, did everything to keep good relations
with the JNA and not to strain the entire situation. The road Karlovac – Slunj had already
become an issue, since the Serbs from Vojnić had claimed control over that road although it
was not running through any part of the Municipality of Vojni ć. In connection with this,
they held meetings at which Colonel Marjanovi ć was the middleman. We tried everything
to avoid a conflict and to keep control. It was suggested that control should be in the hands
of the joined forces of the Vojni ć Police, which had separated from the Karlovac Police
Department and the Karlovac Police. That was our suggestion and it was more than we
could have possibly secured. The Chief of the Karlovac Police Department, Mr. Štajduhar,
was present at that meeting, which Colonel Marjanović had called at the former JNA
House, the present Croatian Army House. It was only talk, but the enemy side did not
accept the agreement.
The first serious confrontation happened before the 21 September 1991, and the well-
known incident on the Korana Bridge. It was a day or two earlier, when they accused us of
entering the barracks of the former JNA. Colonel Marjanovi ć called me at that time at
approximately 17:00 while I was still at work. He was calling me from somewhere on the
terrain and threatened that he would shell the town unless our formations retreated from the
barracks. I asked him to wait and let me see what it was about. I knew at that time that I had
to use any possible mean to negotiate, since the relation of powers was disproportional. He
gave me time until 19:00, and said that he would attack the town unless I got our
formations to retreat, and that he would fire at the town, shell the power plant, post office,
Municipality building, transformer stations, JNA objects etc. At that time I contacted the
PU Chief Mr. Štajduhar and Mr. Jan či, the Commander of the 110th HV Brigade, i.e. the
ZNG (National Guard Corps). It was difficult to control all of our formations since the
Croatian Army had not been established yet, and everything was happening spontaneously.
There were many self-proclaimed formations that with the best intentions undertook actions
like these. Around 19:00 Colonel Marjanovi ć rang me again and told me that our
formations had entered the barracks, but I answered that the barracks was empty and that
only a few soldiers dressed in civilian clothes were there waiting to leave the JNA. At that
Colonel Marjanović told me I had four hours to settle the situation since the equipment of
the former JNA was taken out of the barracks, about which he was well informed, i.e. he
had been informed on several occasions. Then he repeated his threats about attacking the
town.
He called me again at 11.00 pm and said they were going to launch four shells at the town
so we could see that he was serious. He immediately hung up and at the same moment four
shells fell on the town. He contacted me again and said that the shells were launched at the
field, for us to realize that he was serious and that he was going to give me a chance to deal
with the situation by 7.00 am. The barracks I told you about were of small importance,
located on the outskirts of the town. That night, as far as I can remember, the INA objects
(the oil industry) were attacked in Ilovac. We went to the basements. 97
To view the general function of Colonel Marjanovi ć I will talk about one thing that
preceded this event. However, one member of the Croatian National Guard Corps was
arrested in Kamensko and taken to the barracks of the former JNA in Kamensko while his
wife was released. His wife informed me about it, so I phoned Colonel Marjanović . He was
no longer in Karlovac. He promised me that the Croatian soldier would be released but the
soldier was released two days after my constant interventions. He said he was imprisoned in
Vojnić where he had been interrogated and beaten. I am telling this just to show that at that
time the connection between the rebel Serbs and former JNA already existed, and Colonel
Marjanović had denied this the entire time.
The later negotiations were conducted by phone because Colonel Marjanovi ć did not come
to Karlovac. He was in Mekušje and when we wanted to negotiate directly, we were forced
to go there. Among the important events there was an event that took place on the Korana
Bridge. On 21 September 1991, 13 JNA reservists were killed there. As far as I remember
now, Colonel Marjanović was angry about it but he claimed that those reservists were not
under his command and that he had nothing to do with it.
Until the first major attack against Karlovac launched on 4 October 1991, there were
neither talks nor negotiations with Colonel Marjanovi ć nor had he warned us about the
attack. A day or two before the attack, the Croatian Prime Minister, Gregori ć, and Deputy
Prime Minister, Granić , visited Karlovac and during the conversation they said Karlovac
was going to be next. When I asked for help they said that we had to defend ourselves the
best we could for there were no other options, so we were left on our own. At that time we
had already got an order from Zagreb to surround the JNA barracks and prevent supplies
getting in so it could be one of the reasons why the town was attacked. The order came a
day before, but we delayed as long as we could to follow it for we knew we could not resist
the much stronger JNA. Decoding it we considered the national composition in the town
and the Kordun hinterland therefore I feel it was the only good decision at that moment.
Even the national ratio in the Karlovac police was such that at least 50% members of the
Karlovac police department were of Serbian nationality. The town was already being
attacked from the barracks so it just worsened the overall situation.
It was hard to move in the town at that time, since they were firing machineguns from the
barracks. From their side, there was a tendency to retreat from the town, and we were
hesitating since we thought, if they were to remain in town, the town would not be damaged
as severely as if they were not in the town. Since that time Colonel Marjanovi ć did not go
to all negotiations, but instead of him other high ranking commanders came to the
negotiations, as Karamarkovi ć and Pisar. We offered them to run over to our side,
Karamarković’s son even called him over the Radio Karlovac, but they still refused it. We
offered the same thing to Colonel Marjanovi ć in our talks, but he claimed that he knew his
place and that he is a soldier of the JNA and refused all our offers. On that occasion on the
negotiations with Karamarkovi ć and Pisar, and Mr. Brleč ić, the Commander of the 110th
HV (Croatian Army) Brigade, and I on our side, as well as the Chief of the Karlovac PU,
Štajduhar, agreed about further negotiations on the relocation of barracks, so that we made
an appointment for a meeting with Colonel Marjanović.
After that, Mr. Lai ć, the chairman of the Executive Council, and I left for negotiations in
Mekušje, in order to reach an agreement on the taking over of the military objects. I have to
stress that our security during our attending the negotiations was never threatened. Colonel
Marjanović had requested that the military objects should not be fired at, and if that should
happen, they would attack the town. The town was under constant attack that entire period,
and they justified this with our formations attacking their objects. 98
With time I saw that Colonel Marjanovi ć was losing power in the negotiations because he
knew that he had to contact General Rašeta in Zagreb for the negotiations on the large
barracks in Logorište, Kamensko and Jamadol. At that time Colonel Erak was going to the
negotiations, since he was a representative of the Headquarters of General Rašeta. They
requested to visit Jamadol and Logorište which we delayed, since our formations had
already entered Jamadol, where the JNA had a large ammunition depot, which they tried to
get out at high speed. I have to remind you that all of these negotiations were held with the
knowledge and approval, i.e. under the directive, of our Headquarters under the command
of General Tus and we were in direct communication with the Ministry of Defence, which
was at that time headed by the Deputy Minister Mr. Milas.
After the fall of Jamadol, the JNA barracks in Logoriste were attacked and that was also the
end of all negotiations. Exactly at that time, the attack on the barracks in Logoriste, we
were negotiating with Colonel Marjanović , and present at these negotiations were also
representatives of the European Community. Marjanovi ć was informed about that and
stated his anger and used the situation for his propaganda in front of the European
Community representatives. Then Karlovac was shelled. I suppose that they had planned to
attack the barracks in Logorište, but instead they hit the JNA tanks in Kamensko, when a
big fire broke out.
With these events any negotiations at the Mekušje barracks were terminated. That was
approximately at the end of November or the beginning of December 1991, all further
negotiations were conducted through the European Community on the road toward
Tusilovac near the “Apolo” inn. The talks were usually about humanitarian issues, mainly
about our people who wanted to come to Karlovac and those who wanted to go from
Karlovac to the so-called Krajina as well as about the living conditions of our people in the
occupied territory. Colonel Marjanovi ć was the middleman. At that time, the rebel forces
had considerably strengthened and during the negotiation I felt that Marjanovi ć did not
have the role of Commander as he had had before although officially he was still a
Commander. He denied the armament of the rebel Serbs and never said that he controlled
the army but kept saying that he had nothing to do with the rebels. That was the very reason
for him insisting that the rebel forces send civilians to the negotiations. The prisoners were
not under his control at that time. When I phoned Colonel Marjanovi ć to tell him about the
severe attacks against the town he never told me that those were not his units. At the
beginning he would always justify the attacks saying he had directives from his superiors,
that he was a JNA officer and he had to obey his superiors. However, afterward he used to
say that he had ordered the attacks and that he was the Commander of the Garrison.
After the ceasefire agreement reached on 3 January 1992, Colonel Marjanović appeared for
the negotiation for a certain time but after being promoted to the rank of General he was not
seen any longer.
I have to mention that in all talks Colonel Marjanović emphasized he was a soldier and that
he behaved that way, he personally whished good things for the town and that he would not
do it if he had not to. It was usually at the talks when we used to describe what he did, when
we reminded him that once he lived in that town contributing to its growth and live and
when we used to tell him to join our side.
Concerning his family I personally do not know where they were. I heard they were in
Zagreb. I also heard that he married twice and both his women were of Croatian nationality.
As I already said, Colonel Marjanovi ć was the Commander of the Garrison in Karlovac. I
do not know whether he was the Commander of an artillery brigade since I took part at the 99
negotiations as a civilian. He was an independent Commander, however, he was under the
command of the headquarters in Zagreb commanded by General Rašeta. Sometimes during
the negotiations he would address General Rašeta usually when it was about the concrete
issues concerning exchanges of the population, leaving the areas and so on when he could
not decide on his own. Otherwise, he would say his headquarters were in Belgrade.
When I told him about disasters in Karlovac caused by shelling he used to express regrets
but always claiming he had to do it.
According to my knowledge, over 300 people were murdered in the town of Karlovac;
some of them were civilians, others members of the Croatian Army and other formation.
The destructions were enormous and we have documentation for all of them. It could be
possible that all of them were not officially verified, but only because the data were not
accessible, since we could not reach all of the injured parties, so that we received only
notices.
This is all I have to state.
The witness was warned according to Article 82, section 1 of the Criminal Proceedings
Law (ZKP), he does not request that the record should be read.
Finished at 10:50.
INVESTIGATIVE JUDGE: (signature)
COURT REPORTER: (signature)
WITNESS: (signature)
A NNEX 368:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF B M.*
OFFICIAL RECORD
B.M., clerk by occupation, bo rn on …, lives in …, gives the following
statement:
I remember that in the summer of 1991, armame nt was brought here to Lasinjski Sjeni čak
by locals, one older man I do not know him, and especially by the army, which drove it
here by trucks. They mainly delivered it in the evenings and by night and issued it in the
center part of Sjeničak, which we call Kriz, or to other hamlets to more “popular” people.
I do not remember who was my commander of the detachment and platoon, because the
people at these positions constantly changed, I just remember that the company commander
was Mica Juras aka “Francuz” (Frenchmen). He was out company commander during the
assault on Banski Kovačevac. At the time the company consisted of around 120 people, all
of who were men from Las. Sjeničak and able to carry weapons.
That day in the fall of 1991, before we assaulted Kovačevac, we were taken to the hamlet of
Suzić, which is a part of Las. Sjeničak and the closest to Banski Kova čevac. From a
distance it was audible that our artillery, probably also grenade launchers were used to fire
in the directions of Kova čevac, Kablari and other villages by the Kupa River, but I do not
know where they were shooting from.
I was in our company HQ communications sections during this time and I went into B.
Kovačevac as a communications specialist together with the others from the direction of 100
Suzić. We entered on the road at the beginning of B. Kova čevac and one part of the people
entered the center of the village or in any way possible, since B. Kova čevac stretches along
the main road for ca. 2 km, and we entered from the side facing the Kupa River.
During the entering no fighting took place, nor did we encounter any resistance, because
most of the residents had fled before we arrived. I believe they feld by ferry across the
Kupa Rivernin the direction of Šišljavi ća, because they knew that they could not resist us
and that some of them would die. We were well armed with automatic and semi-automatic
rifles, grenade launchers and rocket launchers. We had sufficient ammunition, so some of
our fighters would at random fire at house in Kova čevac from a distance, probably also at
farm buildings. There were burned down houses and hay barns. I do not know who set fire
to the church in Kovačevac, I do not even know whether it was set afire on the first day in
the evening or the following day in the morning.
We left Suzić to assault Kovačevac around 2 p.m. and it took us an hour to achieve a wide
combat formation and to arrive to Kova čevac. The army did not participate with us and we
were mainly dressed in army uniforms and completely equipped.
When we entered Kovačevac we started to search houses for weapons and people. Wefound
on tables freshly cooked coffee, because the people fled head over heels.
During these first moments our company commander displayed inhuman and poor
commander qualities, because he encouraged our fighters to steal, which they slowly started
doing. Mostly agricultural equipment, household appliances and TVs were stolen and later
also furniture, even entire hay barns and roofs were literally taken from the houses.
As far as I can remember, on the first day in Kova čevac we came across about fifteen older
persons who could not leave nor had nobody to take them away. I remember that one of our
fighters by the name of Pero Pruginić, who was a medic in the company and he has died in
the meantime, maltreated the old folks by the surname of Đerek. He did this after he would
be drinking, so the people had to leave by themselves across the river a few days later.
I remember that A.C. * remained in the village and I heard that a fighter nicknamed
“Sjenica” raped her at the transformer station. He is originally from around G. Sjeničak, but
I don not know his name. She remained in the village for a few months, but was later again
maltreated and finally went to a Serb’s place in the area of Topusko.
Our company remained in the village until January of Februray 1992, after which fighters
from the area of Vrginmost started to arrive at our positions. Members of their units killed
six of the seniors and threw them in a well. I do not know who did this, but the fact is that
they were killed and only two women remained in the village until the end of the war,
somewhere at the entrance of the village.
Authorized official:
Ivan Horvat (signature)
According to the provisions of Article 177, Item 2 of the Criminal Law 101
ANNEX 369:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A G.
The Republic of Croatia
Ministry of the Interior
Karlovac Police Department
Crime Police Department
War C rimes and Terrorism Section
No 511-05-04/1-4/84/97
Karlovac, 09 tJuly 1997
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
Made on 9 July 1997 in Karlovac Police Department, in connection with the collection of
information on the area of Gvozd municipality in connection with throwing the 6 elder
persons of Croatian nationality into the well in Banski Kovačevac in spring 1992.
The informational conversation was done with A. (M., P. maiden surname
S.) G., born on ...n ..., Serb, occupation
– ..., unconvicted to date.
During the conversation the person stated asollows:
“One night in spring 1992 my division was on the first line in B. Kova čevac, and around
22.00 or 23.00 hrs, it was dark already, Pane Bulat came into the house in which we were
settled and asked for Mile (Ljuban) Vu činić, born in Sl. Polje to go out with him. I do not
know exactly why he called him, nor what happened later with Vu činić, I know that Mile
and Pane had a short conversation outside, and after that he also called Marko Mamula, so
they left together in the direction of Prkos with a vehicle. Pane, together with another man
whom I did not know, had come with a vehicle from the direction of Kablar. I was then
lying in the house resting because I had to be on sentry duty later. After about half an hour
after they left, I took over the sentry duty, and in the next 2 hours I was on sentry duty. I do
not remember exactly whether we had sentry relief on even or odd hours, so I do not know
exactly if I took over sentry duty at 22.00 or 23.00 hrs.
Soon after I took over the sentry duty I heard a machine-gun burst from about 700 meters
away to my right, that is from that part of B. Kočevac from where you go towards Prkos.
Before the shot, I did not hear any screaming or crying for help of the old people that were
killed, and I did not know at that moment what has happened. At that time there was lots of
cases when some of the soldiers fired in the direction of the positions of the Croatian Army,
that is, in the direction of Šišljavić, so we did not pay any attention to the shootings.
Only the other day did I find out that the old people have been killed and thrown into the
well. Marko Mamula came back into the division on that very evening, while I was on
sentry duty, but he only passed me by saying nothing. When he was leaving with Pane and
when he came back he was carrying a gun with him. I think that he came back about an
hour after the shooting.
When we in the division I found out what had happened, there had been lots of disapproval
because of what had happened and of the killing of these old people, and most of the people
in Sl. Polje judged the event, and people were openly asking why this had to be done
exactly when we, from Sl. Polje, were on position. I openly said that to the commander of
the brigade Dragan Paji ć at a meeting, and asked him why this had to be done because all
was pointing to the fact that the murder has been done with the knowledge and approval of
the commanders of the batallion and the brigade, on which Paji ć answered with a counter- 102
question “where were my sons”, because my sons had stayed in the Croatian area, under the
control of Croatian authorities and this is how this conversation ended.
At that time the commander of our batallion ( I do not remember whether this was I or II
batallion of the 19thbrigade) was Dragan Pajić (the commands of the batallion were in the
school in Lasinja), and the commander of the company that held the position in B.
Kovačevac was Jovan Malobabi ć who before the war worked in the factory “8. mart” in
Vojnić, born in Biljeg, age about 47.
The event itself did not take place on the area that was under our division, but on the area of
the neighbouring division.
The commander of my division was Sava Malobabi ć, born in Sl. Polje and he is at this
moment at home, and in the division were also:
1. A.G.,
2. Marko Mamula,
3. Mile Vučinić,
4. Dmitar Gvozdenović.
5. Nikola Malobabić,
6. Đuro Džakula
After this event there were some robberies in Kovač evac, but not right away, and I know
that Đuro Krivoku ća (the commander of II division) took a tractor and a cistern to his
house, I do not exactly know if that was the property of the murdered people, and he took
these things to his house.
I did not participate in any way in the event itself, and I am not familiar with anything, and
I also do not know where these people were buried, nor if they had been taken out of the
well at all.”
Statement was taken by:
POLICE OFFICER
Ivan Horvat
(signature) 103
A NNEX 370:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S.B.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
CRIMINALIST ICS DEPARTMENT
SECTION FOR WA R CRIMES AND TERRORIZM
Number: 511-05th4/1-4184/97-98.
Date: March 24 1998
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
Citizen S.B. occupation worker born ...Unique Citizens’
Registry Number (UC RN) …, residence…. did on February 2 nd1998 at his house in …
under the circumstances of his knowledge about the location of the mortal remains of six
older persons of Croatian nationality, who were murdered in April 1991/92 and thrown into
a well, and after they were taken out of the well any lead on them is missing.
Gave to an official of the criminalistics department of the Police Department (PU) Karlovac
the following information:
“In spring 1992 around the end of March or the beginning of April I was poaching in the
National Woods here in Prkos in the area we call Gusto Cerje. You get to this area of the
woods past the inn, whose owner once was Kora ć, but he also left the Republic of Croatia,
and then you turn left near the truck terminal, where an abandoned truck is left. The right
way leads to Banski Kovačevac.
On that occasion when I was poaching I shot two head of deer and could not take the bag
home by myself so I called Mirko Rokni ć, also from Prkos, to take the killed deer with his
vehicle to my home.
While returning, after we had loaded the deer onto his vehicle, we were passing these parts
of the woods called Gusto Cerje, so that at the crossing of the main wood road and one of
the local paths we noticed a wooden trunk, approximately 1x1x3 m, which we call “vrslog”,
– people usually keep flour in it. As far as I remember, the lid of the trunk was hammered
down with nails on the topside. We stopped at this spot and Mirko went to see what it was
about, but he could feel stench coming from the trunk, so I thought that someone had
brought his dead cattle or poultry in this trunk. Since Mirko could not open the lid, we
removed a board and saw that several human bodies were in the trunk, I saw a part of a
human back, obviously an older larger person and a smaller hand, so I assume that it was a
woman, maybe even Grga Mihalić’s wife, the late miller from B. Kovačevci. As soon as we
saw what it was about we got into the car and escaped that place, but we did not tell anyone
about this.
After approximately ten days I was accidentally passing through this area but I did not find
the wooden trunk there, but I saw by the traces on the ground that someone had burned the
trunk and that it had burned down completely. I did not stay to see if something had
remained but I withdrew from there quickly.
I am willing to show that place where I saw the mentioned trunk, because I would like
someone to find the murdered people from that trunk, but I do not know by whom and why
they were killed.”
REMARK 104
After his statement S.B. went with the Officials of the Criminalistics Department
of the Police Department Karlovac, and after they had searched the area he had shown them
one location on the crossing of two wood paths, approximately 8x8m, where blackberries
grow, as opposite to the surrounding area which is covered with young forest plants.
rd
On March 23 1998 officials of the Criminalistics Department of PU Karlovac went to the
location in Prkos Lasinjski, in order to confirm with S.B. if he was ready to give
a statement before the court concerning the location on which he saw the wooden trunk and
in it the mortal remains of a larger number of people in 1992, so S.B. stated:
“In connection to everything that I stated w hen I showed you the location in the forest
called Gusto Cerje, I am ready to give a statement before the court, if this should be
necessary.
I only ask that someone from the police or someone else organize transport since I do not
have any income, and there are no ways of transport from Prkos to Karlovac.”
Statement was taken by POLICE OFFICERS:
Ivan Horvat (signature) and Siniša Gorišek (signature)
ANNEX 371:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S. D.
S., son of A. (a father), born on ... in
..., municipality of Otoč ac, lived in …, nationality : Croat, occupation: a farmer, a
resident of ..., … gives the following:
STATEMENT
“It was July of 1991 when inhabitants of Dabar of Serbian nationality put on uniforms of
the former Yugoslav Federal Army and started shooting through the village, to be correct,
at Croatian houses. They would come into the houses, frighten us and they would shoot
around the houses.
One day 8 of them came and when l saw them, my wife and me hid. They set my hay on
fire. They were: Mi ćo Bobić, Milan Kluska, Milan and Sava Potkonjak, one Dušan, Ilija
who came from Zagreb, Mane and Milan Miš čević. They set it on fire and they left. They
didn’t come to my house any more, but they demanded money from my neighbours.
On August 27 th1991 they took away Grga Bi čanić, but nobody knew who were those
people who did it. He has never since been heard of – it isn’t known whether he is dead or
alive. Slavko and Marko Bi čanić, Joso and Kata Rajkovi ć, Ruža and Stipe Rajkovi ć and
another Stipe Rajkovi ć were also taken away. Chetniks took them to Vrhovine and they
killed them later on. We found about that when they exchanged their dead bodies and
brought them to Rijeka.
During thatthime we couldn’t go anywhere because we were rounded up by Chetniks. On
January 15 1991 members of the National Guard came through the wood near us. We
organized ourselves and all of us headed of through the wood to Brinje. We marched one
part of the way and they drove us by cars the other part.
Six days later my wife M.D. came back to our home to feed cattle and she
returned a couple of days later. Next time 9 of them heed of to Dabar, but my wife M.
and Marija Klišani ć didn’t come back. On that day Serbs started shelling our village and 105
that was probably how those women were killed. To be correct, it was rumoured that
Chetniks caught them and threw them in a fire. Roža Bi čanić was allegedly killed and
buried. The whole village was completely destroyed and set on fire. A couple of Croatian
houses in the Croatian part of the village were the only ones that remained undamaged.
With my signature l confirm the authenticity of this statement. “
th
In Zagreb, November 9 1994
Statement was given by: S.D.
Statement was taken by: NADA LIKAREVIĆ
A NNEX 372:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M.Z.*
M.Z., born on …. In…. I lived there with my wife, and worked as agriculturist.
Temporarily lives in Zagreb.
I give the following:
STATEMENT
Serbs from Dabar started to provoke and threaten us, Croats at the beginning of 1991.
On November 19, 1991 I fed my cows, and went out to the courtyard, and on the road in
front of my house were one truck and men in uniforms. They asked me: “Are you M.Z.?”
when I confirmed, they told me to get on the truck, and took me to Vrhovine. Another 11
men were captured there already. I saw there MILAN PAVLOVI Ć, who was in uniform, he
was a commander of Chetniks, then ILIJA VLAISAVLJEVIĆ , who was called “TODIN”,
ĐORĐE ŠEGAN, JANKO Č UTURILO, GORAN MIŠČ EVIĆ (he was the most
dangerous), MILAN POTKONJAK, MIĆO LUŽAIĆ.
All 12 of us were put in one basement, and they questioned us, one lieutenant colonel did it.
He said that I burned down houses, that my son killed one Serbian who was killed in
Zagreb, and more stupid and untrue things. That questioning was at night, and after that
they sent us to some room.
After that they let four of us go, and took us to Dabar, and later Chetniks found and killed
those people. Those people were: Ruža and Stipe Rajković, who were husband and wife,
Slave Bičanić and his son Marko, and then they captured Joso and Stipe Rajkovi ć, and Kaja
Rajković, and killed them all. We didn’t know about their bodies, until they gave them back
on April 1992 – those bodies were all massacred.
One evening they came to get us, seven of us who stayed in the prison, and put us in a
police car. They drove us for a very long time, and tortured us with abruptly stopping. They
had to stop lots of time because of their patrols, and when the patrols asked where they
were going, they would say: “We are taking these calves for butchering.” When we came to
macadam from asphalt, we said goodbye to one another because we thought that it was our
end.
But, we arrived in Korenica, and they made a list of our names, and took our personal
things. Two young men were there, and they started to beat us at once, and after that they
took us to a police prison. We stayed one month there, and they beat us every day, and at
night it was the worst. In the morning they would let us out, and gave us one bottle of water
(one litre) for seven of us. Sometimes they beat us in the room, and sometimes on the 106
corridor. Those who were younger among us they forced to rape one another. There was
one man who loved to torture me, he would step on my foot, and ask me: “Guess how much
I weight?” and then he would take a lath, and beat me.
One day they took seven of us from Dabar, they tied us up and put us in a van. They took us
to Knin. When we arrived, they took us to one old hospital where the prison was. They
gave us something to eat there. As we were eating one Chetnik came in and started to beat
us. Somehow I managed to escape, and he didn’t beat me. We felt here, comparing to
Korenica, as if we were in a hotel, although they beat us here also. They were worst to the
youngest among us, M.S. One of the guards was SR ĐO POTKONJAK from Divoselo, he
beat us every day. I also knew MILAN POTKONJAK who didn’t beat us but he would let
other men beat us when he was on duty. He would just ask us next day: “Did they beat
you?”, and he laughed. Very often it happened that they came when we would sleep, and
they would beat everyone who wasn’t standing.
On February 7, 1992, they put me and about another 10 men, but no one from my cell, into
a car. Only when I saw the Croatian flag did I know where I was.
We were exchanged in Pakovo village. Together with us four dead men were exchanged,
they all were killed in prison, or died from beating, and one of them was Ive from Čatrnja.
With signature on every page of this statement I confirm it’s authenticity, and that it was
given without any coercion.
In Zagreb, November 4, 1994
Statement was given by: Statement was taken by:
M.Z. Nada Likarević 107
ANNEX 373:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S.T.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
LICKO-SENJSKA POLICE ADMINISTRATION
POLICE STAT ION II
Number: 511-04-20-1
Date: 08 October 1998
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen S.T. was born on .... He is a waiter. UCRN: ….
Address: .... On 08 October 1998 at the Otocac police station II, in relation to the events
which took place at the temporarily occupied area of Vrhovine and its surrounding, during
the Patriotic war, he gave an authorized official of the Oto čac police station II the following
information:
“…When asked if I know anything about the killing of seven Croatian villagers
of the village of Dabar I can state that I can give you the following information about that
event: one evening, when I came to night shift, I was sent with Janko Uzelac and Predrag
Vukadinović, the both of them being members of the “Military police”, to secure the path in
the hamlet of “Srdi ći”, and which path streached in the direction of “Srdi ć hill”. We were
ordered not to let anyone pass.
We stayed on the path until 11:00 a.m. of the following day when doctors,
allegedly from Knin, came together with the members of the “police” from Korenica. He
recognized one of them whose surname was “Kati ć” and that man had a camera which he
used to tape the found corps and their burial.
Milan Pavlović from Dabar, who was, at the time, temporarily staying in Vrhovine,
identified the found corps. After that the corps were buried again at the same place with the
help of a trench digger. This happened in December 1991.
In relation to the same event I can state that these corps were dug out again, in
April, and sent to Oto čac. Truck driver whose name I don’t remember, Stevo Basta on
behalf of the command in Vrhovine, and I were escorting these corps.
The exchange was carried out near the village of Podum, at the so-called
“Runjavica”.
My answer to the question if I know who killed the seven villagers of the village of
Dabar is that I don’t know it for sure, but I heard people talking that ć’s followers”
did it. Among them there was also Nedjeljko Brakus called “Keser” who lived near the
place where the corps were found…”
Official record was made by:
Authorized official:
Ivan Sekula (signature) 108
A NNEX 374:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF I.Č.
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on 12 February 1997 at the premises of the II Police Statio n (PP) Oto čac in
connection with the conducted interview with:
I.Č., maiden name M., daughter of J. and K., maiden name
Z., born on ... i n ... , Republic of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, residence in…a housewife by occupation.
The informative interview was conducted with the above witness in order to collect useful
information on the missing inhabitants of the hamlet Čorci in Vrhovine. The witness used
to live in that hamlet when these people disappeared, and during that period Vrhovine was
in the temporary occupied territory of the Republic of Croatia. During the interview I.
Č. made following statement:
On 4 October 1991, at approximately 16:30 her late husband, M.Č., and she went
to the house of M.Č. where they intended to hi de that nighbecause the members of
the so-called Martić police and other paramilitary formatio ns of the RSK (Republic of
Serbian Krajina) in Vrhovine were firing weapons at the inhabitants of the village. They
were mainly firing at the family houses in the hamlet and that mainly from infantry
weapons.
When they arrived at the house of M.Č. , as I.Č. stated later in the
interview, her husband M. immediately we nt to the neighbour V.Č. aka B. at
whose house they were then listening to the HRT (Croatian Radio Television) news reports
on his transmitter station.
After their arrival at M.Č.’s house, I.Č. found the following people inside
the house: M.Č., his neighbour M.Č. , the married couple K. an d S.
Č. who had also taken shelter at M.Č.’s house for the same reasons.
Immediately after that K.Č. came out of the house and wanted to take the laundry
that was hanging in the yard into the house when she saw Bogdan Srdi ć from Vrhovine,
Milan Erega from Vrhovine, Janko Uzelac, Mišo Cvijanovi ć, Nenad Pejnovi ć, Vlado
Pejnović, the brothers Branko and Mišo Uzelac who were all wearing black uniforms and
carrying weapons.
When she saw that, she told all of this to the inhabitants: M.Č., S.Č. and
M.Č., after which M.Č. and S.Č. immediately left the ho use where
they came upon Nenad Pejnovi ć who ordered them t o stop, while she and M.Č.
remained in the house and hid in one of the bedrooms. She hid under the bed and M.
behind the door.
Not much after that Nenad Pejnovi ć came into the house and searched all rooms of the
house but overlooked the room where the two of them, she and M.Č. , were hiding.
As she then stated in the interview this waprobably because of bad light in the house since
it was already sunset outside and there was no power inside the house.
After the search of the house, Nenad Pejnovi ć went outside and I.Č. then looked
through the window in order to see what wa s happening, and then she saw Milan Erega
tying the hands of V.Č. and her husband M.Č. . They must have arrested
them before entering the house where I.Č. was hiing at that time. 109
That same moment M.Č., S.Č. and K.Č. were tied up and after that all
of them left in an unknown direction, probably for Vrhovine.
Later in the interview I.Č. stated that the following day at approximately 10 a.m.
Branko Končar aka Banjo a member of the so-called Martić po lice in Vrhovine came to the
house of S.Č. aka P. (P.) and arrested S.Č. telling him that he
has to take him to the “Command” in Vrhovine. She never saw S.Č. or the other
five members of the Č. family, among them h er husband M. , again after that
incident.
Later in the interview I.Č. stated that on 5 October 1991, i n the afternoon hours
Branko Končar aka Banjo returned to the hamlet of Č. wit h a car an d robbed the house
of V . He stole a stove, which he put into t he boot of the car and left for
Vrhovine.
Asked if he remembered what the “ Č.” we re wearing when they were arrested, I.
Č. answered that she did not remember exactly what e verybody was wearing but that
she remembered that V.Č. was wearing a black (leather) jacket, a checked sh irt,
blue jeans and shoes. She also remembers that her husband M.Č. was wearing a
short blue coat, a white shirt with blue pattern, blue trousers and black shoes. She knows
that K.Č. wore a black skirt, a dark-blue shirt, a multicoloured scarf on her head and
heavy boots. She also remembers that M .Č. was wearing a shirt, she does not
remember what colour, black trousers and hea vy boots.
Finished.
Official statement taken by:
Police officer:
Ivan Sekula
(signature) 110
A NNEX 375:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF K .Č.
K.Č., nee J. , daughter of N. (a father) and A. (a mother), born on
... in the place ..., muniality of Otoč ac; permanent address:
…; gives the following:
STATEMENT
Early in October, she doesn’ tremember the exact date, she was at home on the above-
mentioned address and, at that time, she helped V.Č. digging up and picking up
potato. J.Č. and M.Č. were also present, while I.Č. , M.Č.
and S.Č. were digging up and picking up potato on the field of S.Č.
As K.Č. further stated, towards dusk, everybody went home to feed the cattle before
the dark fell so that they could take shelter, as soon as possible, in some place safe – mainly
at the house of A.Č., because, at that time, every day, that is every night, members of
the so-called “Martić’s police” and other members of paramilitary formations in Vrhovine
were shooting weapons of infantry at family houses in the hamlet “ Č.” where mainly
persons of Croatian nationality were living.
As K.Č. further stated, that same night, she spent the night in the so-called orchards,
when so-called “members of the Martic’s units” came to the fa mily house of A.Č.
and took away K.Č. , S.Č., M.Č. , V.Č. called “B. ” and
M.Č. The next day, a “member of the Mart ić’s police” – Branko Kon čar called
“Banjo” came for S.Č. called P. and took him to Vrho vine. As K.Č.
stated, she has never since seen them.
In the further informative interview with K.Č. it was learned that S.Č. , when
he was arrested, was wearing a grey suit of th e HPT and on his feet he had “buce”, while
V.Č., as K.Č. remembers, was wearing a waistcoat withou t sleeves made of
linen similar to a tarpaulin, a grey or brown trousers made of velvet and a blue or grey shirt.
In the further informative interview with K.Č. , it was learned that after above-
mentioned 6 inhabitants of the hamlet “ Č.” had been conducted away, the same stayed
for another 3 weeks hiding in neighbouring houses. Her son-in-law N.K. drove
her by car to Bihać where she stayed at her lady-friends’ also for 3 weeks. Then she took a
private bus, which maintained a bus line Bihać-Vienna, to Zagreb.
In the further informative interview, K.Č. stated that on September 24 t1991,
members of the so-called “Marti ć’s police” burned down several f amily houses and out-
houses and that in the house of V.Č. called “S.” his mother – Z.Č. was
consumed by fire. K.Č. stated that two daysafter, towards evening, the attack on the
same hamlet with armaments of infa ntry took place. On that occasion, L.Č. and
M.Č. were killed in the family house. After that, the n ext morning J.Č. went
to Vrhovine to the so-called Command w here he reported the case and got coffins for
sufferers. Then, the same women were buried.
Finished.
Statement was taken by:
IVAN SEKULA
(signature) 111
A NNEX 376:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF M .O.
SURNAME: O.
NAME, FATHER’S NAME: M., J.
YEAR AND PLACE OF BIRTH : ..., ..., Croatia
RESIDENCE: …
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE: …
EDUCATION:
PROFESSION: housewife
EMPLOYMENT:
MARITAL STATUS: married
CITIZENSHIP: Republic of Croatia
NATIONALITY: Croat
I give the following
STATEMENT
I lived in the village of Široka Kula. There were some sixty Croatian families in this
village. We called our Serbian neighbors Vlachs, and they called us Krainians and this was
quite normal. It seemed that inter-ethnic relations were all right. My neighbours were
Nikola Uzelac, Stojan, Đuro and Dane Serdar. Dane moved to Široka Kula from Ljubovo.
As soon as the elections and negotiations between the republics of the former Yugoslavia
began, Serbs distanced from us. They started calling us Tu đmanovci (Tuđman’s lot). The
village militia forces were staffed predominately by Serbs. My husband worked in the road
company, and we lived there with our two daughters. Then they started talking how this
was their “Krajina”, they distanced even more from us and started calling us Ustashas. My
husband encouraged us claiming that they cannot harm us that the blue fleet is in the
Adriatic Sea. In May they started putting up the barricades. Anyone who went to Zagreb
was verbally and physically abused in Ljubovo. The barricades were placed at the exit from
Široka Kula. On this occasion four or five young men from Bjelovar were killed. A German
fellow was also killed; they found him at the top of Ljubovo. I think his name was Eugen.
Serbs informed that he froze to death there. It was May, and we planted potatoes at Ivan
Hećimović’s place. He told us that Spaso Đukic said: “Any Croat who wishes to stay alive
must move from Široka Kula.” We thought it impossible, what on earth could they do to us,
we did not understand. Thus we lived for a while. New barricades were posted, and our
Serbian neighbours guarded them. Nobody went anywhere, we Croats would gather
amongst ourselves. A shop assistant in our village was the daughter of Iso Potkonjak, a
major criminal. Enmity between Serbs and Croats grew constantly. When the threshing
time arrived Serbs started talking about how everything was going to be theirs. I told my
husband to move to Perušić but he refused to leave our house. You see, during World War
II, Partisans threw his father alive in the ditch in Ostrovica. A main organizer of the Serbian
uprising in Široka Kula was SpasoĐukic. On August 16 and 17, there was no bus for
Gospić, where we Croats were supposed to go. My husband changed his mind and said:
“Let’s go to Peruši ć, and bring grain and hay.” I tried to talk him out of it, but he was
persistent. We departed, but near the railroad the army in camouflage uniforms and guns
pointed at us met us. I froze with fear. My husband scolded and comforted me. They were
the “members of Marti ć unit”, residents of Li čki Novi Osik, we knew all of them. The
soldiers asked us: “Where are you going?” My husband explained that we were going with
our wagon to get grain and hay. They let us pass. We loaded grain and hay on the wagon
and went back. The soldiers stood at the same spot. We returned home and found our 112
neighbours frightened and in tears. They told us how “Marti ć’s soldiers” came and
occupied the local factory, railway station Li čki Novi Osik, and railroad. We all thought
that they would leave sooner or later. However, not before long, they started taking away
people from the village. They took away Pero Nikši ć, and little Ivica. They were taken by
daytime, by Serbian villagers. Ivica came to get his underwear once. He did not say
whether they beat them, but his mother told us that she saw bruises on his back. Several
days later they butchered to death Kata Nikši ć. A large army arrived and they took arms
from our factory. Among them was Braco Zagorac, later notorious murderer, who
constantly threatened us. Their tanks encircled us from all sides, they fired at us from
machine-guns, while their planes were flying over the village and bombing it. The soldiers
would come to us and tell us that they had to know where we were and where we spent our
nights. We did not know where to go. We Croats could not buy anything more than mineral
water in the local shop. They already caused considerable damage to the village, there were
many burned down houses. On September 20, 1991, the army barged in the village and
took away an elderly couple, Ante and Anka Oreškovi ć, under pretence that they were
“Ustashas.” First they battered Anka and asked her where her husband was hidden. He was
hidden in the shed. When he could not look at them beating her any more he went out and
they took both of them. The remaining Croats in the village spent their nights at Dane
Orešković’s house. We would come at 7:00 am and leave at 5:00 pm. We were ordered to
do so by Mišo, Dane, Duško Serdar and Braco Zagorac, there were others whose surnames
I do not remember. On my way home I met a group of Serbs and one of them by the name
Dane asked me: “Where is your husband M.?” Dane warned me to make my lunch in
time because otherwise we would not have time enough to eat it. Their control of our
whereabouts became stricter. They warned us not to leave the wine cellar. They started
shelling the village and they hit Dane’s house, shed. Everything was in flames, which grew
stronger with every minute. I told my husband that we should run along the hedge, but my
husband refused to do so. They shelled the house we were in. I hid behind the tub full of
grain. Their commander (a man from the village of Klenovac) noticed me and said: “You
Ustasha motherf..., she hid. Get her!” A young man by the name of Mile run up to us and
started firing at us. Three bullets touched my hair, and the fourth hit me and hurt my spine.
I heard when the soldier shouted: “Shoot her, shoot her!” A woman pleaded with him:
“Please, don’t.”, and he cursed her “Ustasha” mother. I heard another one ordering: “Kill
them all, don’t leave any of them alive!” They fired two machine-gun bursts at us. I
shouted: “They killed us all!” Dragan Vonjak slit my M. ’s throat. Other people were
killed by machine-gun fire. Only five of us remained alive: Dane, Marica, I, Ivan Orešković
and another woman. Ten people were killed in that wine cellar. Pero’s mother was
murdered above the village monument. Ive Štimac, Marica Štimac, and Matija Oreškovi ć
were also killed. The fate of Milan Vojvodić and his wife is unknown. The five of us
departed towards Perušić and called for help. Dane took a white handkerchief and put it on
a stick. Our men recognized us and warned us to be careful when crossing the railroad track
because it was mined. Sons of the victims asked us for their parents. Ivica Štimac asked us:
“Is my mother with us?” Mile Orešković asked us the same question too. We watched them
in silence and they knew. Serbs threw the bodies of the villagers they had killed in the fire.
I heard one of them warning the others: “You did not kill all of them, they will say what
you did.” They knew they did not kill us all because they counted the bodies. We villagers
were fairly rich. I could cope with losing everything if only they did not kill my husband
and my neighbours.
In Zagreb, January 28, 1993
Statement given by: M.O.
Statement taken by: Miljenko Buljan 113
A NNEX 377:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF M N.
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
made on 05 thFebruary 1992 at Gospi ć Police department and in connection with the
interview held with M..N. , son of M. , born on ... in ...
..., ..., municipality of Gospi ć, retired, anconnection with the murder of
his wife K.N. , and wounding of several per sons from Široka Kula. In connection
with this, N. stated as follows:
On 25 thSeptember 1991, around 17.30 hrs together with his wife K. he was sitting by his
stable and in one moment K. noticed that their chickens were dis turbed. She went to see
what was going on and when she did not return in about five minutes, M. went to see
what has happened to her.
Going towar ds the house, he passed by a big oak in the backyard and then a man jumped
out by the tree and cocked a machine-gun, probably M-56, 7.62 mm and ordered M. to
raise his hands up and go into the h ouse in front of him. The unknown man was of a middle
hight, dark complexion, without his right eye (his eye lid was completely lowered down
over the eye), and M. thinks that he previously had seen him in the village of Buni ć II.
When he came into the house, that is in the kitchen, they found M.’s wife K. sitting on
a couch, and in front of her was a man with a knife threatening her that he would slaughter
her if she did not say where were the people from the village and putting the knife at her
throat. They ordered M. to sit next to her, and the man with the knife continued
threatening both of them and asking the same question.
M. immediately recognized the man with the knife, and who had the same machine-gun
as the first one, and he claims that this man’s name was Banjeglav Branko, about 35 years
old, also from Buni ćII, and he worked with M. for a few years at “... ” in
Lički Osik. Both of the attackers were wearing uniforms and on their sleeves was a sign of
the “Police of the SAO Krajina”.
Banjeglav again approached M. and K. Telling them that he would really slaughter
them, and then this other one fired from the gun, after which they both turned around and
got out of the house. When the attacker fired, M. jerked towards the back of the couch
and stayed in that position all until the attackers did not go away. Then he looked towards
K. and said:”It is all right, just keep still, maybe they’ll leave and let us alone!” Only then
did he notice blood stains on K. ’s chest and when he moved his hand, K. fell on the
couch and he saw on her back even bigger blood stains and realized that she was dead.
M. then got out of the house, and ran into the woods under the house where he noticed
that he was wounded himself, thet is, tat one bullet passed through the under arm of his
right arm and that he was bleeding a lot. He continued running towards Podlapa ča where he
dressed his wound and hid for three days. After that he and a few more women and men
were taken by Luka Alar from Podlapa ča through Korita, under Raki ći on the territory of
Kosa from where they went to Peruši ć and reported to the Crisis HQ. With M. were
Marija Nikšić “Matešina”, Kate Heć imović “Lulina”, Mare Nikši ć “Markanova”, Matija
Nikšić, Luka Nikšić “Tetak”, and Mile Nikšić “Tadijin” and his wife. 114
He later found out that on 25 thSeptember the terrorists wounded two more people:
1. Marija Nikšić, called “Puljica”, stabbed her in the neck
2. M.N. (M.’s brother), stabbed him in the neck and stomach.
From the persons that afterwards exiled fro m Ši roka Kula M. found out that K. was
th
buried on 27 September 1991 at the Catholic cemetery in Široka Kula. Ante, Joso and Pere
“Zele” Nikšić dug the grave, while the “Martić’s police” guarded them, and the coffin with
the late K. was brought by Čedomir Majstorović from Široka Kula, also a member of the
rebelled.
He also found out that on 25 thSeptember 1991 after the Chetniks had gone, Radoslav
Đukić, son of Spaso from Široka Kula (a lame person, about 20 years old), walked around
the deserted Croatian houses braking windows and everything that was breakable, with his
stick.
His father Spaso Đukić was then, and earlier, robbing the property from the Croatian
houses, taking all this in the direction of Udbina or Gra čac, where his daughter lived. He
stole wheat, meat, clothes, appliances, cars, tractors, and the Chetniks, that otherwise came
from Bunić would go from his house intoxicated and attacked. Banjeglav and the other
murderer also came from Spaso’s house, and it is assumed that he instructed them.
After Banjeglav and the other Tchetnik left the village, in Vukava came Iso Potkonjak who
was some sort of commander of the rebelled in Li čki Osik, to see what has happened,
because the Chetniks showed off that they killed seven people. Iso encouraged the Croatian
people not to be afraid, and that something like that would never happen again. Lazo Štuli ć
from Ploče used to come with Potkonjak, and he worked in L. Osik, and there is no
information that he did the crimes.
On the territory of Široka Kula the relatives of Spaso Đukić “operated” (sons of Spaso’s
brother), and who did several thefts, and they also took in the unknown direction Ante and
Joso Nikšić whose destiny is still nuknown. Close to ghem was a man called Kora ć, son of
Jovo, Spaso Đukić’s nephew.
It is assumed that in the crimes participated Todor Puač a’s son from Li čki Osik (other
information unknown).
A man called Dragan Vunjak from Kozjan, who was some sort of commander, was a
symbol for fear, and he, allegedly passed a trained cours in Knin.
This Vunjak appears in connection with the crimes in Čanak.
The memorandum can be used for operative use.
The memorandum was made by:
Mile Glumičić
(signature) 115
A NNEX 378:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF M .N.
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
th
made at Gospić Police Department, on 10 August 1992 on the occasion of the interview
held with M.N. , born on ... in ..., municipality of
Gospić, a refugee, with the temporary address in ….
The interview wi th the above mentioned was held about the circumstances dealing with his
wounding and what happened on 25 thSeptember 1991 around 17.00 hrs in his house in
Široka Kula near Gospić.
M.N. states that he has lived with his wife A. in Široka Kula near Gospi ć. Since
the beginning of the war on the territory ofGospić Municipality, that is, from 28thAugust
1991 until 25 thSeptember 1991, they still lived in their house although they were
intimidated by the Serbs from the surrounding villages.
th
He remembers well that on 25 September 1991 around 17.00 hrs he was in the stable, near
his house. At the mentioned time, Branko Banjeglav, son ofĐuro, about 35 years old, came
to him, and whom he knew by sight, he was from Buni ć, municipality of T. Korenica. He
was wearing a uniform of the so-called “Serbian Autonomous Region of Krajina police”
and had a machine-gun and a knife. When he came, he ordered him to walk in front of him
into the house, what M. did. When they came into the house, he found his wife A.
sitting and an unknown man dressed in a mo ttled masked uniform with the sign “police of
the SAO Krajina” and who also had a machine-gun and a knife.
M. gives the following description of that person: about 175 cm height, middle built,
black hair, it was a bit longer, over the ears, combed on the right, without right eye that is,
the eye lid was completely lowered down over the eye, about 42-45 years old.
These two started asking him where he kept his weapons and the like. When he answered
them that he had no weapons, they both took out their knives, and then the one without the
eye stabbed M. in the neck, and Banjeglav tried to stab him in the stomach, but the knife
hit the belt of his trousers, and he stabbed him in stomach.
Saying:”Here, now you sprawl”, they both left the house and went to an unknown direction.
They did not touch M. ’s wife A. on that occasion. M. somehow managed to stop the
bleeding, and he hid near the village a few days, af ter which he managed to escape to
Perušić.
M. states that he knows that those same two wounded an old woman Marija Nikši ć in the
neck by knives, and that they fired in their house at hbroter M. and his wife K.. K.
died on the spot, and M. was wounded in the right arm.
At the end of the interview, M. states that his wife A. and the old woman Marija Nikšić,
after he managed to escape to Peruši ć, stayed in Široka Kula, but he still does not know
anything about them, although there is suspicion that they were both murdered.
Nothing more was found out in the interview with M..
Authorized official person
Željko Jurić
(signature) 116
ANNEX 379:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF D .O.
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
made on 11 February 1992 in Zagreb Police Department, Section for resisting the general
crime and in connection with the interview held with D.O. from Gospić,
... about the events that happened in Široka Kul
D.O., son of N. and M., maiden name N. , born on ...
... in ... , municipality of Gospi ć, address: …, temporary address : …, he had
stated the following about the above mentioned circumstances:
- that he was born in Široka Kula where he has finiched four grades of elementary
school, in 1954 he married I. , they have two children, daughter S. and son
S., who live in Zagreb, where they work; in Široka Kula he has a big family house
in which he and his wife lived; they were agriculturalists
In Široka Kula live both Serbs and Croats and all until the beginning of the aggression on
the Republic of Croatia the situation in the village was normal. In the very beginning of the
aggression, while the units of the Croatian police were positioned on Ljubovo, the living in
the village was normal, but when the units withdrew, the people of the Serbian nationality
started molesting the Croats. Somewhere in August 1991 the Croatian police withdrew
th
from Ljubovo, and after a few days, somewhere aroun 28 August 1991, the members of
Martić’s police came into the village of Široka Kula, and somehow at the same time the
people of the Serbian nationality in the village got weapons over the night, probably from
the army. The units of the former JNA situated around Š.Kula, and in the factory “Marko
Orešković” in Lički Osik, about 10 tanks were situated and a great number of mortars, that
fired at Gospić from the factory.
Somewhere in September of the last year the Serbs in the village put on military uniforms
and started walking around the village armed with the long weapons. In the very beginning
a few Croatian frmilies from Široka Kula escaped to Gospi ć, and their houses were robbed,
and then set on fire. The first houses that were robbed and set on fire in Široka Kula
belonged to Niko Matanić , Nikola Kolar, and Mate Nikši ć. Spaso Đukić did the robbing
and he set the houses on fire. When he married, he came to Široka Kula, otherwise he came
from the village of Kurjak in Udbina. He used to drive the things from those three houses
on a tractortrailer to his own house, and after that the houses were set on fire.
Somewhere in September of the last year, in the village of Vukava, two members of the
reserve of the so-called JNA came to Spaso Đukić, who then got drunk and killed, that is,
slaughtered Kata Nikšić, about 50 years old. He does not know the names of the two men of
the reserve, but he knows that afterwards they argued between themselves and that one of
them was killed. Kata Nikši ć’s husband, Mi ćo Nikšić, was wounded, but he managed to
escape. After that event most of the Croats escaped from Vukava to Perušić. Since the late
Kata was to be buried, the reserve JNA Major Iso Potkonjak, from the hamlet Ornice, next
to Bilaj, came to him and ordered him to make a coffin for Kata. The Croats, who were
arrested in Li čki Osik by the Chetniks, dug the grave, they were from Široka Kula: Ante
Nikšić, born in 1937 or 1938; Joso Nikši ć, born around 1958 and Pero Nikši ć, about 40
years old. They were brought to Široka Kula by two armed guards, one of them was a chief
of the railway station in Lički Osik, and he knows that the mother of this other one worked
at te reception of the hotel “Lika” in Gospi ć. They made a coffin, after which Iso came to
late Kata’s house, where he ordered the women who were there to prepare her for the
funeral, and after that he drove the coffin with the late Kata back to Široka Kula, where she 117
was buried. He mentions that 6 people from Široka kula were taken to prison in Li čki Osik.
They were Croats, and with the abovementioned three men, these were: A.O. ,
his wife A. and I.N. , and they were arrested by Čedo Budisavljevi ć from Lički
Osik.
He also knows that Dane Lovrić set on fire I.N. ’s family house and the out-houses
on Nikšić Hill, and that all the cattle burned down in the stable.
th
On 13 October 1991, there was a big fight in Li čki Osik, and the members of the Croatian
Army came near Široka Kula, and in the village of Klenovac they set on fire several
Serbian houses.
He was, together with some of his neighbours, the Croats, Nikica Orešković, his wife Anka,
Ana Oreškovi ć, Manda Nikši ć, Vera Nikši ć, Mara Oreškovi ć, Milan Oreškovi ć, Kata
Orešković and Marija Nikši ć, pushed into the cellar by the Chetniks. At one moment
somebody fired a tromblon mine at his house, so that the house was set on fire. When he
saw his house on fire, he hid deeper into the cellar with the others, among the things and
agricultural products that were there, because he assumed that someone would come
looking for them. At one moment one of the Chetniks opened the door after which they
started shooting in the cellar from fire arms, on which occasion Mare Oreškovi ć, born in
1911, Milan Orešković, about 30 years old, Kate Oreškovi ć, born in 1932 were shot at the
spot, after which the Chetniks dragged their bodies to his stable that they later set on fire.
After a while they came back to the cellar and started shooting again on which occasion
Nikica Orešković, born in 1937, Anka Oreškovi ć, born in 1945, Ana Orešković , born in
1930, Manda Nikši ć, about 50 years old and a girl Vera Nikši ć, born in 1979 were killed.
When the Chetniks went furhter into the village to rob the Croatian houses, probably
thinking that they killed everyone, and when the dark fell, he managed to escape across the
Kulje field to Perušić together with Ivan Orešković, Mara Orešković, Milka Orešković and
Mara Nikši ć. Only in Peruši ć did he saw that his wife I. , Blaž Oreškovi ć, Mi ćo
Orešković, Anka Orešković, Nikola Orešković an d Manda Orešković managed to escape
from Široka Kula.
He does not know the names of the people that did those crimes, but he is certain that the
people from Široka Kula did that, the Serbs, and he guesses that the details about that could
give M.O., who also escaped from Š. Kula, and she lives in Zagreb, phone:….
Authorized official person:
Gojko Marković
(signature) 118
A NNEX 380:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M O.
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
made on 11 February 1992 in Zagreb Police Department, Section for resisting the general
crime and in connection with the interview held with M.O. from Široka
Kula about the events that happened in Široka Ku la.
M.O., maiden name P. , daughter of J . and F., maiden name
U., born in ... in ..., municipality of Gospi ć, address: …, temporary
address: …, she had stated the following about the above mentioned circum stances:
- she grew up in Peruši ć Kosa, and in 1954 she married M.O. form Široka
Kula from since she has lived there. Her husband M . w orked at “...”, the firm in
Gospić, while she was mostly in agriculture. Th ey have two daughters, A. and
M., who live in Zagreb. In 1975 their daughters left them, and she has lived with
her husband in Široka Kula since. Before the aggression on the Republic of Croatia,
they lived well, and the first troubles began after the first free elections when their
neighbours Serbs started calling the Croats the Ustashe and “Tu đmanovci” and that
they would live like the people in Romania.
From the very beginning of the war the Serbs in the village started carrying guns, meeting
at nights, walking around the village threatening the Croats that they would slaughter them
and impale. The major ones were Mišo Srdar, called “ Čojin” from Klenovac, Mile
Suđuković and his son Miodrag, a person named Vunjak, she does not know his name, but
she knows that he lived near the cemetery in Široka Kula, and Spaso Đukić from Široka
Kula.
th
Somewhere about 15 September 1991, in the village of Vukava, Spaso Đukić came with
two Chetniks, who slaughtered Kata Nikši ć, the woman from that village, and heavily
wounded her husband M.N.
After that, a great number of Croats ran away from that territory, after which their houses
were set on fire, and previously robbed.
th
Somewhere around 10 October 1991 Potkonjak Iso came to D.O. ’s house in
Široka Kula, and promised D. that nothing would happen to the Croats, but that they all
must stay together, and that he would escort them towards Perušić when the time came, so
that nothing would happen to them. They stayed thound 3 days at O. ’s, but Iso
Potkonjak never came. In the morning, on 13 October 1991, they were again orderd to
gather at D.O. ’s, because then Iso Potkonjak, the Chetnik, would come, who
would help them escape to Peruši ć. In that morning a lot o f Chetniks came to Široka Kula,
so that there were about 50 of them together with the local ones. When she and her husband
came to D.O. ’s, where they were ordered to wait, there they found N.
O., A .O., M.O. , 82 years old; M .N. and her
daughter V. , A.O. , born in 1932, K .O., 32 y ears old; M.
N. and D.. It might have been so emwhere around 14.30 hrs when the Chetniks fired
two projecitles at D. ’s house, from which the hou se, tgether with the stable burned
down. At that moment they all came deeper in to te cellar, and then Braco Zagorac, Duško
Uzelac, Dane Serdar and Mišo Serdar, called “Čojin”, all from Široka Kula, appeared at the
door, and wide opened it and started firing in the cellar. Right at the door they killed K.
O., M.O., 82 years old, and as far as she could see, Dragan Vunjak
slaughtered her husband with a knife. After a short lull, Mišo Serdar, Braco agorac, Dane 119
Serdar came again into the cellar and started firing on which occasion 13-year-old V.
N., M.N. and A. and N.N. were killed. She then crawled deeper
into the cellar, but despe that she got several injuries from the p rojectiles, in the upper left
leg, at her back and on the head. After a few minutes, the mentioned Chetniks probably left
looking for some other Croats, because they thought that they killed everyone in the cellar,
while she, D.O., M.O. and M.N. managed to escape when
dark fell towards Perušić. At the end of the interew M.O. states that she is not
yet in the condition to describe all the crimes that the Cnis in Široka Kula did in detail,
because she is under the impression of what she saw, and especially because she was
present when her husband was being slaughtered. She is under the great stress and after
some time she sill be in condition to say all the details that she cannot remember at the
moment.
Authorized official person
Gojko Marković
(signature)
A NNEX 381:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF JJ.
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
th
made on 10 March 1995 at VI Police Station Zagreb Police Department, in connection
with the statement in the telegram received from Zadarsko-kninska Police department No:
511-18-01-VT-292/5-95. from 06 thMarch 1995, and in connection with the interview held
with
J.J., son of D. and J., maiden name K.; born on ...
... in ... , muipality of Korenica, Croat, Citizen of the Rep. of Croatia,
married, father of 4 children, ag riculturalist… ID No: …, issued on … 1993 at Karlovac
police Department, address: …
(…)
The first barricades were set up between Donji Vaganac and Ličko Petrovo Selo and on the
road towards Biha ć, about 3 km far from Gornji Vaganac, and they were set up after the
events on Plitvička Jezera in April 1991.
(…)
On 10 thAugust 1991 after the grenading at 06.00 hrs, the infantry attack on G. Vaganac
began around 10.00 hrs. The Chetniks, together with the former JNA attacked G. Vaganac
from the direction of Li čko Petrovo Selo and from the direction of Biha ć, and from the
direction from Plitvič ka Jezera Drežnik was attacked. The attack lasted somewhere until
16.00 hrs when the Chetniks and the former JNA came from the direction of Li čko Petrovo
Selo to the Church “Sv. Križ”, and from the direction of Biha ć they came through the fields
to the end of Donji Vaganac (to the old school) where they stopped that day. Local people
from Gornji Vaganac with the help of the Croatian police that came from Drežnik resisted,
but they could not successfully stop the invasion of the Chetniks and the former JNA
because they did not have enough weapons. The people who did not participate in the clash,
withdrew at the beginning of the attack to the end of Gornji Vaganac, to the so-called
“Kukuruzović’s cave”, and during the following night they were transported towards 120
Drežnik and Slunj. As the Chetniks and the former JNA progressed, so did they destroy
house by house (they set them on fire). During the night, all the people from Gornji
Vaganac left towards Drežnik and Slunj, except Josip Jandri ć, Marijan Kukuruzovi ć, Ante
Nikolić, J.J. (they were all together), and except for a few older people who
remained in their houses. J. and the mentioned three men s tayed in G. Vaganac until
dawn the next day watching througho utthe night what was going on in Vaganac, and as far
th
as they could see, every house in the part of G. Vaganac that was taken on 08 October
1991 was burned down. At dawn J. and the mentioned three men came to the so-
called “Kukuruzović’s cave”, where they did not fin d any one, and then they realized that
nobody could protect Vaganac and so they left to Drežnik. The same day J. and the
three men came from Drežnik, around 10. 00 hrs, near Jerković selo and Cjetsko selo from
where they watched the Chetniks and the former JNA taking the rest of G. Vaganac, and
then they saw them robbing the houses and later setting them on fire. J. and the
mentioned three men stayed there the whole day with the intention to go at night to the
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Viki ći, but they did not succeed in that since the
Chetniks and the fromer JNA moved from G. Vaganac towards Smoljanac and Drežnik,
and locked all the roads towards Biha ć. After that the mentioned men returned to
Smoljanac.
th
J. stayed in Smoljanac somewhere until 16 October 1991, and he went almost every
night towards G. Vaganac. About 12 people remained in Smoljanac at the time, and who
spent days in Smoljanac and nights on a hill near Smoljanac, and J. later heard that
they were all killed. J. succeeded to come to G. Vaganac at nights, which was burned
down and desolated, and on that occasion he came into t he rem ains of the houses and out-
houses of the villagers, but he could not see anything (he came into a house for which he
knew that there remained one person form Gornji Vaganac), since everything was burned
down, and on that occasion he found carcasses of cattle and the cattle that wandered
around.
(…)
He is familiar with the fact, and he also heard from other people, that in Gornji Vaganac a
few older people remained who were, when tha Chetniks and the former JNA came in
Gornji Vaganac, killed, and as far as he knows these were:
1. KATA BILEN, over 80 years old, has a daughter Manda Knezovi ć who lives in Zagreb
(he does not know her address), and a son Dane, sone of Pero; born in 1933 in G.
Vaganac, unmarried, member of the Croatian Army (J. thinks that he lives in
Josipdol or in Ogulin). Kata Bilen lived in the house next to the church “Sv.Križ”, and
he assumes that she was set on fire together with the house.
2. JEKA MIKULJAN, called “Strina”, over 80 years old, born in Rešetari, did not have
any children, lived in G. Vaganac (J. does not know the number), and he heard
that she was killed and later thrown into the well infont of the house.
3. MANDA ČANČAR, over 80 years old, born in G. Vaganac, he heard that hse was
killed, but he doesn not know how.
4. ROJKA MIKULJAN, over 80 years old, born in G. Vaganac, has a son Mika and
daughter-in-law Ana, who allegedly live in Zagreb, ... (he does not know the
exact number), and he only heard that she was killed.
5. MILKA KUKURUZOVI Ć, over 80 years old, born in G. Vaganac, Marijan
Kukuruzović’s aunt, son of Slavko, about 50 years old, member of the Croatian Army 121
who allegedly lives in Josipdol. He knows that she has lived in Marijan Kukuruzović ’s
house and that she was killed in the house and later set on fire together with the house.
6. MARA KUKURUZOVIĆ, called “Krekuša”, over 85 years old, born in G. Vaganac,
she was ill and an invalid person, she remained in the cellar of the house. He heard that
she was set on fire together with the house.
7. STIPE KUKURUZOVIĆ, born in Donji Vaganac, J. heard that Stipe, after the
fall of G. Vaganac, came from Viki ći to Gornji Vaganac to ge t the cattle, and that he
was killed in the backyard of a house where he was buried.
8. DANE JANDRIĆ, about 84 years old, an invalid, without a leg. He heard that Dane,
after the fall of G. Vaganac, together with his sister-in-law, M.J., came in front
of his house to take care over the cattle, and that was killed on that occasion in the
backyard from a machine-gun, and one of the murderers carried straw and put it over
Dane; J. does not know whether he was later burned down. The witness to all this
is M.J. who lives, ccording to J., as a refugee somewhere inenj.
Authorized official peron: Želimir Šego (signature)
A NNEX 382:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF I.K.
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on 15 March 1995 at the Police station VI of the Zadar police administration, in
relation to the dispatch of Zadarsko-Kninska police administration, number: 511-18-01-VT-
292/5-95, from 06 March 1995, in connection with the conversation conducted with:
I.K., the son of T. and M . (born T .) born on ...
... in the village of ..., ... munlity, a Croat, citizen of the Republic
of Croatia, married, the father of two children, work organi zation engineer, commissioner
of the Republic of Croatia for the municipalities of T. Korenica and Udbina, head for the
village of ..., UCRN: …, owns an identity card, number …, made out on 22
January 1994 in Zagreb, with a permanent address in …, on which occasion he stated:
That he works with the Commission of the Republic of Croatia for the municipalities of T.
Korenica and Udbina in Zagreb, …, and that they were collecting information on all of the
victims of the Patriotic war, and that they also take care of exiles from the area under the
Commission’s jurisdiction. On the basis of their information they collect information about
war victims. I.K. gave copies of lists with the victims of the Patriotic war
and a special list of civil victims and he also gave some additional information about the
people from the lists:
For the village of Vaganac:
1. LUCIJA BILAN, the daughter of Mile, born on 15 December 1903 in Gornji Vaganac,
lived in D. Vaganac, house number 14. I.K. stated that on 08 October
1991 she was killed and burnt in the house in D. Vaganac, als o he adds that she has a
son Danijel who is, as an exile, accommodated in Karlovac, at the Gaza exiles’
settlement, in the building no. 137.
2. MANDA ČANČAR, the daughter of Stjepan, born on 23 September 1991 in D.
Vaganac, lived in D. Vaganac, house number 57. I.K. states that she was 122
killed on 08 December 1991 in D. Vaganac (he doesn’t know how) and adds that she
has a son Luka Čančar who is, as an exile, accommodated in Karlovac, at the Gaza
exiles’ settlement, in the building no. 175.
3. DANE JANDRIĆ, the son of Ivan, born on 25 August 1910, in Gornji Vaganac, lived in
G. Vaganac, house number 54. I.K. states that he was disabled (without a
leg) and that he was killed in October 1991 in his y ard, he was shot at from an
automatic rifle (they don’t know if he was burnt afterwards), Mara Jandri ć (the wife of
Dane Jandrić’s brother) eye-witnessed his killing, he adds that Mara Jandrić is, as an
exile, accommodated in …
4. MILKA KUKURUZOVIĆ, born on 18 October 1903 in Hrastovaca, lived in Gornji
Vaganac. I.K. states that on 08 October 1991 she was killed in the house,
and burnt, later on, together with the house, he also adds that she doesn’t have closer
relatives.
5. MARIJA KUKURUZOVI Ć, called “Krekuša”, the daughter of Josip, born on 01
November 1908 in the village of Željava, lived in Gornji Vaganac, house number 82.
I.K. states that she was unable to move, and that she stayed in the
basement of the house where she was kille d on 08 October 1991, and allegedly, later on,
she was burnt, he adds that she has a daughter Božica Kukuruzović, who lives in …
6. RUŽA MIKULJAN, born on 06 December 1905 in Donji Vaganac, lived in Gornji
Vaganac. I.K. states that she was killed on 08 October 1991 in Gornji
Vaganac (he doesn’t know how) and adds that s he has a son Nikola and daughters
Milka and Kata who live in …
7. JEKA MIKULJAN called “strina”, the daughter of Ivan, born on 25 September 1905 in
the village of Rešetar, lived in …. I.K.states that she was killed on 08
October 1991 in G. Vaganac, in front of the ho use, and afterward she was thrown in a
well. He adds that she doesn’t have any close relatives.
8. STIPE KUKURUZOVIĆ, the son of Franjo, born on 12 November 1936 in the village
of Čavnik, Biha ć municipality, lived in D. Vaganac, house number 40. I.
K. states that he was killed in October 1991 in the house yard where he was
also buried.
For the village of Smoljanac:
1. JOSIP MATOV INA, the son of Petar, born on 21 August 1930 in Saborsko, lived in
Smoljanac, house number 7. I.K. states that he was killed on 08 October
1991 in Smoljanac (he doesn’t know how), and adds th at he has a son Slavko Matovina,
who, as an exile, is accommodated in Karlovac, at the Gaza exiles’ settlement, building
no. 242 b.
2. ANA BUJADINOVIĆ, the daughter of Nikola, born on 21 July 1923 in the village of
Lipovača, lived in Smoljanac. I.K. states that she was killed on 08
October 1991 in Smoljanac (he doesn’t know how), he als o adds that she has a son Mile
Bujadinović who is in Slovenia.
3. MARKO VUKOVI Ć, the son of Mate, born on 10 October 1935 in the village of
Višnjevača, lived in Smoljanac, house number 40. I.K. states that he was
killed on 04 December 1991 in Smoljanac together with Mira Vu ko vić in the house no
39 in Smoljanac.
4. MARKO MESIĆ, the son of Jure, born on 29 November 1954 in Smoljanac, lived in
Smoljanac, house number 91. I.K. states that he was killed on 04 123
December in Smoljanac together with Ivica Rosandi ć in Jelena Mesi ć’s house, number
91 a, and that, later on, they were burnt together with the house.
5. MIRA VUKOVIĆ, the daughter of Jure, born on 05 June 1961 in Smoljanac, lived in
the village of Muhinje bb. I.K. states that she was killed on 04 December
1991 in Smoljanac, where she came from the village of Muhin je, and she was killed
together with Marko Vuković in the house no. 39 in Smoljanac.
6. IVICA ROSANDIĆ, the son of Marko, born on 02 January 1968 in Smoljanac, lived in
Smaoljnac, house number 26. I.K. states that he was killed on 04
December 1991 in Smoljanac together with Marko Mesi ć, in J elena Mesić’s house no
91 a in Smoljanac, later on they were burnt together with the house.
7. ANTE RUMENOVIĆ, the son of Stjepan, born on 11 September 1937 in Smoljanac,
lived in Smoljanac, house number 16. I.K. states that he was killed on 04
December 1991 in the house in Smoljanac (he doesn’t know how).
8. JURAJ BIČANIĆ, the son of Petar, born on 18 May 1931 in the village of Ron čevica,
lived in Smoljanac, house number 76. I.K. states that he was killed on 04
December 1991 in Smoljanac (he doesn’t know where nor h ow ).
9. ROŽA BIČANIĆ, the daughter of Danijel, born on 12 February 1928 in the village of
Drežničko Selište, lived in Smoljanac, house number 76. I.K. states that
she was killed on 04 December 1991 in Smoljanac (he doesn’t know wh ere nor how).
10.STIPE KRIZMANI Ć, the son of Ivica, born on 03 March 1963 in Slunj, lived in
Smoljanac, house number 63. I.K. states that he was killed during the
Lipovača action on 09 October 1991.
11.STIPE MESIĆ, the son of Ju re, born on 02 January 1967 in Smoljanac, house number
91. I.K. states that he died on 29 May 1993 in Glibodol.
12.MARIJAN BIČANIĆ, the son of Stipe, born on 18 September 1969 in Sm olj anac, lived
in Smoljanac, house number 53. I.K. states that he died on 29 May 1993
in Glibodol.
13.IVICA BI ČANIĆ, the son of Mihovil, born on 29 Jul y 1969 i n Slunj, lived in
Smoljanac, house number 83. I.K. states that he died on 29 May 1993 in
Glibodol.
For the village of Rastovača:
1. IVAN HODAK, the so n of Marko, born in 1940 in the village of Rastova ča. I.
K. states that he was killed on 07 November 1991 (he doesn’t know where
nor how), he adds that he doesn’t have closer relatives.
2. BARA KOMLJENOVIĆ, I.K. doesn’t have any information about her,
but he adds that she has a son Sreten Komljenovi ć , who used to live in …according to
K., he is now living in Osijek, and a daughter Kata Hodak, who is, as an
exile, accommodated in Karlovac, at …
For the village of Korana:
1. ŽELJKO LUKET IĆ, born on 04 May 1969 in Karlovac, lived in the village of Korana,
house number 5. K.I. states that he was a member of the Ministry of the
interior of the Republic of Croatia, Karlobag police station, and that he died in 1992/93
(he doesn’t know where nor how).
2. IVAN ŠPOLJARI Ć, the son of Milan, born on 20 June 1991 in Karlovac. I.
K. states that he died on 26 September 1991 and adds that he has a father
Milan, a mother Petra, and a brother Rafo, who, as exiles, are accommodated in … 124
3. JOSIPA ŠPOLJARIĆ, the daughter of Petar, born on 27 February 1972 in Karlovac,
lived in the village of Korana, house number 17. I.K. states that she left
Korana and that she was accommodated in the village of Grabovac, and that she, as well
as Dubravka Špoljari ć, died during the shelling of bungalowes in the village of
Grabovac.
4. DUBRAVKA ŠPOLJARIĆ, the daughter of Zlatko, born on 25 April 1973, lived in the
village of Korana, house number 18, I.K. states that she left the village of
Korana and that she was accommodated at the bungalowes in the village ofGrabovac,
and that she, as well as Josipa Špoljari ć, died on 26 September 1991 during the shelling
of the bungalowes in the village of Grabovac.
For the village of Prijeboj:
1. SLAVKO ČORAK, the son of Josip, born on 25 November 1948 in Vukovar, lived in
the village of Prijeboj, house number 10. I.K. states that he died on 28
September 1991 (he doesn’t know where nor how ), headds that he has a wife Radmila,
son Darko, and a daughter Maja, who are, allegedly, still in Prijeboj, and that he has a
mother Dragica and a sister Ankica, who live in …
For the village of Poljanak:
1. VJEKOSLAV VUKOVIĆ, the son of Dane, born on 19 July 1939 in Poljanak, lived in
Poljanak bb. I.K. states that he was a member of civil protection and that
he died on 07 Novevmber 1991.
2. LUCIJA VUKOVIĆ, the daughter of Mate, born on 06 Decem ber 1923 in Poljanak,
lived in Poljanank, house number 22. I.K. states that she was shot in
Poljanak on 07 November 1991.
3. DANE VUKOVI Ć, the son of Polde, born on 30 July 1917 in Poljanak, lived in
Poljanak, house number 16. I.K. states that he was shot in Poljanak on 07
November 1991, also he adds that he has a wife Ka tarina, who is, as an exile,
accommodated at the …, a son Vlado accommodated in …, a son Božidar who is in
somewhere in …, and a son Slavko who lives in Rijeka, …
4. DANE VUKOVI Ć, the son of Mate, born on 27 July 1911 in Poljanak, lived in
Poljanak. I.K. states that he was shot in Poljanak on 07 November 1991.
5. MILKA VUKOVIĆ, the daughter of Mate, born on 14 January 1926, lived in Poljanak,
house number 18. I.K. states that on 07 November 1991 she was taken
away from her house and shot in Polj anak, and before she was taken away they killed
her husband Nikola Vuković in their house.
6. NIKOLA MATOVINA, born on 21 February 1912 in Poljanak, lived in Poljanak. I.
K. states that he was shot in Poljanak on 07 November 1991, and adds that he
has a wife Agata, who lives in …, and a son Mark o w ho lives somewhere in Karlovac
(he doesn’t know the address).
7. JOSIP MATOVINA, the son of Nikola, born on 6 March 1960 in the village of Lasinja,
lived in …. I.K. states that he was a member of civil protection and that
he doesn’t know the place nor the time of his death.
8. NIKOLA VUKOVIĆ, the so n of Mile, born on 22 August 1926 in Poljanak, lived in
Poljanak, house number 18. I.K. states that he stayed in Poljanak and
that, on 07 November 1991, he was killed in the hous e (he doesn’t know exactly if he
was first killed and then burnt or burnt alive). He is a husband of Milka Vukovi ć who
was taken away from the house and shot on the same day. 125
9. IVAN VUKOVIĆ, the son of Mile, born on 15 May 1944 in Poljanak, lived in Poljanak,
house number 13. I.K. states that he was a member of civil protection and
that he died (he doesn’t know when nor where).
10.IVICA LON ČAR , the son of Marko, born on 14 November 1908 in the village of
Rastovača, lived in Poljanak, house number 7. I.K. states that on 23
September 1991 he was caught in his house toget her with his disabled son Milan, and
that both of them were hanged. He has a son Marko Lon čar who lives in …who was, at
the end of October 1991, arrested while taking the bodies of his father Ivica and brother
Ivan down, after that he was imprisoned and stayed in prison until March/April 1992
when he came to the free territory of the Republic of Croatia. Ivica Lon čar also has a
daughter Marica Sertić who lives in …
11.MILAN LON ČAR, the son of Ivica, born on 08 August 1945 in Poljanak, lived in
Poljanak, house number 7. I.K. states that he was disabled and that, on 23
October 1991, he was caught in his house toget her with his father Ivica Lončar and they
were both hanged (the other information the same as for Ivica Lončar).
12.NIKOLA SERTIĆ, the son of Ivica, born on 27 December 1938. I.K.
states that he was a member of civil protection and that he died (he doesnt’t have any
other information about him, also he doesn’t know where nor when he died).
13.KATA MATOVINA, born on 03 March 1905 in Poljanak, lived in Poljanak. I.
K. states that she was wounded during the shelling of Poljanak on 08 October
1991, on that occasion she was transfered to Saborsko where she passed aw ay. She has
a daughter Zorka Vuković, who is, as an exile, accommodated in Karlovac, at the Gaza
exiles’ settlement, in the building no. 185 and a da ughter Anka Vuković, aho is, as an
exile, accommodated in Karlovac, at the Gaza exiles’ settlement, building no. 166.
14.TONE VUKOVIĆ, the son of Mate, born on 16 October 1935 in Saborsko, lived in
Poljanak, house number 19. I.K. states that he was a member of civil
protection and that he died (Kukuruzović doesn’t know place nor time of the death).
15.ANA SERTIĆ, born on 21 May 1903 in Rakovica, lived in the village of Serti ć Poljana.
I.K. states that in October 1991 she was wounded and died as a result of
it.
16.ANA SERTIĆ, the daughter of Tomo, born on 14 November in Saborsko, lived in
Sertić Poljana, house number 6. I.K. states that in October 1991 she was
locked in her house and adds that she has a son Tomo Sertić who, as an exile, lives in
Zagreb, at the Laguna hotel.
…
Authorized official person: Želimir Šego (signature) 126
A NNEX 383:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF D R.
D.R’S statement about the time spent in captivity in Korenica and in
prison in Knin in the period of time between 15 October 1991 and 15 Otober 1992.
D. (M.) R. was born on .... in Slunj. I lived in Rakovica
together with my parents. I am a Croat. When the war broke out I worked at the Slunj
police station, and I am still employed at Ministry of the interior. I am married and I have a
daughter. UCRN: …. I give the following
STATEMENT
Together with a fellow-worker, two priests, two nuns, two villagers, and two drivers, I went
to Vaganac to pick up dead persons. Everything was arranged and Colonel CVIJO
ZGONJANIN said that we wouldn’t have any problems and also they escorted us. Only
priests went with officers to search for corpses, and the rest of us stayed at the car. The
priest returned very quickly and we went back to Licko P. Selo.
In the village of Prijeboj “Marti ć’s followers” stop us. Among them I recognized NENAD
TEPAVAC (the son of Duro, born in 1967). The JNA army simply moves aside, and
nobody says anything.
We are now given to “Marti ć’s followers”, they swear-they “fuck our Ustasha mothers”,
and take us to Korenica. On arriving they take us to the parking lot in front of the Police
station, but already some 150-200 people are waiting there. L. , who was a civilian-a
driver of hearse-is thrown into that crowd of people. They gather around him, beat him,
yell, threaten, and swear. Then they take L. back to the car where the rest of us are.
Then they make NIKOLIĆ, a police officer, to step out of the car, but theyeat him at the
car. They bring him back and take me. They also beat me at the car, swear, beat with fists,
feet, one of them hits me with a stick, and knocks out four of my front teeth. I am scared
and beaten. They take me back to the car, and they take us all out of the car. We hold hands
and they take us to the basement of the Police station. We pass through the crowd of people
and they beat us with everything they laid their hands on. We couldn’t look about
ourselves, your head is bowed down and you just feel their strikes.
In the basement they search us. They group 8 of us men and separate the nuns. While they
search us they also begin to beat and insult us, swear, they say they will kill us all, that we
won’t make it through the night. The crowd stays late in front of the Police station. They
yell, make noise, bang on something, I don’t know on what.
During the night groups of three or more men barge in the cell, they beat in the cell and
outside of it. After certain time the guard on duty forbids everyone to come in and beat us.
Until the morning we are left at peace. We are in bad condition after all that beating, we are
neither able to lie nor sit. We are swollen, bloody, in lot of pain.
Tomorrow morning the guard on duty tells us it time for breakfast, but they come and take
us out to the building entrance. The crowd is there, people yell. They take us one at the time
and line us in front of the wall, they wet us with a water hose, beat us. They caught me and
threw me into the crowd.
Everybody started attacking me. For a short time I am standing, but then they throw me on
the ground. A man in military uniform wants me to lick his boots, both the sole and the
upper part. It continued for an hour, and it took a whole day for them to take pleasure in 127
beating and abusing every one of us. On that day they give us a little bit of paste, dry bread,
and it is everything we are given to eat for the whole day.
The things stayed like that for the next six months while I was in Korenica. Next to our
were two more cells, and there were detained persons also. We didn’t know who was in
them, we would only hear screams and cries for help during the nights. They beat us also.
Sometimes they take someone up to the hall, and sometimes down. Sometimes there were
ten of them and they would all beat us. That constant beating in Korenica lasted for three
months, after that it wasn’t so frequent, but it didn’t stop.
After few days, I remember, they are torturing me with electricity. ŽELJKO KOVAČEVIĆ,
called “PRC” did it. They had a sort of an apparatus that looked like a bat and when it was
turned on it made electrical currents that shook and made noise. When they saw it was
enough, they would turn it off and continued with beating. They beat us with sticks, cables,
and wires.
I know that the day after we were brought there, priest P. and the nuns were let go. I
remember seeing the nuns crying and screa mi ng, but I didn’t see what happened to them.
Reverend Đ. and L. are transferred to other cells.
We start going to questionings. NIKOLA PRI CA, a retired insp ector, was in charge of
questioning, but others also questioned us. I didn’t know anyone of them. Usually those
who question didn’t beat, but there was always someone standing aside who would hit us
when given a sign. The abovementioned ŽELJKO KOVA ČEVIĆ was the most brutal. I
know that there was one they called “ZVIŽDO”, (tall, skinny, with freckled face and
straight brown hair, 25-26 years old) and he also beat us very brutally. We were also
intimidated because they said they would butcher us.
MOMO NIKOLIĆ, a reservist, approximately 40 years old, incised a “4C” sign on reverend
Đ.’s chests. I remember that NIKOLI Ć’s finger was pierced. I know that no one
received any medical help. I remember that ŽELJKO KOVA ČEVIĆ ordered that we must
learn by heart a 500-word-long text. Those who failed to do it were beaten.
I remember that they would hide us whenever the International Red Cross came. Once they
took us to the huts in Borje, the other time they locked us up in a garage. There were cases
when they said that we were their drunken soldiers.
I know that I didn’t shave my face, cut my hair or have a bath in six months.
On 13 April 1992 the International Red Cross came. An old man MATE SMOL ČIĆ told
them that there was another group of prisoners in the prison, so they listed us also.
The next day they transfer us to Knin, no one stays in the prison. The six of us are taken
there. They are waiting for us. They beat P.B. in the car, H. also.
As they take us into the prison each of us is beaten with a stick. They lock all of us up
together in a small cell. Since the building was an old hospital before, floor is made of
marble and walls of tiles. It is April, it is cold inside the room.
That same day they brought us mattresses for sleeping. On that day we had a bath for a first
time after six months. After Korenica where we practically lived as animals this was better,
although physical and mental abuse were also about to begin here. They didn’t beat us too
much on those first days, because, at the time, Kupres fell, so the prison was full of men
from Herzegovina, they beat them non-stop. 128
I remember that they took the two of us, me and N. , to lead two of that men from
Herzegovina to a car, because they weren’t able to walk, they were driving them to the
hospital. Later on a guard told us that one of those two men died.
I remember that all those people from Herzegovina were driven away from the military and
civilian prison in 3-4 buses on 05 May 1992, but I don’t know where. When I got out of the
prison, people from Herzegovina called me and asked me if I knew anything about their
men who were detained. They were the men who were driven in buses, and didn’t return to
their homes.
At the beginning guards were brutal, they abused us physically. I remember a man called
SRĐO (I suppose that he was from Lika), he was strong, tall, blonde, approximately 30
years old. I also remember another one whom they called GLIŠO, he used to be a guard in
the Zadar prison. He was approximately 30 years old, strong, brown hair. Under us there
was a military prison. There was someone called ĐURO BORIĆ, also somewhere from
Lika, approximately 40 years old, short, firmly built, partially gray-haired, and with him
there were two young men, their nicknames were “KOMŠO” and “JOKŠA”.
We watched them beating people in the hall and outside in the range. We would go
downstairs to get food and then that BORIĆ would beat us. They beat us with fists, sticks,
bags with sand. Not only that guard beat us but they also persuaded their own (Serbs)
prisoners to beat us. We had to do the worst kinds of jobs in prison and outside of it.
Among us there was a man called P.M. , he suffered from poliomyelitis as a
child, so one of his legs was shorter and had trouble with using one arm, but he also had to
work. When we had to go to the town to work passers by and those who worked there
insulted, cursed, and threatened us.
That is about everything I can remember about the time spent in Selo.
By signing each page of this statement the person who made it, D.R. ,
confirms its authenticity, that is, that the statement is made without coercion and that the
written text is the same as the statement itself.
In Karlovac, 05 February 1995.
Statement is given by: D.R.
Statement is taken by: Gordana Predović 129
A NNEX 384:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF P.Đ.*
SURNAME: Đ.
NAME, FATHER’S NAME: P., ...
YEAR OF BIRTH: ...
PLACE OF BIRTH: ……
ADDRESS: ...
TEMP ORARY ADDRESS:
OCCUPATION: priest
MARITAL STATUS:
CITIZENSHIP:
NATIONALITY:
I give the following
STATEMENT
I was born on ... in Croatia, ….. After my education in Zagreb, Dubrovnik and
Pazin, I became a Catholic priest, which I stayed until today. I was persecuted by the
communist authorities in 1964/65 (…..) sentenced unconditionally. In the notorious prison
in Stara Gradiška I spent (….) days.
In the last 16 years I served as a parson in .... I have the information about the persecution
of the Croats on the area of Plitvice after World War II. Croats and Catholics escaped on
massive scale the masacre and persecution of every kind. In the village Vaganac Gornji live
Croats, who escaped in front of the invasion of the Chetniks and police of the so-called
Krajina. Only few of the old people remained there. From the tower of the church in ... I
watched Chetniks burning down the village Vaganac Gornji which previously they had
robbed, coming with horse wagons from the neighbouring villages Rešetar and Petrovo
Selo. Every Croatian house, and it was 113 of them, was burned down. After the news was
spread that the imprisoned old people, the Croats, were killed, we decided to take the
bodies and bury them properly. Lieutenant Colonel (…) of the Yugoslav Army Cvijo
guaranteed, in written and in oral form, our safe passing through Vaganac and back. I set
off to Vaganac on 13hOctober 1991 together with:
- M.L.
- I.M.
- M.K.
- D.R.
- N.N.
- M.P.
- nun A.B.
- nun M.P.
Six armed soldiers of the occupying army escorted us. We did not have any weapons.We
did not find the bodies of the murdered Croats in Vaganac. Later we heard that their bodies
were burned down.
When we were returning from Vaganac, a group of 50 men stopped us, dressed in uniforms
with the sign of “THE POLICE OF KRAJINA” (people called them “Marti ćevci”, after
their leader policeman Marti ć). Despite the protest of the soldiers of the occupying army,
these policemen searched us and signed us in. At the same time the commander of the
policemen threatened priest M.P. that he would shot through his bald head. 130
With the guns pointed at us we were forced to turn to Korenica in our cars, where in front
of the Police Station we were met by 200 people, there were women and young people.
When we stepped out of the car, they started beating us, and somebody said to me : “This
one should be slaughtered”. Commander of the Police turned to me cynically and smiling:
”The chief organizer is finally ours”, and in the entrance of the prison he hit me with a
pistol on the head, blood spread all over my head, and after the search in the hall of the
prison, he hit his head against my head, which banged against the wall behind me. All eight
of us they put into one cell, and after a while the nuns were set free.
Somewhere around 22.00 hrs we were taken out before the people that gathered there, the
Commander of the Police said: ”The army let us keep Đ.”. The next day, around 8.00
hrs in the morning, 7 policemen from Korenica entered the cell. We stood against the wall,
I was the first one next to the door. The Commander of the Police first hit us with his fist on
the chest several times, and then the others joined hitting us with sticks and batons.
Policeman Ćuić was especially cruel, he seized me by my genitals and raised me up. I have
had a hernia since then. They were hitting us with their shoes between our legs showing
that they were enjoying themselves. After that they took me out in the corridor and kept
beating me with batons, sticks, kicking me. They brought me out of the building where
about 40 civilians waited. I was all covered with blood, they took my clothes off, and
poured cold water over me, drowning me with gush of water, mocking my nakedness and
hitting me with everything they could find. The torture lasted for about half an hour. After
we came back to the cell, they tortured the same way:. .... (the others). After an hour a
group of civilians from Korenica came asking to repeat the whole thing. And they were
gratified.
Then they forced us scrub the corridor, they ordered us to lie on each other, and they beat
us with batons, sticks, fists and kicked us. Commander of the Police Ćuić thrust a baton into
my large intestine colon, showing that he enjoyed that. After that I was on strike not eating
anything for a number of days.
I was interrogated by the notorious policeman called Momo Nikoli ć, and when I was going
to the interrogation, another policeman kicked me on my throat and hurt my vocal cords
from which I have lasting consequences. Momo Nikoli ć met me with ten policemen. They
beat me with their fists, I fell down several times, my eyes were covered with blisters, I had
to clean my own blood from the desk and the floor. When they all beat me, I had to take my
clothes off and Momo Nikoli ć cut the Serbian coat of arms on my chest, laughing madly,
carresing me on the shoulder saying: ”Now you are a Serb”. Momo Nikoli ć broke my
glasses, thereatening me that he would cut my toes.They took me back into the cell, where
the people from my parish were: ....
The next day they repeated the beating, taking the clothes off and pouring over with cold
water in front of the building. Among the civilians that gathered there, there was Orthodox
priest Braco Savi čević. When interrogating me Momo Nikoli ć forced me, under a threat
that he would shoot me, to give statements in the presence of two policemen called to take
me to shootings, if I did not confirm all the accusations. They accused me of impossible
things and accusations, like, for example, that I got money from the Vatican. Our cell was
open and the policemen who wanted to beat us, would come in with sticks and knives, beat
us and humiliated us until three policemen came and locked us up.
Somewhere around the eighteenth day in Korenica the mentioned Momo Nikoli ć came
escorted by Major of the occupying army Zoran Kovač ević from Niš. Momo said that we
were to be exchanged, Major tried to protect me, but unsuccessively, because Momo kicked
me several times on my head, I fell on the knees of D.R . Momo kept on, going 131
out and coming in and kept beating me with his fists on my face, chests and ribs. At one
moment I managed to say: “There must be something good in him.”. Then he lowered his
hands and he stopped beating me.
Somewhere around the 23 day of our stay in Korenica, the Commander of the Police
wrapped my head with a towel and said that I was taking to shootings. They put me all tied
up into a vehicle, and during the drive they tread upon my body kicking me. I felt the gun
pointed at my temple. Later I found out that I was transported to the airport. They forced
me to sit still six hours in the cold. Colonel Milanovi ć (occupying army) came to me,
hearing me politely, he was interested in religious things and I got food.
After that I was in prison with ten soldiers of the occupying army that were sentenced to 30
days of prison for their refusal to kill the Croats. They said :”We came from Serbia to
defend the Serbs, not to attack the Croats.”
After a while I was again blindfolded and they transported me by plane (later I realized that
I was transferred to the airport Batajnica – Belgrade), and from the airport I was taken to
prison which was in the cellar. I had to sit still on the cold for eight hours. A policeman felt
pity and he let me lie, he even covered me with a blanket. His chief, however, asked why I
was lying down and that I was praying fro the Ustashe, he hit my with a baton, ordered me
to lie face down and beat me on my feet-soles. Pain was terrible and I felt it for a month.
The next day a new policeman came, also named Nikolić and hit me twice at my face. My
suit and the floor around me were all in blood.
rd
On 23 January 1992 I was blindfolded and transported to the place where they told me to
walk for five minutes and then to take the blindfold off. I did that and I found myself before
the woods near Br čko. People took me to the local parson. I submit this statement to local
and international public. I am ready to give the statement before the international
commission and to give the medical reports that were made after the check up.
Statement was given by:
P.Đ.
Catholic Priest 132
A NNEX 385:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M L.
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
Made at the Section of war crimes and terrorism of the Rijeka Police Depart ment on the
th
occasion of the interview held on 25 April 1995 with
M.L., son of I., born on ... in ... , municipality of
Smoljanac, ad dress: …, temporary address: …, Croat, citizen of the Republic of Croatia,
married to M. , maiden name D. , two children – I. (born in ...) and
I. (born in ...),
about his knowledge of the criminal deeds agains t thehumanity and the international law
done by the formations of the rebelled Serbs on the territory of the former municipality of
T. Korenica during the aggression on the Republic of Croatia.
In the interview the mentioned M.L. stated that until Easter 1991 there were no
traces of what would happen in the next few years on that territory, that is, the rebellion of
the Serbs and the aggression of the former JNA and other organizations and groups on the
Republic of Croatia.
M.L. himself worked at the National Park of “Plitvi čka Jezera”, where he worked
as a head of the tourist village “Korana”, in whose un it there were 50 employees, and
during the season, about 50 more migrant workers, mostly Croats and Serbs, the proportion
was about fifty-fifty. There were no disputes among them, especially not on the national
basis.
Then, on Easter 1991, on the entrance to Plitvice, the Tchetnik rebellion groups, set an
ambush to the workers of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, and there
was an armed clash and people were killed.
After that event, a tension grew in the place, the business of the National Park itself was
disturbed, and although there was an attempt to normalize the situation, it failed, and
resulted in the occupation of major buildings by the Serbs, while the Croats could not come
to work any more, but they mostly remained in their houses in their villages.
This kind of situation, neither peace nor war, lasted until the beginning of August 1991,
when the Tchetnik groups started to provoke by firing from fire arms at the Croatian
villages of POLJANAK, DREŽNIK and RASTOVAČA, because of which the people from
those villages, for their own safety, were forced to leave their houses at night and go
outside the village to the surrounding woods and dales.
In the beginning of October 1991, there was a first Chetniks’ action in the sense of an
armed clash, from the Serbian village of Plitvice at Poljanak when the Chetniks attacked
houses at the entrance of the village from the direction of Plitvice. The majority of the
people from Poljanak ran into the woods during that attack, while the elder persons stayed
in their houses and other buildings hiding from the Chetniks. There were no human victims
nor did they take the people on that occasion.
After the attackers left the village the same day, the people that ran away came back to their
houses where they kept on living until 28 tOctober 1991 when there was another fierce
Chetniks’ attack. Then some of the men ran away from the village (among them were
M.L., S., B. and J.B.) while the Chetniks captured and
imprisoned P. and I.B., who did not manage to escape. 133
The persons that ran away, came back the next morning, when M.L. found in the
backyard of his house, by the stable, his father I. and brother M. hanged. L.
M. states that he assumes that th same Chetniks that attacked Poljanak the day before
murdered them, but that nobody saw that, since it all happened at night.
On that same day, between 10.00 and 11.00 hrs, a group of about 10 persons, wearing the
uniforms of the reserve of the former JNA, armed with the infantry military weapons,
surrounded M.L.’s house asking him to surrender, because otherwise they would
kill him. M.L. states that he asked them for permission to stay at his father’s and
brother’s funeral, and they allowed him, after which they tied him up and took him to
prison at the Police Station in T. Korenica.
As to the members of the mentioned Chetniks, rebelled groups that attacked Poljanak,
M.L. knows that these were the local people living in the surrounding Serbian
villages Plitvice and Jezerce, and from some other places. Among them L. mentions
the following persons that he recognized among those rebells:
- MILE KOVA ČEVIĆ, from Babin Potok by Vrhovine, he worked as a
manager of “Lička kuća” (a building at the National Park “Plitvička Jezera”)
- ČEDO RAPAJIĆ, from Jezerce, he worked at the technical service of the
National Park; he took M.L. to the prison in T. Korenica
- JOVO PAVLICA, from Plitvice, worked as a chief waiter in several hotels in
Plitvice, also actively participated in taking M.L. to the prison in T.
Korenica
He also remembers that among the Chetniks that came to Poljanak, he saw and recognized
the following persons:
- VINKO ORSIĆ, from Plitvice;
IJ-IV Ć (he does not know his name), from Makinje?
I-V Ć, from Plitvice
among them there was a number of unknown persons.
At the prison in Korenica, L.M. was imprisoned together with M.P.
from Poljanak, F. (he does not know his name), from Selište, N.
K. from Rastovača, while in other cells of the prison th were more prisoners
that M.L. could not see and he cannot identify them.
At the same prison he was interroga ted by some unknown person, an older man wearing a
uniform of the former JNA, with a rank of a major, he beat him and kicked him, molesting
him and offending him.
From T. Korenica twelve prisoners were on that same day, at night, after they were tied up,
transported by an old truck to the camp “Manja ča” in Bosnia and Herzegovina: the above
mentioned P. , F. and K. , then M .L. from
Rastovača, M.D. fromPlitvice, while the other person s were unknown
to him, and he assumes that they wee probably from Slunj.
They arrived to the camp “Manja ča” on that same night, where they were all locked in one
room. They did not get anything to eat or drink for 4 or 5 days, while they were
interrogated over and over again by some unknown persons dressed in uniforms of the
former JNA, on which occasion they were beaten and molested. 134
As far as L. knows, no one was deadly hurt then.
On 09 tNovember 1991 all the above mentioned, among 400 more prisoners from the
camp, were exchanged in the first exchange that was made between the Republic of Croatia
and the rebellion para-authorities of the rebelled Serbs. Before that they were all signed in
by the International Red Cross, who came into the camp on that occasion.
After the liberation, M.L. came to Rijeka where he lives today as a refugee,
together with his family (his wife and sons).
Further destiny, and the adresses of the persons with whom he was in prison and in the
camp, as of the other people from Poljanak, is unknown to L., except that he states that
they are probably at their relatives’ in Karlovac and Zagreb.
The official memorandum is liable to further knowledge and use.
Authorized person: Sandi Jusić (signature)
A NNEX 386:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF M.K.
M.K., born on ... in ..., ...,
address: …, Plitvicka Jezera; temporary address:…; UCRN: …, gives the following:
STATEMENT
“The first attack on Plitvice occurred on Easter on March 18 thor 20th1991. We were in
houses and we weren’t allowed to go out because members of our special police forces sent
us a word through Marko Luketi ć not to go out on the road because there was fighting
against Chetniks going on. On that day there was a funeral of Dane Luketi ć. They had
barely put him in a grave and they had to run away – all because of chetnik’s attack. After
that attack everything stood still and members of our special police forces captured Plitvice.
In the evening on the Easter day, the Yugoslav Federal Army arrived at Mukinje at the Hall
of the 6tLička, they stationed on the bridge of Korana and they stayed there throughout the
summer. During that time until the summer, the Yugoslav Federal Army wasn’t attacking,
but Chetniks shelled my native village Poljanak from the “Lička kuća”.
I lived at Rastovač a until I got married. They didn’t shell Rastova ča. First shells fell in
Drežnik late in July. Every night they successively shelled Selište, Čatrnja, Drežnik and
surrounding villages. Grenades were falling across Rastova ča. Children together with their
mothers left the village after a school year ended and they went to Crikvenica to be
protected. I stayed behind until the end.
On September 20 th1991 at 8,30am my house was set on fire as well as the entire village, in
fact, at first 14 houses were set on fire. Chetniks, our neighbours: Miloš Cvjeti čanin,
Predrag Prpi ć and another 8 persons from our village as well (whose surnames I don’t
know), were burning houses. They wore masks – stockings on their heads. I recognized
those two by the way they walked. I saw when the first house was set on fire after the
shooting and I ran away from my house in the last minute.
My husband went to get some wood and when the first gun fired, he came back. I managed
to free horses from a cart and to run away. We ran to one small wood – first my husband
and a neighbour, and then me. We were in that small wood until they started to set the 135
second house on fire. Our house was already on fire. Bullets, that Chetniks fired, were
inflammable.
Chetniks were setting on fire houses from both sides of the village, until they met. Then
they returned to the “Li čka kuća” – their headquarters. When they left, l came back to my
house to let go cattle in case that stabling would catch fire. I went to the house of my sister-
in-law. Her house didn’t burn down to the ground. I stayed there for 20 days. Chetniks let
us be, but they set on fire Poljanak, my native village, at the beginning of October – it
happened on October 8 thor October 9 1991.
On October 10 1991 l went through Ličko Petrovo Selo to Bihac to buy victuals. Chetniks
caught me at Li čko Petrovo Selo, they maltreated me and they threatened me with a knife.
They wanted me to tell them if I knew where ustashas were and who was an ustasha. After
that they told me and they threatened me that they would take me to one valley to tell them
where ustashas were and who killed my neighbour of Serbian nationality. They let me go
and I went from Petrovo Ssto to Biha ć on foot for 18km. I stayed there for couple of days
and around December 1 1991 I went by bus across Bosnia to Split. My daughter lived in
Split. As the Yugoslav Federal Army was leaving Zadar, they intercepted us and they
maltreated us in a bus. They took out young men and they didn’t allow them to go. We
stayed overnight in a bus near Sinj. At around 5,30am we proceeded towards Split. I was
there at my daughter’s until my husband was released from Manja ča. We came to Zagreb
from Split.
At my village Poljanak, Chetniks executed 12 men and women by firing squad. They
hanged Ivan and Milan Lon čar – a father and a son. They executed following people by
firing squad: Ivan and Nikola Vukovi ć (brothers), a son-in-law Nikola, Milka Vukovi ć
(Nikola’s wife), Dane Vukovi ć, son Slavko and sister Luja, another Dane Vukovi ć, Jozo
Matovina and his father Nikola. The entire family V. suffered. T.V. and
K.M. also suffered.
The V.s, that by chance stayed alive, were placed in Karlovac at “Gaza” or they were
given an apartment.
I want to return – even u nder a beech-tree. I have a greater will to built a house now than
when l was younger. “
In Zagreb, December of 1994
Statement was given by: M.K.
Statement was taken by: VIŠNJA FRANKOVIĆ 136
A NNEX 387:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF B V.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
KARLOVAC POLICE ADMINISTRATION
KA RLOVAC POLICE STATION
Number: 511-05-10-3608/95 I.P.
Date: 15 September 1995
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen B.V. was born on .... He is a garage mechanic, he lives in
Karlovac. On 15 September 1995, at the accommodation of the Karlovac police
administration, Karlovac police station I, he gave an authorized official of Karlovac PA,
Karlovac PS I, the following information:
“I am an exile from the village of Vukovi ć near Slunj. Together with my mother I fleed
from the village in 1991 when the Chetniks’ attack on the village began.
On 07 November 1991, when I was imprisoned, I was in N.V. ’s (the son of
M.) house. I was there because N.V. was ill. The house is in the village of
Poljana, hamlet of V . Together with me in the house were L.V. , D.
V., the son of P. , D.V. , the son of M., M.V. , N.
V., N.M., J.M., and V.V., my father, whom they
called S.
On that day, when they captured me, we, who were in the house, saw, through the window,
that something was happening in front of the house. To be percise, I saw someone moving
in front of the house, some people. First I thought that they were our people. So, I came out
of the house to see who these people were, and then Serbian soldiers, Chetniks, caught me.
They were local people from the nearby villages. I recognized one of them. He was Miloš
Cvjetičanin, the son of Žarko. I heard them calling each other by nicknames. So I heard that
they called one of them “Rambo”. That Rambo was their chief. He was boasting how he
killed Croats. Among them there was also one man whom they called “Siman”, who
worked before in the former Korenica police station.
When I came out and was captured, they started shouting “Tie him, beat him, force others
out of the house”. They broke the house windows, and the people who were in the house
were forced out since they threatened them with arms. All the people except N.
V. (the son of M.), who was the owner of the house and was lying ill in the bed,
were forced out of the house by Che tni. They lined up all of us others who were in front
of the house. After that they started beating us with with butt-ends and legs. After they beat
and searched us, they took only men to another house, that was facing N.V.’s
house. There they put us in front of the wall. They left women in front of N.V. ’s
house.
When they lined us up in front of the house wall we were standing in a line in which, if we
orient from the direction of N.V. ’s house, I was standing last when looked at
from the left, in the direction of the house. My father, V, called S. ,
stood next to me. Next to my father was, I think, J.M. , then next in a line was
D.V., although I’m not quite sure, the next w as N.M., and at the end
of the line there was my grandather, DV. (the son of M.). 137
N.V., who was ill, stayed lying in the bed in his house, and later on, Chetniks
shot him from automatic rifle, and then , while he was in the bed, they threw a bomb at him.
L. and M.V. were killed by Chetniks on the spot, i n front of N. ’s house.
L. and M. were dressed in long skirts of a darkish colour. L.V. was small,
but somehow bulky, and was lame, because on e of her legs was injured and she had a metal
bar in it. Also she had denture. M.V. was of a similar constitution as L. and
she also had denture.
V.V., called S. , who was my fa ther, was dressed in a darkis h suit, and
had black shoes. I know that he had broken left arm, f actured in the forearm. He had also
broken a leg. Also, I know that he had two of three teeth missing. I’m not sure if he missed
more teeth because they beat them with butt-ends on their heads. Before the war my father
was hospitalized in Udbina and Korenica because of his problems with kidneys, and he also
had two heart attacks.
J.M. was approximately 1.70 m tall and was quite thin. He was dressed in
troursers and a shirt, but I can’t remeber the colours. I don’t know wh ether J. had any
fractures, but I remember that he had some teeth missing. Also, I don’t know if he had
some illnesses or if he went to doctors and if he did where he went. You should talk to his
family about it.
D.V. (the son of P.) was approximately 1.75 m tall and was a little bit fat. He
was baldish. I can’t remember the c tlos he wore. Also I don’t know if he had any kind of
injuries, but I remember that he was wounded in the World War II and that he had a scar,
but I don’t exactly know where. I don’t know any other details related to him.
N.M. was approximately 1.80 m tall. He had similar constitution as D. He
was boldish. He was dressed in a darkish su it, and had black shoes. I know that he was
treated in a hospital in Karlovac, just before the war started. He had an operation. I’m not
quite sure if he operated the appendix or if something was wrong with the kidneys. N.
had all of his teeth. As far as I remember N. wasn’t hospitalized anywhere else but in
Karlovac.
D.V., my grandfather, was shortish and thin. He was dressed in a dark suit and
had shoes. He had broken one of his arms befo re the was. I think it was his left arm. He
complained of having belly-ache, but he didn’t go to see a doctor. He was missing two or
three teeth, and I think that he was also missing a molar tooth. I don’t know any other
details related to him.
I think it would be good to go to the house where all of these things happened, because all
the traces of bullets are visible on the house, and it could be possible to compare the traces
with the heights of the persons. Also, if it is necessary, I would voluntarily go and show
you the scene of crime where everything happened.
I managed to avoid the shooting because, at the time shoting started, I threw myself on the
ground aside. There I managed to recognizethe Chetnik, Miloš Cvjeti čanin, the son of
Žarko. As far as I could tell then, he didn’t shoot at us. All of my family were killed then,
and since they didn’t kill me, they started beating me with but-ends and boots and poking
me with knives. After a while they started dragging me, across the field, towards the village
of Poljanak. The group of Chetniks located in the hamlet of V. , split in three groups,
and I went with one of the groups to the vi llage of Poljanak. I was walking in front of them
because they thought that the path to Poljanak was mined. When we got to Poljanak,
Chetniks started searching the houses as well as setting them on fire and capturing people. 138
They took me to the house where they kept a larger group of captured people. Among those
people was my mother M.. Chetniks forced my mother and all the other women to go to
the hamlet of V., while the men had to stay in Poljanak. N.V. and I. or
I.V. were killed then in Poljanak. It is not kown where they were buried because
Chetniks just covered their bodies with earth . They wanted to take me to the Knin prison,
but then they said that I am of no good, and ordered me to go with the women to V.
When I caught up with the women, I told them to stay away from the path. So I led their
way through a dale, and so, by avoiding the path, as I figured out, later on, we avoided an
ambush. Later on, I heard Chetniks arguing, most likely because one of the groups prepared
an ambush somewhere on the way to V. in order to kill the women. They were
arguing because they couldn’t believe we avoided the ambush. They simply couldn’t belive
that. After that my mother and I ended up in Slunj. After the fall of Slunj we went to
Bosnia, then to Rijeka, and finally to Karlovac.
My mother, M.V., wasn’t present when Chetniks shot at people in the hamlet of
V., so she couldn’t say anything about i t.
Vajo Grbić, who is momentarily in Plitvice, could say something more about the shooting.
He was imprisoned and was questioned by the Gospi ć police. As far as I know he was
captured in civilian clothes, and he came up with a story, and since there weren’t any
witnesses he was released. They couldn’t prove anything , but I know that, on 6 October, he
headed the group of Chetniks for the hamlet of V., when the first attack on the
village occured. On that occasion T.V. and an elderly woman were killed. I saw
him with my own eyes when he was headi ng the group of Chetniks. He was wearing a hat
and had weapons. His son, Momo Grbi ć, was also very active as a Chetnik, which is
obvious since he, Slavko Grbi ć and three more Chetniks, attacked a police van in the
September of 1991 in V.. On that ocassion 4 police officers were killed and one was
wounded.
If it is necessary I will testify about everything I said. I guarantee that what I said in the
statemnt is true.
Authorized official:
Ivan Pavlaković
(signature) 139
A NNEX 388:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M .V.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
RIJEKA POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT FOR PUBL IC SECURITY OPERATIONAL ACTION
Number: 511-09-02/8561/92 PA
Rijeka, 06 April 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on 06 April 1992 at the Rijeka police administration in connection with the
informative conversation conducted with M.V. in relation to the content of the
Karlovac police administration dispatch no. 511-05-02/2-9-4-1068/92 from 26 March 1992.
On 30 March 1992 an informative conversation was conducted with M.V. , the
daughter of D. and J. (born F.), born on ... in ..., Slunj
municipality, a Croatin woman, a house wif e; permanent address: …; residence address:
…, in relation with the criminal offences of war crimes against civilians committed by
members of Serbo-Chetnik formations.
In informative talk M.V. states that on 07 November 1991, around 08:00 a.m. her
husband V. and son B. went to the hamlet of V. to visit N .V.
called “Š. who was ill and unable to move. Further on she states that on the same day,
somewhere around 09:00 a.m., she noticed a big smoke and that sheheard shooting which
came from the direction of V. where, at the moment, her son and husband were.
Shortly after she saw a group of uniformed persons, approximately 20 of them, surrounding
the hamlet of Poljanak and at the same time she saw some 20 uniformed and armed persons
coming towards her from the direction of the hamlet of V. . They had her son B.
with them. He walked with his arms up in the air. She states that the group which came
from V. was looking for her, that is for the mother of the child they took with them.
When the groups from Poljanak and V. mereg ed,some of them began to set on fire
the houses in the village of Poljanak. First thuld set hay on fire by using matches or a
ligter, and then they would throw the flame, through the windows or entrance doors, into
the houses. Before they did it they asked for the weapons, money, and some other valuable
things, and they also wanted to know if someone of the relatives was a member of Ministry
of the interior or Croatian army.
When asked if she knew the persons stated in the dispatch M.V. said that she
personaly didn’t know anyone of the stat ed people, anlso that she personaly didn’t know
anyone of the persons who were, on that day, in the hamlets of Poljanak and V.,
when the massacre was conduced and the villages were burnt.
While she was surrounded by Chetniks, M.V. states that her son B. managed
to say very quietly that the same Chetniks ked approximately 10 villagers in the hamlet of
V., and that one of them was her husband, that is, his father, B.
Further on she states that, after she heard her son B. saying that, she became frightened
for his life and asked from a Chetnik, for whom she assumed that was one of the leaders, to
save her son’s life. After arguing with others, the Chetnik agreed to do it, so, by threatening
with arms, he ordered her, her son B. , their neighbour M.V. , and her
daughter M. to go towards V. and said that they must follow the path to 140
V. because if the didin’t they would kill them. She states that the Chetniks kept
N. and I.V. for whom she heard the Chetniks saying that they would kill
them. While on their way to V., after they cou ldn’t be seen by the Chetniks anymore,
they left the path and came, across the cornfield, to a cave where th ey hid and heard other
Chetniks, those which were outside the hamlet of Poljanak who were, in her opinion,
keeping watches, searching for them.
After approximately an hour of hiding in the cave, and after she was certain that the
Chetniks left the village, she and M.V. went to Poljanak where, near N.
V.’s house, found N .V. and I.V. dead. She couldn’t tell by the
look an d type of the w ound how they were ki lled, because their heads were smashed and
their brains were scattedred around. They just covered them with a blanket because there
weren’t any time to bury them, since they were afraid that Chetniks would come and find
them there.
M.V. then states that after that the two of them returned to the cave where they
stayed for the whole night and during the f ollowing days they headed, in foot, towards
Slunj. After they came there, with the help of the local authorities, they were transfered to
Cazin, from where they came, by bus, through Bos. Šamac and Zagreb, to Kraljevica. In
Kraljevica they were, as exiles, provided with accommodation at the tourist settlement
“Uvala Scott”.
During the conversation with M.V. it seemed that, because she was afraid or for
some other reasons, she didn’t want to sa y or at least “know” some of the persons who
participated in the criminal offence of war crime against civilians. She probably didn’t want
to recognize these people because she is afraid that they would take revenge on her and her
son B.. Also during the conversation she kept pointing out the fact that in the state of
fear and panic she was in she didn’t pay attention to them because the only thing on her
mind was to save her son from death.
Authorized official:
Anton Pilat
(signature) 141
A NNEX 389:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF M .B.
M.B., born on ... in ..., lll, a resident of a
village …, UCRN: …, gives the following:
STATEMENT
It wasa bloody Easter at Plitvice in 1991. We got the notice from our police not to go out.
“Members of Marti ć’s units” came to Plitvice before Easter. We, from Croatian villages,
couldn’t go there, because they were lying in an ambush and they would interrogate people.
“Members of Martić’s units” came from Korenica and from the woods. When members of
our special police forces headed towards Plitvice, “members of Marti ć’s unit” were waiting
for them at the bridge of Korana and they shot at their bus. That was how members of our
special police forces were killed. Fighting was going on all day long. For the entire summer
“members of Martić’s units” were firing shells at us. Our children couldn’t attend the high
school in Titova Korenica because “members of Marti ć’s unit” would capture and threaten
them. They threatened my son. S.G. (husband of my neighbour), Predrag Grbi ć
(from a village Plitce), two brothers Krneta and a lot of others were “members of Marti ć’s
unit”. Boys that were mobilized by the army were then maltreated and battered so they had
to be admitted to a hospital.
th
We stayed at our village until October 81991. On that day tank units and the infantry of
the Yugoslav Army together with Chetniks came to our village. I was going to pull out
potatoes on that day. A shooting went on and it became fiercer. We thought that our boys
were fighting, but, unfortunately, those were the Yugoslav Army and “members of Marti ć’s
unit”. They started setting houses on fire and the unarmed people started fleeing towards
Slunj.
We only managed to take with us our documents that were in a purse. We left behind
everything: a house, a motorcycle, a trailer, farm-buildings, cattle, cows, pigs, a tractor, a
mill, a car and everything else.
The Headquarters for Crisis in Slunj took us in and I was taken care of at Janko Žalac’s. We
were there until 15 November 1991 when Slunj fell.
Then we fled, again, through Bosnia. We stayed in Cazin for 5 days. Then Stjepan Kljujć
came to Cazin together with European observers. We were transported in a convoy to
Čitluk in Herzegovina. We stayed there for 11 days. “Members of Marti ć’s unit” were
pulling people out from that convoy and took them to concentration camps. We were lucky
that they passed our bus.
We went on our own from Čitluk through Split to Zagreb, to my husband’s brother and we
were placed at Spansko after a month. We are here now and we feel worthless because we
aren’t producing anything. I am more optimistic now. My husband has a nervous disorder.
In Zagreb, December of 1994
Statement was given by: M.B.
Statement was taken by: VIŠNJA FRANKOVIĆ 142
A NNEX 390:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S R.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
KARLOVAC POLICE ADMINISTRATION
SLU NJ POLICE STATION
(organizational unit of the Ministry)
Number: 511-05-40/3-1-K-60/92
st
Date: the 21 of July 1993
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen – S.R., son of L., occupation – worker, born on – the ...
..., residence – permanent address – …, refugee settlement, ___ Karlovac, on the
19thof July 1993 in the offices of the Karlovac Police Administration, in connection with
his stay on the temporary occupied territory in Smoljanac, Titova Korenica municipality,
gave to the authorized person – of the Slunj Police Station (name of the organ of the
Interior) the following information:
“I was the member of the reserve composition of the National Guard, together with my
younger villagers in my village of Smoljanac. We were not armed well so, most of the time,
we kept watch around the village and we watched to see if the enemy was coming so we
could hide in time. There were no bigger problems in the village until the 8 tof October
1991 when the surrounding villages of Vaganac, Drežnik Grad and Drežni čko Selište were
attacked. Those villages were attacked with artillery from the Višnjevača hill and that hill is
right above my village of Smoljanac so the people retreated into the woods, towards the
canyon of the Korana river immediately after the shooting. That day, we, the younger ones,
stayed in the village and the group of enemy soldiers came, some time in the evening, and I
saw 5 to 6 of them so I immediately went towards the canyon. Those soldiers shot and after
th
a while I saw the smoke. When the situation calmed, about the 10 of October 1991 the part
of the people returned to the village. That day I saw in front of Adam Bi čanić’s house Joso
Matovina (son of Petar, born on the 21 sof August 1930 in Saborsko, Ogulin municipality,
permanent address …) dead and Ana Bujadinovi ć (born Smolčić, born in 1919 in Lipovača,
Slunj municipality, permanent address – …) also dead. According to the story of Adam
Bičanić they were killed in front of the Joso Matovina’s house …probably on the 8 thof
October 1991 during the raid of the enemy soldiers from the Višnjeva ča hill, because the
Joso Matovina’s house was near the edge of the wood. Joso and Ana were dressed in their
everyday clothes and I did not see any wounds on them but I do not like to watch dead
th
people so I did not look at them long. That day, on the 10 of October 1991 Joso and Ana
were put in the coffins that were brought from Slunj and two days later they were buried in
the village of Lipovača, near Drežnik.
After that the people, being afraid, started to move out of the village, towards Slunj and
thof October 1991 about 25 of us stayed in the village. we were
some time, after the 20
mostly young, that is, we were the members of the National Guard and the Police and there
were couple of older persons who did not want to run away from the village. When the
enemy army came to the village of Rakovica we were cut off and we hid in the woods and
the regular army of the JNA would patrol through the village every two or three days and
they would say to the persons of the Croatian nationality who stayed in the village that the
so-called “JNA” would not harm them and that they should beware of the “Marti ć people”.
The army of the so-called JNA was sometimes stationed on Plitvice, near the Korana bridge 143
and Mira Vuković and Marko Vesi ć would sometimes go there but later they were killed
but they would bring us some cigarettes and some food.
th
That kind of situation lasted till the 4 of December 1991 when in the morning hours,
around 8:20 a.m., a military formation and a cargo vehicle, like “Zastava”, white-colored
with a canvas cover, arrived from the direction of Plitvice and they went into the village.
After that the shooting was heard and the smoke appeared. That shooting lasted for about
an hour and we, the people in the woods, were afraid to enter into fight against them
because we had a very weak armament and ammunition. The next day, when Roža Bi čanić
informed us that there are dead people in the village, we came down in groups in the
village. So I, together with Mihovil Rosandić, went to the Jure Vuković’s house (Smoljanac
39) and there I saw three dead bodies covered with a sheet. I did not look at them, but the
th
others told me that those were the dead bodies of Mira (da ughter of Jura, born on the 5 of
June 1961 in Smoljanac, Titova Korenica municipality, permanent address – …), Marko
Mesić (son of Jura, born on the 29 thof November 1954 in Smoljanac, Titova Korenica
munthipality, permanent address – …) and of Marko Vukovi ć (son of Mato, born on the
10 of October 1935 in the village of Višnjeva ča, Titova Korenica municipality, permanent
address – ….). After that we went to Jelka Peji ć’s house … because I knew that Ivica
Rosandić and my uncle A.R. used to live there. That house had only basement
rooms and the colleges from the group told me that A.R. and Ivica Rosandi ć,
called “Šima” burnt there inside and since I felt sick I d id not go to watch that. After that,
being afraid, I went immediately to the woods. We saw that there was no life there because
we went secretly to the houses at night to prepare some food and we would immediately go
back to the woods. So one group of six people went towards Bosnia on the 7 thof December
th
1991 and the other twelve of us went towards Bosnia on the 12 of December 1991.
I mention that during the enemy army attacks I did not recognize any enemy soldiers nor
could I recognize which uniforms they were wearing because they were very far away and
no one in the village had a binocular. As soon as somebody would appear we would hide so
the enemy would not see us.
th
On the 4 of December 1991 a married couple, Jura Bi čanić and Roža Bičanić disappeared.
Their son, Petar Bičanić was with us and he looked for them on the scene of fire near their
house, but he did not find them.
During the enemy raid on the 4 thof December 1991 when they came in vehicles from the
direction of Pakrac half of the village was burnt.
Now there is not a single villager in the village.”
Authorized official:
Tomislav Kotić
(signature) 144
A NNEX 391:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF I.M.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
ZADARSKO-KNINSK A POLICE DEPARTMENT
III POLICE S TATION KORENICA
No: 511-18-74th
Korenica, 04 June 1996
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
th
Made on 04 June 1996 at the III Police Station in Korenica and on the occasion of the
interview held with:
I.M., son of J. and M., maiden name S. ; born on .... in
..., Croat, citizen of the Repuc of Croatia, address: ….
st
The interview was held on 31 May 1996 about the circumstances of the death and the
place of burial of the persons that were killed during 1991 in Smoljanac by the Serbo-
Chetnik paramilitary formations, and in connection with the above mentioned, he states:
That during 1991 in Smoljanac the following persons were killed:
st
- Josip Matovina, son of Petar, born on 21 August 1930 in Saborsko, Croat, Address: …
- source of information – Slavko Matovina, Josip’s son
st
- Ana Bujadinović, daughter of Nikola, born on 21 July 1923, Croat, address: Smoljanac
bb, municipality of Smoljanac;
- source of infromation – Slavko Matovina, Josip Matovina’s son
- Marko Vuković, Mate’s son, born on 10 tOctober 1935 in Višnjeva ča, municipality of
Korenica, Croat, address: Smoljanac 40, municipality of Smoljanac;
- source of information Ana Vuković, wife of Marko Vuković
th
- M.M., brother of I.M. , J. ’s son, born on 29 November 1954 in
Smoljanac, Croat, address: Smoljanac 91, municipalit y of Smoljanac;
- source of information – I.M.
- Mira Vuković, daughter of Jure, born on 05 thJune 1961 in Smoljanac, Croat, address:
Plitvica selo, Mukinje bb, municipality of Smoljanac;
- source of infromation – father Jure Vuković, brother Ivica Vuković
nd
- Ivica Rosandić, Marko’s son, born on 02 January 1968 in Smoljanac, municipality of
Smoljanac, Croat, address: Smoljanac 26, municipality of Smoljanac;
- source of infromation – brother Joso Rosandić
- Ante Rumenović, son of Stjepan, born on 11 thSeptember 1937 in Smoljanac, address:
Smoljanac 16, municipality of Smoljanac;
- source of information – Stipe, Slavko and Roža Rumenović
th
- Juraj Bićanić, son of Petar, born on 18 May 1931 in Rončevica, municipality of Slunj,
Croat, address: Smoljanac 76, municipality of Smoljanac; 145
- source of information – son Petar Bićanić
- Roža Bićanić, maiden name Špehar, wife of the mentioned Juraj Bi ćanić, daughter of
Daniel, born on 12 thFebruary 1928 in Dražni čko Selište, municipality of Rakovica,
Croat, address: Smoljanac 76, municipality of Smoljanac;
- source of information – son Petar Bićanić
In connection with his knowledge about the murder and burial of the above mentioned
persons, he states:
In the beginning of October, he does not recall the exact date, he was in Smoljanac together
with: Milan Markovi ć, Milan Rosandi ć, Mihovil Rosandi ć called ”Duva”, Mile Bi ćanić
called “Mile Adamov”, the late Marjan Bićanić called “Buba”, Andrija Mesić, Mile Hodak,
Stipe Hodak, Luka Bi ćanić, Nikola Rukavina, Mile Hodak, Stipe’s son, Drago Bi ćanić,
Ivica Markovi ć, who were defending the village from the paramilitary formations. The
members of the Serbo-Chetnik paramilitary formations came down the Višnjeva ča hill and
attacked moving towards the centre of Smoljanac through the bushes so that they came to
Milan Marković’s house where they had 2 or 3 wounded and they withdrew to the bush
down the Višnjevača hill. I.M. was then, with the above mentioned, in a ditch by the
road, and that was dug out for the water supply , a nd where their positions were and from
where they were defending Smoljanac from the mentioned attack. The members of the
paramilitary formations remained in the bush down the Višnjeva ča hill until night when
they set off towards Plitvi čka Jezera, and I. with the mentioned men went to Drežnik
grad. After about 8 days he came back with his group to Smoljanac, to Josip Matovina’s
house by which the members of the paramilitary formations passed in their attack, and they
found Josip Matovina and Ana Bujadinovi ć dead in front of the house. They were killed
from machine-guns in the mentioned attack. They transported them by a horse-wagon to
Drežnik grad where they were buried in the same grave on the local cemetery.
In the beginning of the month, I. was with the mentioned group on the edge of the
woods of Smoljanac towards Drežnik grad, and th ey noticed a white civilian van and a grey
military jeep – UAZ, that were coming from the direction of the Korana bridge. In the
mentioned vehicles were the members of the Serbo-Tchetnik paramilitary formations
dressed in mottled masked uniforms, and when they came into the centre of Smoljanac they
started firing from firearms at the houses and burning them down, they divided in two
groups. One group searched the houses of Smoljanac while the other lead the mentioned
Marko Vuković to Mira Vukovi ć’s house where they found her inside together with the
mentioned M.M.. The other group found in the cellar of the non finished house of
J.P. – sister of I., the mentioned Ivica Rosan dić and Ante Rumenović. Since there
were more of the m and since they fired all over the village, I. hid with his group and
they remained unnoticed. In the evening the members of the paramilitary formations set off
by the mentioned vehicles in the direction of the Korana bridge. The next morning, I.
went with Nikola Rukavina to the cellar of the house under construcion of his siter J.
P., which they found burned down, and on the entrance by the gate they found the bodies
of Ivica Rosandić and Ante Rumenović killed by the bullets from fire arms. Their arms and
legs were burned down, only their bodies remained.
The house of the mentioned Mira Vukovi ć was also burned down, and in the kitchen the
bodies of Mira Vukovi ć, M.M. and Marko Vukovi ć were found. They were shot
from f ire arms. The body of M.M. , brother of I. , was found by the couch in the
kitchen below the window, the body of Marko Vukovi ć was found lying supine, on the
couch, and Mira Vukovi ć was found in the kitchen in front of the door leading to the 146
bedroom lying face down shot in backs. Since Mira Vukovi ć’s house was set on fire, the
kitchen also burned down, but the bodies did not burn down. According to I., the bodies
of Mira Vuković, M.M. and Marko Vukovi ć were buried by the UNPROFOR with
a dredger between Mira Vuković’s and Nikola Markov ić’s houses in the same grave. It is
assumed that Ivica Rosandi ć and Ante Rumenović were also buried with them into a mass
grave, or, possibly, in the grave over the cellar of the non finished house of J.P. – the
two of them together.
The same day theywere killed, Juraj Bićanić and his wife Roža Bićanić were killed at their
family house in Smoljanac 76 and it is assumed that they burned down either in their house
or in the stable, both of which were set on fire.
For his brother M.M., I. states that he was about 170, 180 cm tall, stout, and that
he did not have front teeth, he does not knowch exactly.
He has nothing more to state about the above mentioned.
Authorized official person:
Josip Žgela (signature)
ANNEX 392:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF P.B.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
KARLOVAC PO LICE DEPARTMENT
POLICE STATION IN SLUNJ
N o: 511-05-40/3-1-k-60/92
21stApril 1993
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
Name, father’s name; P.B., J.
Occupation: member of the Croatian Army
Born on ...
Address …
Temporary address: …
th
On 1 5 April 1993 he gave the following information at the Karlovac Police Department
and in connection with his stay at the occupied area of the municipality of Titova Korenica;
On 08 thOctober 1991 the enemy army fiercely attacked the villages of Vaganac and
Drežničko Selište, while I was in the defence of the village of Smoljanac, municipality of
Titova Korenica, and together with me were: Ante Rukavina, Zoran Bi ćanić, Dragan
Bićanić, Ivan Bićanić, Nikola Rukavina, Milan Rosandić, Mato Mesić, Ivica Mesić, Marko
Hodak, Milan Hodak, Ante Hodak, Stipe Hodak, Nikola Hodak, Mirko Hodak, Jure Špehar,
Marica Špehar, Roža Rukavina and Milan Markovi ć. On that day at dusk, from the
direction of Višnjeva ča hill a group of about 10 enemy soldiers came on foot to Josip
Matovina’s house (Smoljanac 7), from where a few minutes later we heard gunshots. After
that the enemy soldiers went back towards Višnjeva ča hill. Since we were not certain
whether anyone of the enemy soldiers stayed at Josip Matovina’s house, we did not come
near his house all until 10ctober 1991 in the morning when I saw Josip Matovina (son 147
of Petar, born on 21 stAugust 1930 in Saborsko, municipality of Ogulin, address:…) and
Ana Bujadinović (maiden name Smolčić, born in 1919 in Lipova ča, minicipality of Slunj,
address: …) lying dead in front of Joso’s house.
We put them onto a horse-wagon and drove them further in the village, where two caskets
were brought later from Slunj in which we put Josip and Ana and drove them by a van to
the local cemetery in Drežnik Grad, where they were buried in the same grave.
After that event, we all spent the nights in the woods, and in the morning we would come
back to feed the cattle, and then back into the woods. Occasionally the JNA would patrol
through the village in a military vehicle, and who were situated on the Korana bridge in
Plitvice, and they would speak to the local people telling them not to be afraid and that
nobody would touch them while they were there. In the meantime, the surrounding villages
of the municipality of Slunj, and the town itself (Slunj), were occupied, but we did not want
to run away from our village.
On 04 thDecember 1991, somewhere after 08.00 hrs in the morning, from the direction of
the Korana bridge enemy soldiers came into the village in three white vans and stopped at
Marko Vuković’s house, captured him and brought him to Jure Vukovi ć’s house, where
M.M. and Mira Vuković were.
Since we knew which of the people ret urned to the village that morning from the woods, it
was clear what was happening in their houses. After the shotings at Jure Vukovi ć’s house,
the enemy army went to the other part of the village at J.P. ’s house (...)
and soon after they came inside we heard shootin gs, and we knew that in this house were
Ivica Rosandić and Ante Rumenović. The enemy soldiers came down the village to Nikola
Bićanić’s house (Smoljanac 78) in which at the time were my parents, J. B. and
R.B. and soon a fter they came there, we saw the house was on fire. Since all the
enemy soldiers we nt away from the village in the direction of the Korana bridge, we first
came to Jure Vuković’s house where we found in the kitchen Marko Vuković (son of Mate,
born on 10 thOctober 1935 in Višnjeva ča, municipality of T. Korenica, address: …), M.
M. (son of J., born on ... in Smoljanac, address: …) and Mira
th
Vuković (daughter of Jure, born on 05 June 1961 in Smoljanac, municipality of T.
Korenica, address: …) dead, shot from fire arms.
After that we went to J.P. ’s house where we found the bodies of Ivica Rosandi ć
(son of Marko, born on 02 nd January 1968 in Smoljanac, address: Smoljanac …) and Ante
th
Rumenović (son of Stjepan, born on 11 September 1937 in Smoljanac, address: Smoljanac
… ) The bodies were partially burned down.
After that we went to Nikola Bić anić’s house (Smoljanac 29) where my parents were, but
Nikola’s house was still on fire, and since it was covered with metal roof, the roof collapsed
and we tried to find them, but since we were banging with the metal roof, the enemy army
noticed us and started firing at us from the direction of the village of Čatrnja. There at the
scene of fire my dead parents remained, my father J.B. (son of P., born on ...
..., municipality of Slunj, address: Smoljanac …) and my mother
R.B. (maiden name Š., daughter of D. , born on ... in
..., municipality of Slunj, adress: Smoljanac …)
By the house that burned down there was a smaller on e in which we found beans cooking
on a stove, and in the oven bread being baked, by which I concluded that my parents were
there. 148
Because of our own safety, we did not manage to bury anyone of the deceased, but they
remained there where they were killed.
On that day in Smoljanac the majority of the Croatian houses were set on fire (about 90%
of them), which were first robbed and then set on fire.
In the afternoon hours I saw Drežničko Selište and Čatrnja burning, that is, Croatian houses
th
and properties that remained untouched after the first attack that was on 08 October 1991,
being set on fire.
th
On 7 December 1991 Ante Rukavina, Milan Rosandi ć, Mate Mesi ć, Roža Rukavina and
Milan Marković left the village, while we stayed until 12 thDecember 1991, when we also
left the village.
Authorized official person:
Joso Bertović (signature)
A NNEX 393:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF M Ž.
M.Ž., a daughter of J. (a father), born on ... in ... ,
county district of G račac, a resident of Gra čac, ... , nationality: Croat,
occupation: housewife,a widow, mother of three, UCR N: …, gives the following:
STATEMENT
We were surrounded for about a year. We were constantly shelled.
The first attack, that came from the direction of Plo če, occured on July 20th1991. On that
occasion a greater material damage was done and the wictim was Marija Mataji ć (born in
1921) who lived alone.
th
The following attack occured on August 5 1991. Armed Chetniks came wearing masked
uniforms and they led away following civilians: Marko Pavi čić (called “Makica”, born in
1914), Stjepan Katalini ć, Jure Sekulić , Martin Šari ć and Ivan lvezi ć. Their destiny was
th
unknown until August 14 1991. On that day Manda Rač ić went to look for horses that ran
away because of bombing. Then she sensed an unpleasant smell. There were five men
murdered – massacred. The autopsy on those civilians was performed in Gospić (they came
from the Medical Center of Rijeka).
th
The funeral of those victims on the cemetery of Lovinac was scheduled for August 15
1991, but the Yugoslav Federal Army didn`t allow, they stalled access to relatives. At the
end they were buried at the late hour of the evening, but without the presence of their
relatives.
th
On August 5 1991 on the way to Ploč e, Milan Sekulić (born in 1940) was also murdered.
He had a gun on him, but when he had recognized some Serbs, he tossed the gun away and
he wanted to make a deal with them not to shoot at each other. They returned his offer by
tiing him with a wire, beating him up and murdering him. The dead body was transported to
Lovinac with a help of Serb Dmitar Obradović (a retired former commander of the police in
th
Lovinac). He was buried on August 6 1991 early in the morning. A wife, a sister and a
couple of people were the only ones who were present at the funeral. 149
During the attack on August 5 th1991, an old woman was wounded. Her name was Kaja
Šarić (Gešan). She succumbed to deep injuries a few days later in Gospi ć. She was buried
in Gospić without the presence of her dearest.
From September 3 rdtill September 24 1991 attacts were more and more frequent.
Jakov and Ana Sekulić ( a couple ) were murdered and massacred. The head of one of them
was cut off. They haven`t been buried till to this very day, because the UNPROFOR didn`t
allow the access. During those days Ivan Brki ć was also murdered. They had covered him
with leaves and then they set him on fire. Serbs from Plo če were the ones who did that.
Deaf and dumb brothers Josip and Mi ćo Pavičić about 60 years old were also murdered and
massacred at the village Smokvić.
Several people at the village Ričice and in Cerje were murdered and set on fire. I know that
in one house at Ričice 3 old women were murdered, but l don`t know their names.
Following people died at St. Rok: Mato Kova čević (born in 1894), Bariša Krpan (80 years
old), Josip Račić (about 90 years old), Milka Šulenti ć and Manda Pavičić (she was burned
in her house, she was blind). Ante Šulenti ć (a paralytic, also burned in his house), Martin
Rukavina (they beheaded him).
th
Before August 24 1991, that is before lots of people left Lovinac and went over Velebit, a
lot of houses were set on fire. My house and farm-buildings were demolished during the
bombing on September 22 nd 1991. I was afraid the whole time. The first encounter with a
stranger who was an armed serbian soldier, wearing the uniform of the former Yugoslav
Federal Army. It happened in the house of Julka and Nikola Klanac where I hid. That was
at the beginning of October of 1991. When he had seen three old and weak people in the
house, he tossed away his gun and swore the devil who gave him that gun. Then he said
that he would rather be at home with his wife, two children and parents. He was about 30
years old. His first name was Nikola and he was from Gračac (his mother was Croat and his
father was Serb). He brought us cigarettes several times. The others were maltreated and
they were taken to Knin. They didn`t fare well as l did.
th
On October 20 1991 I was moved, together with Julka and Nikola Klanac, to the house of
Mile Prpić (called “Lile”), where I spent one week. They came and interrogated me about
who I had and where. I saw a plunder of cattle and property which they loaded on trucks
and transported to Ploče and to the station of Lovinac.
th
On October 26 1991, 28 of us were put on a truck (the military Red Cross). We didn`t
know where they were taking us. They brought us to the exit from the town Medak towards
Gospić, dumpth us there and told us: “Go now to your Tu đman!” It was about 4pm on
October 26 1991.
A column of the old people headed towards Gospi ć. They told us to stay on the road
because everything else was mined. We went on foot for 15 km until we came to the village
Ribnik. I am a disabled person and to walk l have to use crutches (I have arthrozis of
joints). All the way mortar shells whistled over our heads. Everyone of us 28, except the old
man Petar Matajić, managed to arrive to Gospić. Petar Matajić (born in 1909), who couldn`t
follow the others, stayed in a trench after one kilometer. His destiny is unknown.
Our people came to Ribnik and transported us by bus to Gospi ć. Our army gave us shelter
in Gospić and then they transported us to Karlobag.
The UNPROFOR didn`t allow us to bury our victims – there were about 40 dead people.
The UNPROFOR was located at Lovinac. 150
I have been in Zagreb from October 28 t1991. I was there together with my husband who
died on July 17th1994 (77 years old). I still hope that l would return. If I couldn`t return, l
hope that there shall be some young people who will light a candle in our home – ...
no. ....
With my signature on every page of this Statement I confirm its authenticity.
th
In Zagreb, November 19 1994
Statement was given by: M.Ž. (signed by A.K.)
Statement was taken by: dr DUBRAVKA MEGEN-RUŽIČKA
A NNEX 394:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF M .R.
RECORD
M.R. (father D. ), agriculturist, living in …, born ... in ...
Gračac municipality.
“On 5 August 1991, around 8 a.m., a mortar attack s tarted on the village of Lovinac by
enemy Chetnik formations. I live in the village together with my family. During the
beginning of the attack I was at home performing small tasks and handling the cattle. I left
my house and went about 500 m away to the field where my cattle was located, with the
intention to bring it home.
While I was at the field I noticed four persons approaching me and they were armed and
dressed in camouflaged uniforms. At first I did not know whether they were members of
MUP (Ministry of the Interior) or Chetniks, because they both had very similar uniforms. I
had a hunting carabine strapped to my back and one of them shouted at me to stop and put
the weapon down, which I did. When they walked up to me I concluded that they were
terrorists – Chetniks, but I did not know any of them. They asked me who I was and where
from, I told them and then they took me to my house.
When we arrived at the house I saw Radoslav Čubrilo aka “Rade”, he was familiar to me,
and he is originally from Radu č. With him was a person who introduced himself as
“Bosanac” and who was unknown to me. They were both also dressed in camouflaged
uniforms and armed with automatic rifles. They did not have any insignia on them except
that they were wearing officer belts.
A soon as I arrived I noticed that they had already searched my house and that they had
found my pistol “Beretta” cal. 6,355mm. During the search of the house my wife M.
R. and daughters D. and A. were present.
Radoslav Čubrilo ordered me to go with t he two of them to show them the way, which
leads from the field into the direction of Lovinac. I was forced to go with them and my wife
said that she would come along, but they would not let her. While we walked towards
Lovinac several uniformed persons accompanied me and among them were Radoslav
Čubrilo and the person nicknamed “Bosanac”. When we were outside the settlement one of
them noticed my daughter D. who was hiding behind rocks and told me to call her. I
called her by the name of D., after which she came to the path. They said that she
would have to come along. She walked with us for a part of the way until one uniformed
person said to let her go. She then went home and I continued to walk with the uniformed
persons. 151
We arrived at the hamlet Šari ći and Martin Šari ć was arrested at his house. Then he was
taken with me to the other hamlet Šarić where Ivan Ivezić was arrested at his home and also
forced to come with us. Here the terrorists set the first haystacks on fire, but I did not see
with what they did that. Continuing the walk we got to the house of Ika Krpan. Her barn
was already on fire and her house, which was the nicest of all houses. Radoslav Čubrilo
said that it could not be left and that even this house was set on fire by the terrorists. While
we were in the vicinity of Ika Krpan’s house, Marko Pavi čić came and spoke negatively
about the Chetniks because they were setting houses on fire, believing that I was in the
company of police members since they had very similar uniforms. In the meantime, they
brought Stjepan Katalinić and Jure Sekuli ć to my group. So now six of us were arrested,
besides me they were Martin Šari ć, Ivan Ivezić, Marko Pavičić, Stjepan Katalinić and Jure
Sekulić. We all were taken into the direction of Jure Sekuli ć’s house. His house, barn and
haystacks were on fire. Then we were taken into the direction of Stjepan Katalini ć’s house
and saw his house and barn on fire. While we were behid Stjepan Katalini ć’s barn,
Radoslav Čubrilo turned to me and said: “You with the cap, go to Lovinac to the police and
tell Zdunić or whoever is the chief, to surrender at 4 p.m. and let us know through the army.
You come back in an hour or two and give us a sign with your cap to let us know it is you.
These people will not be released until you return.”
I then went to Lovinac to the police station and reported to the commander Mirko Horvatin
about all the events that were happening and told him about the terrorists’ conditions. He
would not let me go back, which I did not want to do anyway. I stayed in Lovinac. Here I
heard that the terrorists took my wife and daughters and set my house on fire. In the
meantime, I found out that my wife and daughters managed to escape and that they are in
the basement of Josip Sekuli ć. So I went there and found them. They told me that the
terrorists returned to my house at around 5 p.m. They managed to escape and the terrorists
set on fire the farming building. From the persons who returned to my house they
recognized Bodgan Čubrilo from Radu č. He killed our dog in the yard, which was tied up
there.
Among the terrorists I also recognized Milorad Žegarac from Radu č, who I know from
before. Through the conversation with my wife and daughters I found out that among the
terrorists who burned the houses and took me and the others were also Milorad Čubrilo aka
“Čačak”, Petar Ajdukovi ć from Radu č, Gojko Mrkailo from Radu č, Bogdan Šobat aka
“Šubo” from Raduč and the already mentioned Bogdan Čubrilo from Radu č.
On 12 August 1991, my wife M. was looking for the cattle and came to a spring located
about 500-600 m from the tracks. She noticed a strong stench, probably from a corpse, and
told me about it. The next day, 13 August 1991, in the early morning hours I went to the
place, which my wife described to me. In a bush, about 10 m away from the tracks, I found
the bodies of Stjepan Katalinić, Marko Pavičić, Martin Šaric and Ivan Ivezić. Jure Sekulić’s
body was a little further under the bush, so I did not see him right away. The bodies were
black and were missing the eyes. I recognized all of them except for Stjepan Katalini ć and
Jure Sekulić, that is I did not know who is who, because they had a very similar built. I
reported this to the police station in Lovinac and they took the necessary police measures.
I have nothing more to state, I heard the dictation of the statement, I do not wish to read it,
and I am signing it without comments.”
Finished at 11.05 a.m.
Authorized officials:
Ivica Oravec (signature), 152
Željko Jurić (signature),
Josip Grgurić (signature)
Recording secretary:
Miranda Jurčić (signature)
Citizen:
M.R. (signature)
A NNEX 395:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF I.P.
I.P., son of I. and M. (nee Ž.), born on ... in the place
..., municipality of Gra čac; nationality: Croat, citizen of the Republic of Croatia,
married, father of three, a pensioner; UCRN: …, number of the id entity card: …, the
identity card was issued on … in Zagreb; permanent address: …; gives the following:
STATEMENT
He states that he owned a family house with farm-buildings in the place Smokri ć, on the
address: …, that was, as he found out from stories of people, was pulled down in 1993.
After the Military-Police Action “Oluja” (“Storm”), he stayed at the place Smokric three
th
times until now and the last time that he was there was on September 17 1995 when he
arrived in Smokrić at around 10,00 a.m. On his arrival in Smokri ć, he visited ruins of the
family house and of the farm-buildings and after he also visited the house of the neighbour
Ivan Pavi čić, son of Dane, born around 1924 in Smokrić , who owned a house on the
address: …. After he had visited the ruins of houses, he visited the common yard of the
same persons that isn’t separated by fence and that was choked with rank vegetation that
was 1 meter tall. When he arrived to the well of the neighbour Ivan Pavi čić, Smokrić no.
49, where there is a manhole of the size 60x60 cm that is used for a purification of
rainwater, he caught sight of two human skulls and a part of a spine about 30 cm long in
that manhole. He saw that lower jaws were missing on both skulls and he noticed a hole, he
presumes that it is caused by a bullet, on one scull. He didn’t want to look for anything no
more. He immediately went to Lovinac where he reported to the police what he had
discovered. After that, he didn’t go back from Lovinac to Smokri ć. He returned to Zagreb
the same day.
He presumed that those two skulls and a part of a spine are remains of his two brothers:
J.P., born around ..., and M.P., born around ..., both are sons of I.
and M. (nee Ž .), born in th e place Smokri ć, municipality of G račac, unmarried,
farmers. He poi nted out that both of them w ere deaf and dumb persons and that he took
care of them. He learned from stories of peopth that his brothers J. and M. were killed
and later mutilated probably on September 26 1991. He also heard that the perpetrator was
allegedly a young man from the place Mazin. He reported the disappearance of his brothers
during 1991 in Zagreb, but he doesn’t know to which organisation.
He assumes that Jovo Jazić, between 70 and 75 years old, whose wife’s name is Soka (other
data is unknown to him) could give more information regarding the death of his brothers.
Jovo Jazić and Soka continued living in Gra čac after the Military-Police Action “Oluja”
(“Storm”). They, allegedly, have a flat near a hospital. He found out that Jovo Jazi ć worked
in humanitarian organisations on the occupied territory and that he wanted to bury I. 153
P.’s brothers, but they didn’t let him do that. The same person, allegedly, came to the
police for a conversation, but he doesn’t know where.
Ivica Sekulić (the same person is a Croatian Home Guardsman, but I.P. doesn’t
know in which unit) and Luka Pavičić, about 22 year s od (the same works as a policeman
in the police station in Lovinac) could show the place where mentioned two skulls and a
part of a spine were found. I.P. doesn’t know any other information about
Ivica Sekulić and Luka Pavičić.
nd
In the end, he stated that he wil go to the place Smokri ć on September 22 1995 and that
he intends to stay there until September 23rd1995. He added that, if he would be needed, he
can be found on the address in …
AUTHORISED OFFICIAL:
Želimir Šego (signature)
ANNEX 396:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF J.B.
J.B., nee M. , daughter of J . (a father), born on ..in
..., municip aliy of Zadar; occupation: a housewife, residence: …; gives the
following:
STATEMENT
“During the war on the territo ry of Lovinac and until November 1 s1991, I was in Lovinac
and I was hiding in the house of Dane Pavi čić together with Manda Berani ć – an older
woman from Lovinac that is now in Germany. We occasionally hid in a wood that is about
2 km far from Lovinac.
I am aware of that Mirko Ličina (son of Mile and Smilja, from Kike), Milan Uzelac (son of
the late Stanko and Marija, from Kike) and Luka Li čina (son of Mile and Soka nee Li čina,
from Kike, has a public house in Gra čac) were chief organisers who organised Chetnik’s
formations in July of 1991. I saw them every night in a car passing by my house and going
in the direction of Ploče and Raduč where they held meetings.
th
After the place Lovinac had been shelled on August 5 1991, inhabitants retreated in an
organised manner from Lovinac across Velebit and after that, they found place somewhere
as refugees. After the retreat of the Police station in Lovinac, Manda Berani ć, my husband
I.B. and me, we stayed behind in Lovinac. My husband was ill and he was bed-
ridden since 1969. After the retreat of the police fromLovinac, I was, together with Manda
Beranić, hiding in a wood and my husband Ivan stayed. On September 26 th1991, I saw him
alive for the last time. On September 28 th1991, at around 10,00 a.m., I returned to the
house from the wood and I saw that our house had been set on fire and that it was
completely consumed by fire. On the road in front of the house, I found the body of my
husband, who had been killed, lying on his back with his legs bent. Trees from 2 to 4
meters long were piled up on the body and the body had been set on fire. Only clothes were
consumed by fire and only the lower part. He was wearing a white shirt and a black suit and
so I saw that the shirt was bloody. As I was in the state of shock, I didn’t saw whether my
husband had been slaughtered or killed in another way. As I was in fear of my life, I
withdrew in the wood one more time, where Manda Beranić waited for me. The body of my
husband stayed on the road in front of our house that was consumed by fire. 154
Few days after, Manda and me, we came again to the house of Dane Pavi čić and we hid
there. One day, sometime early in October of 1991, Milan Budimlija from Plo če, who I
know from before, found us. I know him as a former police officer from Benkovac. He was
wearing a camouflage uniform and he was armed with an automatic rifle. On that occasion,
the same told me: “We have killed your I. because he had lifted two fingers. If he had
lifted three fingers, no one would hurt him.” I asked him why they set our house and two
neighbouring houses – a house of (ILLEGIBLE WORD) Ivan and a house of Ivo Blaževi ć
– on fire. He responded that members of the Ministry of the Interior had been hiding there
and that was why they had set our house on fire.
I am aware of that at the same time when my husband was killed, two brothers by the
surname P. and by the nickname (ILLEGIBLE WORD) were also killed. Both of them
were deaf and dumb. They were killed in Smokri ć, i n their own house. I am also aware of
that a married couple Jakov and Ana Sekulić were also killed. I saw their bodies in the yard
of the house of Nikola Kovačević in the hamlet Piplica. Nikola Kovačević was their son-ist
law. Those bodies weren’t buried until my departure from Lovinac on November 1 1991.
Those bodies stayed in the house, that is in the yard.
At that time, it was rumoured in Lovinac, and I heard it, that Božo Petkovi ć from Ploče,
about 50 years old, an alcoholic and thought to be a deranged person, killed and butchered
people with a knife. On one occasion, he personally told me that he would slaughter me.
The same carries different kinds of weapons, bombs, knives and bayonets with him.
I can not remember the exact date, but I know that it was around October 20 th1991 when
reservists of the Yugoslav Federal Army arrested me together with Manda Berani ć in the
house of Dane Pavi čić. Those reservists told us that they were from Kraljevo and Nis.
When we were arrested, we were taken to a prison in Lovinac that was placed in a house of
a person by the nickname “Lile” and I think that his surname is Kova čević. We were in
prison for 8 days and after that, 25 of us were transported by a truck “TAM” from the
prison to a barricade in Medak where we were released. After that, we walked down the
road to Lički Ribnik. From there, members of the Croatian Army drove us to Karlobag.
While we were in prison, Milan (ILLEGIBLE WORD) from Gra čac, whom I personally
know, came to the prison. He was wearing a uniform of the Yugoslav Federal Army and
was a captain by rank. He took our personal data. I am also aware of that Nikša Mrdalj
from Gračac and a native of Medak, is a commander of Chetnik’s armed forces.
th
During the time I was hiding in the house of Dane Pavi čić, that was from September 28
1991 until November 1 1991, I saw several times Dane Li čina, son of Luka, and his wife
Zlata from Kike stealing things from abandoned houses and driving them away by tractor.
One day, I don’t know what day it was exactly, I saw him driving a tractor three times. I
also saw Mišo Štulić, who used to be a police officer in Gospi ć, stealing different objects
from abandoned houses and carting them off by his passenger car and a caravan that was
hooked onto the car. 155
I would like to state that on unestablished day in October of 1991, I saw brothers Željko
and Stojan Savatovi ć unloading weapons from a freight vehicle and carrying them to one
house next to the Local office in Lovinac. Stojan is now a disabled person because
sometime around New Year of 1991 he lost an arm when shooting a grenade launcher. “
I have nothing else to state. (ILLEGIBLE SENTENCE)
Finished at 02,30 p.m.
Authorised official: IVICA ORAVEC (signature) and JOSIP GRGURIĆ (signature)
Recording secretary: BISERKA SKORAVIĆ (signature)
Citizen: J.B. (signature)
A NNEX 397:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF I.S.
I.S., born on ..., residence: …, occupation: a housewife, gives
the following:
STATEMENT
She owned, toge ther with her family, one house – a low-pitched single-storey house, farm-
buildings and about 30 hectares of land in the place Lovinac, municipality of Gra čac. She
lived in a common household with her husband K.S. (born on ...
...), her daughter-in-lawI. (born in ...), her son J. (born on ...) and
her grandson K . (born in ...). Besides 30 hectares of land that included pasture-
grounds and other arable area, s he possessed in Lovinac 50 sheep, 6 cows, 2 horses, 3
calves and one tractor together with every additional agricultural attachment.
In Lovinac, Serbs didn’t actively operated because there were about 3 Serbian houses in the
village in the total of the population. No one out of Serbian autochthonos in the village
stood out as a pro-Chetnik and as a pro-Serbian, even during the very persecutions.
nd rd
In the night of September 22 /23 1991, inhabitants of the village Lovinac found I.
B., about 70 years old, a bed-ridden person, in the yard of his property. Half of his body
was consumed by fire and the other half of the body, toge ther with his head, was covered
with branches that didn’t manage to burn down to the ground. That same night, Ana and
Jakov Sekulić were set on fire in their own house and Tomo Sekuli ć was found dead in his
own house. Tomo Sekulić succumbed to the torture of Serbs that, in her opinion, had come
from Raduč. Raduč is a neighbouring village where there are 100% of Serbian population.
The same day, the panic spread among inhabitants of Lovinac and inhabitants organised of
their own initiative the escape across Velebit. In the morning on September 24 th1991,
between 300 and 350 people ran away across Velebit to the place Starigrad. During the
very escape in front of the “Serbian hand”, when Serbs that lived in surrounding villages
had arrived in the village Lovinac, they were setting on fire everything in front of them. She
doesn’t know if they had looted abandoned farm-buildings before they set houses on fire,
but she knows that they burned everything, even the cattle that that was at that time in
stabling.
She can exactly remember neither the president of the Local committee of Lovinac nor any
other high official, that is structurally answerable people, that organised, that is leaded, the
escape in front of Serbs, and no other information useful to us. 156
She remembers that a priest in Lovinac was Ivan Savić that is presently in Ičići near Rijeka.
From the day of the escape from the village Lovinac, a couple of days earlier, the village
was shelled from the place Sveti Rok. She doesn’t remember if someone was killed because
even then people started running away and hiding in the near wood.
th
Further, she states that killed her son Jura on August 5 1991 when he was somewhere on
the front line and when a tension between both sides grew, but she doesn’t remember where
or how. The daughter-in-law I. lives in Zagreb, Željezni čki dom, while her grandson
K. is on Velebit asa member of the reserve police.
After she had been ejected, that is she had run away, from Lovinac to Starigrad and after
th
that to Zagreb from where, on September 27 1991, her daughter M. took her to her
home in …. She is still on that address.
I.S. wasn’t able to give any other details, connected with the action “The Return”,
with the objective to gather as much concrete information about civil victims and about
perpetrators of this crimes as possible, due to her psychical condition and due to her age.
Statement was taken by:
Darko Borlinić
(signature)
A NNEX 398:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF IS.
I.S., a parish priest, gives the following:
STATEMENT
The adaptation of the church was done in 1704. Jus t before the beginning of the war the
church was completely restored from the inside and from the outside and was equipped
with everything, from public address system, electricity, bell on electric power and so on.
The church is now burned down to the ground and we are waiting for a restoration of the
church. How we are going to start with it, l really don`t know – we haven`t got a stepping-
stone yet. We shall see if the country will do something or if some donators will get in
touch with us. Nothing out of that church was saved – everything was destroyed by fire. I
have found two destroyed bells, but the third is missing.
There is another church, a subsidiary in Vranik, the church of St. Francis from 1800 odd,
that was completely blown up. That happened during the time of our exodus after
th
September 24 1991 when we got out from our village. They destroyed everything like
barbarians.
A little church, the small chapel of St. Anthony on the Cvitu ča hill was demolished in a
particularly vandalistic way, because they could not strike it down neither by plane nor by
tank`s shells. It belongs to Lovinac. In the town, in the centre of Lovinac, was a beautiful
and restored small chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes. That small chapel was, l can say it,
demolished and levelled with the ground by a bulldozer. There was nothing left over but a
few roofs on those houses which they used. They have devastated and demolished
everything. 157
The roof of the Police station, a building of a onetime dairy, the Veterinary station and a
clinic have been recently renovated. There was a small chapel at the very cross-road in St.
Rok. It was levelled with the ground. There is nothing left – no symbol, no trail.
The church in St. Rok was also destroyed – nothing of its equipment was preserved. It
recently needed one thing to be renewed. It served its purpose very well. The church was
one of the strongest religious sites in St. Rok. Both the parish church ( built in 1763 ) and
the vicarage next to the church were demolished and burned down to the ground.
The vicarage in Lovinac has a roof, but the interior is devastated. They used to stay at this
house. There is a civilian protection now. They collected some treasure, helped with the
cleaning of these ruins and so on.
The miracle occured in Grač ac. The church remained undamaged. I have renovated that
church during doing the duties of a parish priest and l can say that l have completely
renovated it on the outside, but the inside also had to be renovated. People from television
asked me how come the church stayed undamaged. I told them – there is a simple answer to
that question. Jesus turned a stable into the church and these illiterates turned the church
into a stable. God couldn`t do anything else but to create the church out of a stable.
On October 14 th1995 we have the first holy mass after the World war ll. Since 1941 until
now there hasn`t been any mass said and now we shall celebrate the first holly mass which
will be said by the archbishop from Rijeka, msgr. Paviši ć. From now on the service will be
regularly held in Gra čac. Some of the local exiles returned, some came from around here
and some from Bosnia. A religous life will slowly go on.
The church in Ri čice built in 1911 ( l forgot to mention it ) was burned to the ground and
the tower was shelled and destroyed. I didn`t find anything but one poor box in this church.
These churches were among the richest with their ornaments, alters which were mostly
built of wood in the Tyrolean style, beautiful statues made out of wood in the size of a man.
The church in Ri čice was dedicated to St. Maria Magdalene. The church had a secondary
alter of St. Fabian and Sebastian. On the opposite there was a beautiful alter of Holly Virgin
Mary.
In St. Rok there was the alter of St. Rok with a beautiful marble statue and here in Lovinac
there were magnificant alters – three beautiful statues made in Trolean style. One alter was
dedicated to St. Michael besides a statue of St. Michael there were two statues of St. Ciril
and Metod. The secondary alter on the right was celebrating St. Anthony and had a
beautiful statue and the Nativity scene carved in wood which served as a motif during
Christmas time. On the left was the alter of Holly Virgin Mary with a beautiful statue and
Christ`s corpse in the alter. They have destroyed everything.
The cemetery in Lovinac and St. Rok was devastated. When it comes to ethnic cleansing –
they behaved toward us as we were lice or ticks. It seemed that the dead also had to be
purified, so they exhumed skeletons and human skulls and took teeth from human skulls.
Lots of family vaults were demolished and tombstones were carted away. They ground
tombstones and then rose them in villages as monuments dedicated to their fighters.
Statement was given by:
I.S.158 159
MILITARY DOCUMENTS160 161
A NNEX 399:
D ECISION BY THES -CALLED W AR PRESIDENCY OF THE VRGINMOST M UNICIPALITY
FROM 27 JULY 1991ON R ENAMING THE “SJS” VRGINMOST NIO THE “SJB”
VRGINMOST AND JINING THE US KRAJINA
At the meeting of the war presidency held on 27 July 1991 made was the following:
DECISION
The public security station of Vrginmost is renamed into the public security station ( remark
by trans.-they used Serbian term for public security station instead of the Croatian
term) of the Vrginmost municipality and is included into the system of the Krajina
Secretariat of the Interior.
According to this decision, all members of the public security station of Vrginmost have to
carry out decisions and orders issued by the Vrginmost Municipal Assembly and the
Krajina Secretariat of the Interior.
II
Stojan Samardžija has been appointed head of the public security station and Ljubiša Pošti ć
his assistant.
III
The decision is effective immediately.
The president of the war presidency
Dmitar Obradović
(signature) (seal)
INFORM:
1. The Croatian Ministry of the Interior- the Minister personally
2. The Krajina Secretariat of the Interior – the Secretary personally
3. The public security station of Vrginmost
No: 01-26/1991
Vrginmost, 27 July 1991 162
ANNEX 400:
LETTER FROM THE W AR PRESIDENCY OF THE C OMMUNITY OF L OCAL COMMITTIES TO
THE 3 RDO PERATIONS G ROUP C OMMAND
To the commanding officer General-Major Đorđević
PLITVICE
The War Presidency of the Community of local committees of Vrhovine on its 7tmeeting
th
held on January 6 1992 in Vrhovine, when examining the state of defence of the territory
of the Community of local committees, took the following
OPINION
1. Since the establishment of the Serbian Democratic Party in February of 1990, the
enormous political step was made to awaken the Serbian national identity and organise the
people to protect their interest through the democratic forms of struggle against a growing
pro-Ustasha and later an open Ustasha threat. With approaching of the danger of Ustasha
armed incursions, the organising of the people for self-defence began. 1100 people (out of
about 8000 inhabitants) were actively involved in activities of the Serbian Democratic
Party. The platform of the Serbian Democratic Party expressed interests of almost entire
population and so it had a form of a movement.
2. From the encounter with Ustashas on Plitvice on April 11991 until the arrival of the
nd
command of the 2 brigade, defensive activities on this territory were being carried out
through the territorial defence that succeeded in organising of military formations and that
executed first combat activities, but it also revealed a range of objective and subjective
weaknesses.
st st
3. The period from November 1 until December 31 1991. The arrival of the active
military superior officers and the forming of the 2rigade were received with a general
support and a trust what is the reflection of the people’s trust in the army.
After two months of activity of the brigade on this territory, indisposition and distrust of
the population in capability, intentions and objectives of the command is present. That
resulted from procedures, work and results of the work of the command in the last two
months and it could be seen in the following:
a) When the command arrived to the territory, it doesn’t gather information and
it doesn’t make contact with legal authorities on this territory. Instead, the
command takes actions that, in the very beginning of the work, lead to a
disagreement and that is: in the command and during the command it
includes people who
...…
nd
The results of the 2 brigade for this two months are: Serbian villages Drenov Klanac,
Staro Selo, Novo Selo, Tukljace and a part of Glavaci, Podum and Dabar burnt down with
30-40 victims, a complete disorder in most of units and impossibility of the mobilisation for
combat activities, a complete disorder of man-power and a danger of a classic civil war,
absence of active combat activities, a distrust in the command what leads to the further state
of consciousness – a distrust in the army.
Besides above-mentioned, the following actions of the command or certain members in the
past period leaded to that and those are: 163
- the explanation that the objective of the combat is Lika and Lika’s people (during the
funeral of Rade Bogdanovi ć it is said that he fell in action for the Lika’s people and
not for the Serbian people for which he gave his life)
- negative people are joining in headquarters company: Ljuština who until the last
moment worked in the Ministry of the Interior of Croatia; Stevo Boži čković who
brought the “šahovnica” to Škare; Momčilo Uzelac who brought papers for voting for
the sovereign Croatia to G. Vrhovine and the like.
- units Staro Selo aren’t at all instructed to help and the village is burning
- majority of conscripts from Vrhovine are joined in cooks, drivers, mechanics, police
and security and everything else but in combat units, and so today out of 900
inhabitants of Vrhovine a maximum of 50 people can be taken out to the front line
and mostly in artillery units, that is in rear units. Inhabitants of Vrhovine were
shirking combat positions during the entire period and there was a constant demand
for their mobilisation. The command did the opposite.
- after 4 days on positions in Klanac, the unit of Doljani is promised the replacement
every day and so for 11 days; members of the Presidency are falsely called over that
they (ILLEGIBLE WORD) the failure of the mobilisation
- Rudopolje and Doljani are proclaimed Chetnik villages; the salaries were stopped out
and they were taken down from supplying with food and ammunition
- the artillery unit that is coming to Rudopolje is warned that they are coming in the
Chetnik village
- senior officers and fighters, placed in the house of (ILLEGIBLE WORD) in
Rudopolje where they were provided with everything, retreat with a warning that it is
the Chetnik house
- on a meeting in Rudopolje a lieutenant-colonel Balac call over the president of the
War Presidency by words “Predrag and his (ILLEGIBLE WORD)”
- it is declared that those who (ILLEGIBLE WORDS) should be arrested
- a unit is directed to the position and (ILLEGIBLE WORD) answer what the state is,
because they don’t go to the front line
- it is stated that Giska died because he commanded “follow me” and the commanding
officer has to be at least 2 km behind
- 150 volunteers are held in a deep rear and (ILLEGIBLE WORDS) and they are not
allowed to go to the first line of defence
- a Croat Dragan Jurkovi ć is brought to the command although he worked together
with Kregar and Bobinac
- a Croat (ILLEGIBLE WORD) from G. Vrhovine (only two Croatian houses) is armed
with a high quality weapons, although the same in summer of (ILLEGIBLE WORD)
put up barricades in the village and threatened with an axe “this isn’t Serbian, Majku
vam jebem”
- (ILLEGIBLE SENTENCE)
- a Croat woman Barica gets a job in the command although there are a lot of families
and Serb women that don’t have any income 164
- an incredible administration is established and out of (ILLEGIBLE NUMBER)
fighters not even 400 people can be taken out to the positions
- they reacted abruptly and they are angry when the War Presidency asked for the
information about the death of 5 young men from Vrhovine
- and series of other moves that created present mosaic and state
The command accuses the War Presidency for the present state and for all of this. The War
Presidency that the command didn’t want to include anywhere (ILLEGIBLE WORDS)
majority of members went to the front line.
There was and there still is a will and a readiness for a joint work on the side of the War
Presidency and so couple of meetings were held (ILLEGIBLE WORD), suggestions and
the key people in the Municipality of Korenica, in the Staff of the Territorial Defence and
in the 6 thdivision were informed. Members of the War Presidency at the request
(ILLEGIBLE WORDS) units, but the command in several cases failed to gather units and
didn’t know where its fighters were.
st nd
4. The action in Podum and in Glavac from December 31 1991 until January 2 1992.
th
After all of this, it is requested from the 6 division that members of the War Presidency
Uzelac and Borić are also included in (ILLEGIBLE WORD) of the Ustasha breakthrough
and in the mobilisation of our fighters. The same day (ILLEGIBLE WORDS) and the
mobilisation succeeded in villages where it was requested and those villages are Rudopolje
and Doljani. Since that day, the unit of Doljani is constantly on positions.
The mobilisation succeeded and the task and a satisfactory combat moral are attained based
on the following:
1) The protection from the Ustasha breakthrough
2) The Serbs and Krajina
3) The thinking that the action is led by major Miloš Cvjetičanin
4) Taking into consideration the request for relieving the command and
(ILLEGIBLE WORD)
5) Assurances that the unit of Vrhovine will be also mobilised
With regard to all of tndt, and if we abstract (ILLEGIBLE WORDS) correct, the fact is that
the command of the 2 brigade completely lost trust of fighters in its capability and in its
intentions, so it is necessary, in terms of consolidation of the defensive ability of this
territory, to replace urgently the officers and the NCOs who would rectify everything that
was done, who would regain trust, defend this territory and, according to circumstances,
return the lost Serbian land.
We point out that there are senior officers in a troop who, thanks to their capability, gained
trust, as for example lieutenant Savi ć, (ILLEGIBLE WORDS) and others. Major Miloš
Cvjetičanin enjoys the special trust due to his work and his presence on this (ILLEGIBLE
WORD).
As we can not be comprehensive in this Opinion, we suggest that the commanding officer
of the Operational Group, General-Major Đorđevic, urgently organise a meeting where the
state would take a more definite shape and where the best solutions would be found. 165
We deliver documents of the War Presidency of the Community of local committees of
Vrhovine from the previous period that are beneficial to the Opinion and from which the
above-mentioned problems are visible.
Number: 1/92 th
Vrhovine, January 61992
The War Presidency (signatures)
The Serbian Democratic Party, Vrhovine
A NNEX 401:
TH
THE C OMMAND OF THE 9 C ORPS, D -1-4,FROM 5 APRIL 1991, TO THEC OMMAND OF
THE 9THBVP, THE O RDER FOR D EFENCE O . N . 1
COMMAND OF THE 9TH CORPS NATIONAL DEFENCE
5 April 1991 STATE CLASS. DOC.
URGENT
TH
TO THE COMMAND OF THE 9 “bVP”
ORDER FOR THE DEFENCE Op No. 1
Sections 1:100,000 Zadar, Gračac, T. Drvar, Glamoč, Biograd na moru, Šibenik, Split, Sinj
1. In the responsibility zone of Corps, a attack of the special forces of the
Ministry of the Interior (MUP) of Croatia is to be expected, of a total of 3,000
members, with the purpose of establishing the elected government and the
constitutional system of the Republic of Croatia.
The main forces are to be expected at the stretches Split-Sinj-Vrlika-Knin and
Šibenik-Drniš-Knin, and the supplementary forces at the stretches Biograd-
Benkovac and Zadar-Obrovac.
(…)
4. I have decided to organize the defence of the municipalities Knin, Benkovac
and Obrovac with all available forces and the reinforcement of the Corps,
with the purpose to, together with t“VPS” and the 5tMilitary Region,
prevent the breakthrough of the forces of the MUP at the stretches from the
broader area of Zadar, Biograd na moru, Šibenik, and Sinj to Knin, Benkovac
and Obrovac.
(…)
Written by Typed by COMMANDER
Colonel Ljubica Baša Lieutenant Colonel General
Ivan Mijatov Tomislav Trajčevski (signature) 166
ANNEX 402:
REPORT ABOUT THE REFERENDUM TASED IN THE A REA OF
“SAO K RAJINA”FROM 14 M AY1991
SOCIALIST FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC YUGOSLAVIA
SERBIAN AUTONOMOUS REGION (SAO) KRAJINA
ASSEMBLY OF THE SAO KRAJINA
Central Commission for holding referendums in the
Region of the SAO Krajina
No. 27/94
Knin, 14 May 1991
At the conference on 14 may 1991,The Central Commission for holding referendums in the
region of the SAO Krajina, on the basis of the analyzed materials delivered by the
municipality commissions from the area of the SAO Krajina, drew up a report and
submitted it to the Assembly of the SAO Krajina.
REPORT
On the held referendum in the region of the
SERBIAN AUTONOMOUS REGION KRAJINA
The Commission concluded on the basis of the delivered materials that on 12 May 1991
between 8.00am and 8.00pm a referendum was held in the following municipalities of the
SAO Krajina:
1. Benkovac
2. Vojnić
3. Vrginmost
4. Donji Lapac
5. Dvor na Uni
6. Glina
7. Gračac
8. Korenica
9. Kostajnica
10. Knin
11. Obrovac
The referendum was held on the question “Do you think that SAO Krajina should join with
the Republic of Serbia and in that way remain within Yugoslavia together with Serbia,
Montenegro and other republics that plead for the maintenance of Yugoslavia?”
On the basis of the analyzed materials and the records on the work of the municipality
commissions, the Central Commission for holding referendums in the region of the SAO
Krajina stated the following results in the municipalities…..
On the basis of the stated results, the Central Commission concluded that the conditions
were satisfied for the Assembly of the SAO Krajina, in terms of Article 5 of the Resolution
on calling a referendum, to bring a decision for the joining of the SERBIAN
AUTONOMOUS REGION KRAJINA with the REPUBLIC OF SERBIA and on the stay
of Krajina within Yugoslavia. 167
ANNEX 403:
DECISION FOR THE JOINING OF THE “SAO K RAJINA ”ITH THE R EPUBLIC OF ESBIA
FROM 16 M AY 1991
On the basis of Article 9 of the Statute of the Serbian Autonomous Region Krajina (Official
Bulletin of the municipality Knin, No. 1/91) and on the basis of the referendum held on 12
May 1991, the Assembly of the SAO Krajina, at the 2conference on 16 May 1991, came
to the following
DECISION
For the joining of the SAO Krajina with the Republic of Serbia and on its remain in
Yugoslavia together with Serbia, Montenegro and other republics willing to preserve the
Yugoslav state.
Article 1.
It has been found that at the referendum held on 12 May 1991 the citizens from the territory
of the SAO Krajina declared themselves for the joining of the SAO Krajina with the
Republic of Serbia and for its remain in Yugoslavia together with Serbia, Montenegro and
other republics who are willing to preserve the Yugoslav state.
Article 2.
The territory of the SAO Krajina consists of the following municipalities: Knin, Benkovac,
Obrovac, Gračac, Donji Lapac, Korenica, Vojnić , Vrginmost, Glina, Dvor na Uni, Petrinja,
and all Serbian villages that merged with the aforesaid municipalities, but also all other
villages that later agree to merge.
Article 3.
The territory of the SAO Krajina is a constitutive part of the unified state territory of the
Republic of Serbia.
Article 4.
The Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Serbia will be applied in the territory of
the SAO Krajina.
President of the Assembly
Velibor Matijašević 168
ANNEX 404:
“SAO K RAJINA ”, T H EADQUARTERS , N . 68/4FROM 6 A UGUST 1991, TO THE
SUPREME C OMMANDER OF THE TO “SAO K RAJINA ”, REPORT FROM 5/6 AUGUST 1991
The Serbian Autonomous Region (SAO)
KRAJINA
The headquarters of the Territorial Defence (TO) of the SAO Krajina
No: 68/4
6 August 1991
-to the Supreme Commander of the TO of the SAO Krajina
-to the Secretary of the Secretariat of the Interior
-to the State Security Department
-to the Commander of the Territorial Defence
-to Frenki
REPORT
from 5/6 August 1991
Due to the visit of the SFRY Vice President, Branko Kostić, and the peacekeeping
delegation, Milan Martić issued an order on a cease-fire except in a case of a direct attack.
At the village of Lovinac in Grač ac, an armed conflict broke out between our forces and
Ustashas. The tanks took off from Gospić toward Gračac because of the buffer zone.
In the morning, our forces opened fire at the Ustashas’ postsčac, Saborsko, Sinac,
and according to information by the enemy, they suffered serious losses.
The Benkovac Territorial Defence headquarters reported that something was built up at the
hill of Čelinka towards Ličani and they suppose that it was a rocket base. A dead body was
found in Miranji Donji. We suppose that the person was killed in conflict with our forces.
According to information of DB, eleven persons were killed, 25 were wounded and a
number of buildings were torn down in the battle in the areas of Velika Glava and
Bratiškovac.
At about 11.00 pm, 20 police officers arrived in the area of Žažvi ć.
At about 11.00 pm, the Ustashas’ forces opened fire at the JNA with infantry weaponry.
The JNA responded with fire and warned that it would use tanks if the attack reoccurs.
In the area of Vukšić, larger Ustashas’ groups were noticed.
In the region of Lčani Ostrvič ki, the enemy dug out ditches and started bringing in
technical equipment.
In the region of Ceranje Gornje, short machine-gun bursts could be heard during the night.
REPORT MADE BY:
(signature illegible) 169
A NNEX 405:
“SAO K RAJINA ”,THEG OVERNMENT , N : 157/91-1OM 26 JLY 1991, ORDER
SOCIALIST FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
SERBIAN AUTONOMOUS REGION KRAJINA
SAO KRAJINA GOVERNMENT
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
No: 157/91-1
Knin, 26 July 1991
According to the Constitutional Law for the ministries and Article 32 of the
Standing Orders of the SAO Krajina Government, the Minister of Defence issues the
following:
ORDER
On forming the Region headquarters of the Territorial Defence for Kordun and
Banija…
MINISTER OF DEFENCE
Dr. Milan Babić
(signature)
A NNEX 406:
“SAO K RAJINA”,THE GOVERNMENT T,E PRESIDENT, N : 189/91-1ROM 20 AUGUST
1991, ODER
SOCIALIST FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
SERBIAN AUTONOMOUS REGION KRAJINA
SAO KRAJINA GOVERNMENT
PRESIDENT
No: 189/91-1
Knin, 20 August 1991
OFFICIALLY CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
According to the SAO Krajina government Decision, from 1 August 1991, on the
implementation of the Defence Law of the Republic of Serbian in the area of the SAO
Krajina as well as Article 6, Section 1, Item 1 of the Defence Law, I am issuing the
following
ORDER
for the formation of operative zones of the SAO Krajina Territorial Defence
I
The first operative zone (Dalmatia-Lika) will be established for the municipalities of Knin,
Benkovac, Obrovac, Gračac, Donji Lapac, and Korenica.
II 170
The second operative zone (Kordun) will be established for the municipalitieć,of Vojni
Vrginmost, and Slunj.
III
The third operative zone (Banija) will be established for the municipalities of Dvor na Uni,
Glina, Kostajnica, Petrinja, and Sisak-Caprag.
IV
The first operative zone is put under the direct command of the headquarters of the SAO
Krajina Territorial Defence.
V
Special zones headquarters will be established for the second and third operative zones.
PRESIDENT
Dr. Milan Babić
(signature)
A NNEX 407:
“SAO K RAJINA ”,THE TERRITORIAL D EFENCE C OMMANDER , N : 1/1-91ROM 30
SEPTEMBER 1991
SOCIALIST FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
SERBIAN AUTONOMOUS REGION KRAJINA
GOVERNMENT OF SAO KRAJINA
PRESIDENT
Number: 1/1-91
Knin, 30 September 1991
Based on the Decision by the Government of the SAO Krajina from 1 August 1991 on the
application of the Law for the Defence of the Republic of Serbia on the territory of SAO
Krajina, and Article 6, Paragraph 1, Item 1 of the cited Law, the President of the
Government of SAO Krajina, brings a
DECISION
On the appointment of the Commandant of the Territorial Defence
of the Serbian Autonomous Region Krajina
1. ILIJA DUJIĆ, retired Lt. Colonel General, is appointed to Commandant of
the Territorial Defence of the Serbian Autonomous Region Krajina.
2. This decision is effective immediately.
PRESIDENT
Dr. Milan Babić (signature)
Seal:
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Serbian Autonomous Region Krajina
Government of Krajina 171
ANNEX 408:
“SAO K RAJINA”,THE TERRITORIAL D EFENCE COMMANDER , N : 2/1-91OM 30
SEPTEMBER 1991
SOCIALIST FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
SERBIAN AUTONOMOUS REGION KRAJINA
GOVERNMENT OF SAO KRAJINA
PRESIDENT
Number: 2/1-91
Knin, 9 October 1991
Based on Article 104, National Defence Law (“Službeni List SFRY” (Official Paper
SFRY), no. 21/82, 33/91), the President of the Government of the SAO Krajina issues an
ORDER
On the appointment of the Commandant of the Territorial Defence of the Serbian
Autonomous Region Krajina
1. All police units on the territory of the Serbian Autonomous Region Krajina are
subordinated to the authorized senior officers of the Territorial Defence in their planning
and execution of combat tasks.
2. This Order is effective with the date of its decision.
(…)
PRESIDENT
Dr. Milan Babić
(signature)
Seal:
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Serbian Autonomous Region Krajina
Government of Krajina 172
A NNEX 409:
O RDER ; “SAO KRAJINA ”,THE GOVERNMENT TH, RESPDENT , N : 1/1-91FROM 5
O CTOBER 1991, NOTIFICATION
SOCIALIST FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
SERBIAN AUTONOMOUS REGION KRAJINA
SAO KRAJINA GOVERNMENT
PRESIDENT
No: 1/1-91
Knin, 5 October 1991
NATIONAL DEFENCE
CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT
CONFIDENTAL
TO THE MUNICIPAL HEADQUARTERS OF THE TERRITORIAL DEFENCE AND
SECRETARIATS OF THE MUNICIPAL NATIONAL DEFENCE OF GRAČAC, DONJI
LAPAC, AND KORENICA
According to some figures, in the areas of your three municipalities some initiations exist
for the formation of a special operative zone of the territorial defence. In regard to this, we
are obliged to warn you that according to the order of the Prime Minister of the SAO
Krajina Government, no: 189/91-1 from 10 August 1991, the operative zones of the
territorial defence were formed in the following areas: the first (Dalmatia-Lika) in the
municipalities of Knin, Benkovac, Obrovac, Gračac, Donji Lapac, and Korenica, the second
(Kordun) in the municipalities of Vojnić, Vrginmost, and Slunj, and the third (Banija) in the
municipalities of Dvor na Uni, Glina, Kostajnica, Petrinja, and Sisak.
The first operative zone was placed under the direct command of the Territorial Defence
headquarters of the SAO Krajina, while for the second and third operative zones a common
headquarters was formed. In that sense, all municipal headquarters of the territorial defence
are subordinated to the Territorial Defence headquarters of the SAO Krajina.
By the decision of the SAO Krajina Prime Minister from 30 September 1991, Ilć,a Duji
the retired Lieutenant Colonel General was appointed the Commander of the SAO Krajina
Territorial Defence. The organization of personnel is currently going on, about which you
had already been informed few days ago.
This letter is aimed at informing you that as the expert services you warn the responsible
individuals that all actions on the formations of units, headquarters, and territorial defence
zones must be executed according to the SAO Krajina regulations and that all your
proposals concerning this issue submit to the Commander of the SAO Krajina Territorial
Defence, Lieutenant Colonel General Ilija Dujić.
THE PRESIDENT
Dr. Milan Babić
(signature) 173
A NNEX 410:
TH
THE 5 M ILITARY R EGION C OMMAND , N : 09/75-1034 FROM 10 NOVEMBER 1991, TO
THE C OMMAND OF THE TACTIC G ROUP -2, ORDER
COMMAND OF THE 5 TH MILITARY REGION
Strictly confidential no. 09/75-1034
10 November 1991
U R G E N T!
DELIVER IMMEDIATELY!
Order to transform the OG (Operative Group) 3. -
TO THE COMMAND OF “TG”-2
Deliver personally to the commander (NŠ)
According to the Directive of the Federal Secretary of “NO DT” no. 53-1 from 25 July
1991, the Order of the SSNO (Federal Secretary of National Defence) strictly confidential
no. 2527-1 from 26 September 1991 and the Order of “NG” OS (Armed Forces) SFRY
strictly confidential no.1673-16 from 4 November 1991, with the aim of improving the RiK
(Leadership and Command) and achieving suitable conditions for executing the tasks:
ORDER:
1. Form the 3 rdOperative Group directly under my command. Commander of the 3 rdOG
will be Lieutenant Colonel – General Vladimir Banjanin.
rd
The composition of the Command of the 3 OG will be attached in an annex.
rd
The Command of the 3 OG has to be deployed in the region of the Plitvice lakes, the
barracks of the 6hLika Division. Beside the Command headquarter companies should be
formed according to no. 2.
rd th
2. The following are placed under the command of the 3 OG: the 5 Partisan Brigade, the
“TG”-2 Slunj, the howitzer 105 mm/102 ndCombined Anti-armoured Artillery Brigade, the
nd st th
2 Operative Zone of TO (TERRITORIAL DEFENCE), the 1 Armoured Brigade/329
Armoured Brigade, the mechanised brigade/4 thArmoured Brigade, and according o the
formation also the 6thLika Division and other units of the JNA and TO in the zone of
rd
responsibility of the 3OG which includes the territory of: Plitvice-Slunj-Ogulin-Oto čac-
Gospić-Sveti Rok-Udbina.
3. IKM (Intelligence Command” – the 13 thCorps in the region Plitvice (“ čv”/367 anti-
th th
aircraft, a platoon of the Naval Region/the 13 Corps, “i č”/4 armoured brigade, a
combined rear base platoon), seizes to work, and the forces and equipment will be put
rd
under the command of the 3 OG.
th
4. Form the 6 Lika Division “R” according to formation number 111.753 from the
volunteers who will be organised according to the Order of the GŠ OS (Headquarters of the
Armed Forces) SFRY strictly confidential no. 2694-1 from 10 October 1991.
The Command of the division has to be deployed in Korenica, and the command of trd
Partisan Brigade and other units according to the decision of the Commander of the 3.
5. Support for the 3 rdOG and the 6 thLika Division with senior officers and will be
regulated by the Personnel Administration of the SSNO, and in charge of the military 174
th
composition of the Commands of the 5 Military Region and the III Administration of the
GŠ OS.
6. All questions related to the supply of the NVO (Necessary Military Equipment) and the
rear security of the 3dOG will be regulated by the sector of the Rear SSNO and the
th
Command of the 5 VO (Military Region) through the professional assistance in forming
its units.
rd th
7. Form the 3 OG by the 14 November 1991 and deliver a report to the 5 VO Command
about its formation.
COMMANDER
Colonel-General
Života Avramović
(Signature)
Deliver to:
rd
The Command of the 3 OG
The Command of the IKM -13 thCorps
The Command 6 thLika Division
The Command of the “TG”-2
ONO (Operational-Educational Centre) Command of the 5 thVO
ANNEX 411:
LETTER OF D UŠAN MSLJANIĆ
Dušan Smiljanić, Colonel
Assistant Commander of
the Security Intelligence Service
of the SVK (the Serbian Army of Krajina) HQ
Knin, 15 October 1994
The Request for Verification of Information and Interview
HQ OF THE SERBIAN ARMY
-for General R. Mladić, personally-
Mister General, from what I know you gave a very negative evaluation about me at the
meeting in Novi Grad, on 13 October 1994, where among others the Commander of the
SVK HQ and the rest of the senior officers at the highest position of authority of the SVK
were also present. I do not know a possible source of the information you had received, but
I believe they do not come from your Security Intelligence Service. I suppose who could be
the possible sources, because they had already tried to launch such and similar information
to the authorities of the Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK).
Mister General, since it was you who gave such evaluation and if you still believe in its
accuracy, I as a commissioned officer of the SVK suggest the following solution:
1. If that evaluation is accurate I will not be able to perform the present duty any longer, in
the first place for the sake of the Service itself, as well as because of the cooperation, to
which I incline, with the other related services of the Republic of Serbia Army (VRS). 175
2. You should order a verification of the figures from the received information, because I
am strongly convinced that there is something much deeper behind the scenes, where
Smiljanic is the least important, and if it is not going to be carried out, the consequences
will be quite profound for the Service I am in charge of.
Since the given evaluation comes from you, I, as a human being and a Serbian officer find
it very difficult, for I am not just a casual passer-by in this war and I am very familiar with
the genesis of the war happenings in this region as well as with the positions and roles of
particular units and with the conduct and behavior of a larger number of the former JNA
senior officers, now the members of the SVK, VRS and VJ (Yugoslav Army).
In the barest outline I am going to inform you about my position and role in the war
happenings and because the necessity for the information verification:
th
Before the beginning of the war I was the Head of the Security Sector of the 10 Corps in
Zagreb, where I was very well informed about the early beginnings of an Ustasha
government establishment. After the war broke out in Plitvica on 31 March 1991, on my
own request a group of the senior officers and I were sent to Plitvica. I stayed there, in the
areas of the RSK until July 1992.
Some approaches used by the members of the MUP (the Ministry of the Interior), politics
that was in effect at that time, particularly attitudes and behavior of those who held the
nd
highest military positions and of other officers on the positions of authority in the 2
Military Territory have solved all dilemmas about my commitment and things I was
supposed to do.
I got in touch, illegally with the leaders of the SDS (the Serbian Democratic Party) from the
areas of Lika, Banija, Kordun and Banja Luka and with a group from the OB (the Security
Agency) and VP (the Military Mail) (16). At the end of April and the beginning of May I
started with the illegal arming of the Serbian people from then our warehouses, now
Ustashas’ (in Otočac, Perušić, Gospić, Sveti Rok, and Skradnik) persuading our Serbs, the
managers of these warehouses.
This action lasted until the beginning of July 1991, and around 15,000 pieces of various
infantry weapons, MB, PA (antiaircraft) 20 mm guns, and a large number of munitions
have been distributed. According to our estimate it was a crucial factor for the defence of
Lika, Kordun and Banija, taking into account the number and conditions of the operational
units, which were in the areas of Lika, Kordun and Banija. Then, I requested that the
artillery of the 35tPartisan Division be pulled out from Gospić and Otočac and be assigned
to the front, but it was refused by the commanding senior officers, who could not or did not
want to see the further development of events.
In July 1991, I left to the area of Novi Grad and Banja Luka where I got in touch with
Stojan Župljanin, Br đanin and other individuals. During the month I have organized the
transport of the weapons from the warehouse Skradnik to the SO Č elinac and Drvar. There
were more than 20,000 various pieces of weapons including howitzers, bombs, and rocket
launchers with two b/k of munitions. One of the members involved in this action was Milan
Škondrić, now in the Republic of Serbia. Together with the above mentioned persons from
the Republic of Serbia, an under covered mobilization of around 600 members of the SDS
and VES tank corpsmen was organized. The plan was that they were to be brought illegally
to the warehouse Čerkezovac and later to be transferred to Jastrebarsko, Zagreb and Dugo
th th
Selo (the 4 Armored Brigade and the 140 Mechanized Brigade), so that the armored
vehicles from the mentioned units could be stationed by the river of Kupa. For the
realization of this plan, at the warehouse Čerkezovac I called a meeting between the 176
commander of the 10 thCorps and the individuals, Br đanin was among them, from the SDS.
However, afterwards General Uzelac informed me from Zagreb that General Avramović
had refused the plan. General Avramovi ć asked for the realization of this plan in
September, but it was no longer executable.
Mister General, General Boško Kelečević is very well informed about all this and there are
also the written proofs.
During the realization of these tasks, some individuals from the Military structure regarded
me as an extremist and Chetnik, saying that I have deviated from the Leadership and
Command (RiK).
The various structures at the field looked upon me as a creator of the Yugoslav movement.
The decisions on my liquidation were made there, but the execution was delayed until the
whole nation was provided with arms. I have experienced a series of other inconveniences.
At the same time with this task we also performed the intelligence and security tasks and I
was acquainted with the behavior of those in charge of the various social structures as well
as of those who deserted leaving these people at the mercy of the war. Unfortunately, now
the individuals are in the position to give the evaluation about me and to interpret the events
in a way to serve their politics.
At the beginning of August 1991, the operational team “PROBOJ-2” was formed requested
by the UB (Security Administration) and under my commanding. It was composed of the
OB (Security Agency) of the various branches with the following task:
-arming of the Serbian people
-the central task: the help and participation in the Military organization
-resisting the Croatian Service in the areas of Lika, Banija and Kordun
This team worked until the end of 1991. I was a subordinate to the UB, and I used to submit
a report to the Head of the 2 ndVO (Military Region), RV (Airforce) and PVO (Anti-
Aircraft Defence) Security Service. Beside that I was connected with the MO (Ministry of
Defence) of the Republic of Serbia, concerning the role of that Ministry in the war
conducting at the time.
During the period from August to October 1991, we distributed, or to say pulled out from
the Ustashas’ warehouses around 20,000 pieces of various weapons. General Kele čević is
very well acquainted with our participation in the military organization and successful
executions of security tasks. All that can be documented by reports.
Because of the great resistance and problems we came across in forming the brigades,
particularly in the area of Lika and part of Banija, in September 1991 I called the meetings
between the reserve officers and representatives of the Gra čac and Vrhovine
establishments. The present President of the RSK, Milan Martić also attended the meetings.
After these meetings brigades were formed in Grač ac, Udbina, Vrhovine and Plaški. In the
afternoon of the same day Milan Marti ć and I went to Novi Grad aiming at the solution of
some questions about the final occupation of Kostajnica.
As you already know, on our way back from Novi Grad, we were arrested in S. Otoci.
th
In January 1992, I was appointed the Head of the Security Service of the 10 Corpsthhere
the OG-6, 7 and 8 were included. My superiors and then senior officers from the 10 Corps
are well acquainted with the work of the Service, the conditions (interior) under which it
performed its duties and with the tasks it performed together with the police. They can give
an accurate estimate about it, if it is not to their disadvantage now. 177
Estimating the events I focused myself to the formation and growth of the 10 thbVP, which
was the most promising force, and which besides the police actions also executed the
military ones. Since I had already known some persons from the SDS Biha ć, our
cooperation continued here. The larger number of senior officers, especially those who
came from the encirclement were extremely demoralized and disoriented. Some of them
were unsatisfied with their position and rank, which resulted in total passivity and lack of
any initiative (apart of some individuals among whom was Colonel Krsi ć, I think his name
was, now in the 2 ndKK). By arrangement with the OB, I organized OB and with some
senior officers from the police we organized the arming of the Serbs from the town. I do not
remember but I think that around 5,000 pieces of the Infantry weapons were issued. The
source of the supplies was the rear base, commanded by Colonel Škondrić.
Since the formation of units began, the senior officers from these areas were asked to get
employed in the units’ formation. Then I had an interview with some individuals from these
areas who refused it finding different excuses.
At the beginning of May 1992, I got in touch with General Tolimir who was in Knin.
Concerning the development of events, with General Tolimir, and with the consent of the
Corps Commander, I arranged that a part of the devices and police equipment be
transported to the RSK, because a specialized unit was about to be formed there. Of 9
pieces of the BOV M-84, I issued 4 to General Tolimir in Korenica on 12 May 1992. There
is still a list of all this equipment issued at the time.
Then the famous telegram arrived which said that all senior officers and soldiers, who were
born in the territory of the SRY, were supposed to retreat (70 per cent of the Battalion was
composed of the active soldiers). The senior officers born in the territory of SRY were
supposed to go into the Yugoslav Army, and those born in BiH to the Republic of Serbia.
We Palestinians from the RSK together with the Corps could go to Nis or wherever we
pleased. Being a Palestinian I went to Knin, but I did not escaped as some individuals now
claim. Before leaving I warned the senior officers who stayed that Second Lieutenant
Kliko, a Muslim, might escape to his people and that they should pay their attention to it,
but unfortunately it is exactly what happened. He escaped and took one BOV with him.
Those days you and Tolimir also went to the Republic of Serbia, and I was assigned on the
function previously preformed by Tolimir in Knin.
On 15 May 1992, I went to Belgrade and at the HQ I met with you and Tolimir. You asked
th
for my assessment and opinion about some senior officers of the 10 Corps andndhe
condition in Biha ć. After that you made a decision on the assignment of the 2 K.K.
Commander.
Around the 20 thof May, I came back to Knin to take the duty of the SDB Head, as it had
been previously arranged. These days the Command in Knin received a telegram from the
Security Intelligence Service of the RS (I still have it) that I had stolen some devices from
the 10 thCorps (the BOV and equipment) and some other insinuations. Receiving the
telegram I replied to General Tolimir, assuming that he had known nothing about it, since
his signature was on the telegram and since he was present during the takeover of these
devices. I still have not received an answer.
I am really unable to understand the whole situation now. There is documentation for all
this, and I am ready to confront with any one, so that all things can be solved, although I
was convinced it had already been solved. 178
The political movements those days in Knin, or to say in the RSK, at the first place in
regard to the Active Military Personnel, neutralized their duty and the work in general.
With the transformation of the Army into the Police, practically the whole Serbian Army
was crashed. Than the political games and various insinuations were directed against me all
aimed at my departure from the RSK, which I found out afterward.
In July 1992, I went to the Yugoslav Army where I experienced a lot of inconveniences as
well, and all because of the previous happenings within the YA.
The attacks, coming from the specific political structures and individuals and against the
Serbian Army of Krajina and the Service are still unfortunately very sharp and rude. As in
the past some seasoned methods are applied just the appliers and times are different. The
enemies of the RSK are classified as follows:
-the remaining communism and JNA on the territory of RSK
-the Yugoslav Army th
-the Bosnian and Herzegovina Army and the 5 Corps
-the Croatian Army
I came back to the RSK on 15 October 1993, although I asked to return in January of that
year, but the HQ refused my request.
Mister General, before the war I was given two-bedroom apartment and a garage in Zagreb.
My wife is a teacher and had worked for 22 years, now unemployed. My daughter has
completed the Medical School, married, unemployed. My son is a student of the third year
at the Veterinary College. In Belgrade I was given a small apartment with one room (little
bit more than 30 square meters) where my family lives.
A part of my possessions, the clothes, shoes and some technical equipment I got out in July
1991. The furniture and the rest of my things I got out by the “Unatrans” from Biha ć in
November 1991. Crossing the border in Bosanski Šamac all my things were destroyed and
broken, and the driver (a Muslim) was kept in prison for three days until it was ascertained
to whom the things belonged. My things were placed in a basement in Mirijevo in
Belgrade.
Because of the mentioned activities I was proclaimed a war criminal by a legal proceeding
by the Ustasha’s government in October 1991, and I was stripped of my whole possession.
Mister General, I am proud of all things I have done together with my fellow-soldiers and
because I remained honorable in all this. I have never been a poltroon and I will never be. I
am trying to be extremely principled and persistent to all my stands and things I committed
myself to, especially when it is about the fight for the Serbian advantage, regardless to the
consequences my family and I might suffer of.
I share my fate with the large number of homeless people who live at subsistence level,
although I believe to having the right to at least two-bedroom apartment concerning my
position and role in this war. However I will not and I do not want to give up my stands and
principles, no matter I am very often helpless in such developments.
I hope you will consider my request and order a detailed verification of the information you
have about me. I would like if you could invite me to an interview and I am ready to come
face to face with any one so this whole thing can be solved at last. I am also ready to
support with the facts everything above mentioned.
COLONEL
Dušan Smiljanić (signature) 179
A NNEX 412:
COMMAND OF THE 10 THC ORPS , D N . 3/15-33 FROM 8 JANUARY 1992, T O THE
C OMMAND OF THE OG-8, O RDER
TH
COMMAND OF THE 10 CORPS
STATE SECRET no.3/15-33
8 January 1992
NATIONAL DEFENCE
STATE SECRET
TO BE HANDED TO THE COMMANDER PERSONALLY
The subordination of units
Order
TO THE COMMAND OG (Operative Groups)-8
According to the order of the 2 ndCommand of the VO (Military Region), secrete no. 1-2
from 5 January 1992, in order to ithrove the management and command system in the
units and establishments of the 10 Corps.
ORDER:
1. Conduct a subordination, regrouping, disintegration and formation of the operative units
th
in the Commands and units of the 10 Corps, according to:
th nd
a) The Command of the 5 VO is renamed into 2 VO (Western Battlefield) with the
units:
th th th th
4 , 5 and 17 Corps from the VO, the 9 Corps from the VPO (Military
Naval Region) and the 10 Corps from the 5 VO. The according backup
and security units as well as the TO BiH and SAO Krajina units in the Zone
of responsibility of the battlefield.
nd
The peacetime Command Location is the 2 VO-Sarajevo.
b) The 10 tCorps from the 5 thVO should be regrouped according to the new
nd th
formation and includth in the 2 thO. In Lika the 6 OG shouth be put under the
command of the 10 Corps, the 7 OG in Banovina and the 8 OG in Kordun. The
580 thCombined Artillery Brigade from the Battlefield Composition should be
subordinated to the Corps as well. The borders of the Zone of Responsibility of the
Corps, of the backup and security units will be set later.
c) Regroup the 1 stand 3 rdOG and form the 6 thOG in the area of Lika, the 7 thOG in
th
the area of Banovina and the 8 OG in the area of Kordun.
th
Disintegrate the Command of the 6 “ld”, and its units should be included in the
6thOG.
th th
The TG-2 (without the 145 “lppbr”) should be subordinated to the 8 OG, and
the 145 th“lppbr” to the 6 OG.
The 8 OG will include the 9 thMotorized Brigade, the 2 nd, 3 and 4 thBrigade of
st
the TO, the Armored Battalion of the 51 Mechanized Brigade and other units of
the JNA and the TO in the zone of Responsibility of the 8 thOG. 180
The borders of the Zone of responsibility of the groups will be determined later.
The Command Location (KM) of then 6 thOG Plitvica Lakes (the village of
Mukinje)
th
The KM of the 7 OG Samarica (Zrinska Gora – Piramida)
th
The KM of the 8 OG Petrovac (Perova Gora)
d) The TO units in the Zone of Responsibility at wartime will be superior to the
Operative Groups.
2. The senior Officers of the sector and Command Organs of the 10 thcorps as well as the
st th rd th
Command of the 1 (8 ) and 3 (6 ) OG will do anything that falls under their
responsibility and secure a complete realization of this order.
3. – The coordination of all activities and the realization proceedings of the tasks according
th
to this will be supervised by the ONO Command of the 10 Corps order. Any explanations
via signal means are forbidden, and any explanations can be given exclusively orally or in a
written form. All documentation from this order must be marked with NATIONAL
DEFENCE – STATE SECRET.
4. The subordination of the units and the scheme of management and command will
become enacted at midnight of 10 January 1992, and the formation of new commands and
units will be regulated with a special order.
BJ/NR
COMMANDER
Lieutenant Colonel General
Špiro Niković (signature) 181
A NNEX 413:
SSNO, GS OS SFRY, III ADMINISTRATION, DT N . 892-2ROM 2 RCH 1992, T THE
TO H EADQUARTERS OF “RSK”, ORDER
FEDERAL DEPARTMENT FOR NATIONAL DEFENCE NATIONAL DEFENCE
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF SFRY
STATE. CLASS. DOC.
III. ADMINISTRATION
2 March 1992
TO THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE TERRITORIAL DEFENCE OF THE REPUBLIC
OF THE SERBIAN KRAJINA
Enclosed, find the Order of the Federal secretary for National Defence (SSNO), State
Classified Document No. 892-1 from 27 February 1992.
ENCLOSED: Order of the SSNO
CHIEF
Lieutenant Colonel general
Ljubomir Domazetović
SERBIAN AUTONOMOUS REGION KRAJINA
HEADQUARTERS OF THE TERITORIAL DEFENCE
Knin, 4 March 1992
A NNEX 414:
ČEDOMIR B ULAT’ ORDER FOR THE ATTACK
TO THE COMMAND _________
THE ORDER OF THE COMMANDER OF THE TG-2 TO ATTACK
In the zone of the attack of the TG-2 – the forces of the Ministry of the Interior and the
National Guard are defending themselves.
I have decided to make the attack on the direction: čka Jasenica – Saborsko,
with the support of the aviation and the co-activity of the Plčka Jasenica
Territorial Defence forces.
COMMANDER
Colonel
Čedomir Bulat (signature) 182
A NNEX 415:
DECISION ON THE A TTACK OF THE C OMMANDER
OF THE 1 B ATTALION BGDAN GRBA
MILITARY SECRET
HIGHLY CLASSIFIED
ORDER
st
Of the Commander of the 1battalion to attack
th
The 10 of the November 1991 “ORKAN”
THE 1 STBATTALION COMMANDER
The district of the intersections of the roads of LIČKA JASENICA
OPERATIONAL TIME 10 p.m.
Date: the 9 of November 1991
ORIENTATION: KNOWN
INFORMATION ON THE ENEMY:
Since in the last period the enemy had suffered significant losses in the districts
VAGANAC – DREŽNIK – RAKOVICA – SERTIĆ POLJANA – POLJANAK, the morale
of the forces in Saborsko fell and the orders are being refused and the soldiers desert. The
enemy that is under the pressure of the JNA, the Titova Korenica Territorial Defence and of
our forces, will try to break on all the directions with the aim to connect with all the forces
in all other districts.
THE DECISION OF THE BATTALION COMMANDER
I have decided to make the attack on the direction LI ČKA JASENICA – SABORSKO with
the following disposition of the forces:
Motor-mechanized units will perform the fire preparation before the action of our troops
and then with the 2company they will go on the main communication direction LI ČKA
JASENICA – SABORSKO.
The 1stcompany will bring the forces into the district of the gathering place, under the TT
576 from where it will bring the units, during the artillery preparation, on the starting line –
intersection of the roads VUKELIĆ POLJANA – VELIKO VRELO.
The 1sbattalion commander
Bogdan Grba 183
OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS184 185
ANNEX 416:
TH TH TH TH
R ECORD OF E XHUMATIONS ON 16 , 17 , 18 AND 19 JUNE 1997
THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
THE DISTRICT COURT IN KARLOVAC
INVESTIGATIVE CENTER
Kir 267/97
RECORD
from the 16t, the 17 , the 18 , the 19 and the 20 of June 1997
After the gathered information that on the wider area of the town of Slunj and the Rakovica
and Saborsko municipalities there are graves, in the local cemeteries and on the scenes of
fire in houses, in which there are the mortal remains of the citizens of the Croatian
nationality killed by the Serbian paramilitary formations during the time of the aggression
on the Republic of Croatia in the period from 1991 to 1996 and on the basis of the order of
the District court in Karlovac, from the 13 thof June 1997, number Kir-267/97, the
th
exhumations of the mortal remains on the locations started on the 16f June at 8 a.m.
THE TOWN OF SLUNJ – LOCAL CEMETERY SLUNJ
LOCATION – NO. 1
The grave is being excavated manually, using hovel and spade and on about 1m of depth
wooden trunk – coffin, in half-decaying condition was found. On the lateral side of the
cover of the coffin there is the inscription “Dane Bogović” – 62 years old.
The information on identity: Danijel Bogović, born on the 4of May 1930.
Identified by his sister, Anka Bogović. 186
A NNEX 417:
O FFICIAL RECORD OF THE POLICE SCTION FROM 27 THFEBRUARY 1992
THE REPUBLIC OF THE SERBIAN KRAJINA
THE MINISTRY FOR THE INTERIOR
THE SECRETARIAT FOR THE INTERIOR OF KNIN
THE STATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECURITY OF KORENICA
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OFthRHOVINE
VRHOVINE, February 27 1992
THE OFFICIAL NOTE
drawn up on February 27 th1992 in connection with the event for the day October 4and
October 5th1992
On October 4 th1991 at 07,20 p.m., the Special Platoon for Special Assignments with its
commander Predrag Baklaji ć brought 5 Croats from the villageČorci in Vrhovine up to
these premises of this Police station, that is to this Police department. After leading up to
here, the same stated that there were no problems, that they had been ordered to drive them
the next day to Knin for the interrogation and if they could stay here until the morning
because they didn’t have a place to keep them. We agreed.
Following Croats were brought: Vlade Čorak (“Brico”), Kata Čorak, Marko Čorak, Stipe
Čorak and Mate Čorak.
The same spent the night in custody in the Police department.
th
On October 5 1991, at 08,30 a.m., Predrag Bruji ć took away a hunting gun and Predrag
Prica from Korenica, an employee of the DB, took away a hunting carbine.
On October 5 t1991, at 01,15 p.m., Predrag Baklaji ć, together with some of his men, came
for prisoners and he stated that he was driving them to Knin for the interrogation. They put
them in a paddy wagon and drove them in the direction of Korenica.
P.S. Weapons, that is the carbine and the hunting gun, were the property of captured Croats.
The Note is delivered for knowledge and further use.
THE COMMANDER OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN VRHOVINE
Milan Pupavac
(signature) 187
ANNEX 418:
R ECORD OF EXHUMATIONS ON 25 , 26 THAND 27THS EPTEMBER 1996
THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
THE DISTRICT COURT IN KARLOVAC
INVESTIGATIVE CENTER
Kir 450/96
RECORD
from the 25th, 26 and the 27 of September
The gathered necessary information show that on the wider area of the town of Slunj and
the Rakovica municipality, on the local cemeteries Slunj, La đevac and Rakovica and in the
villages of Korita Rakovačka and Čatrnja there are graves and it was found out, on the basis
of the available information, that there are mortal remains of the citizens of the Croatian
nationality that were killed by the Serbian paramilitary formations in the time of the
aggression on the Republic of Croatia in the period from 1991 to 1994. After all these
th
information, that resulted from the Criminal report and the Special reports of the 5Slunj
Police Station under numbers 511-05-50/4-K-3/92 and 511-05-50/4-K-18/94, were
gathered, and after the District state law chamber was informed, the scene of the crime is
th
investigated on the 25 of September 1996, at 8 p.m. and the exhumation of the mortal
remains is executed on all together 6 locations on the local Slunj cemetery.
LOCATION No. 5
Identification of the mortal remains from the bag – record No. 1
Cause of death – most probably the activity of the missile fired from the hand firearm in the
chest area.
Information on identity: Zora Potnar, born in 1934.
Identified – by her husband, Mile Potnar and her son, Ivan Potnar on the basis of the clothes
and the documents.
LOCATION No. 6
Identification of the mortal remains from the bag – record No. 1
Cause of death – most probably the activity of the mechanical force, and that could be the
missiles fired from the hand firearm in the chest area and in the are of the right upper arm.
th
Information on identity: Roze Radočaj, born on the 15 of September 1929.
Identified – by her son Joso Radočaj on the basis of the clothes and the condition of the set
of teeth.
LOCATION No. 2
Identification of the mortal remains from the bag – record No. 1
Cause of death – head injury.
Information on identity: Franjo Šajfar, born on the 16of March 1934.
Identified – by his son, Joso Šajfar on the basis of the clothes and the location.
Identification of the mortal remains from the bag – record No. 2
Information on identity: Anka Rupa, born in 1925.
Identified – by her son. Mile Rupa on the basis of the clothes, the location and the height.
Identification of the mortal remains from the bag – record No. 3
th
Information on identity: Joso Šajfar, born on the 19of March 1924.
Identified – by his son, Pero Šajfar on the basis of the clothes, the location and the height.
LOCATION No. 3 188
Identification of the mortal remains from the bag – record No. 1
th
Information on identity: Marija Barić, born o the 14October 1910.
Identified – by her son, Ivan Barić on the basis of the clothes and the location.
Identification of the mortal remains from the bag – record no. 2
Cause of death – probably burns.
Information on identity: Anka Mrgan, born in 1899.
Identified – by her son Mile Mrgan.
Identification of the mortal remains from the bag – record No. 3
th
Information on identity: Roze Barić, born on the 7 April 1934.
Identified – by her brother Ivan Barić on the basis of the clothes and the location.
A NNEX 419:
RECORD OF EXHUMATIONS ON 2 , 4THAND 5THJ ULY 1996
THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
KARLOVAC DISTRICT COURT
INVESTIGATIVE CENTER
Kir 227/96
RECORD
from 02, 04, and 05 July 1996
(…)
After the received information that in the village of La đevac – the town of Slunj – there is
more then one location – graves in which, on the basis of the existing information, there are
the remains of the Croatian citizens who were killed by the enemy formations during the
aggression on the Republic of Croatia in the period from 05 August 1991 on, we go to the
spot in order to conduct an investigation and carry out investigative actions of the
exhumation of the remains, and we establish these facts:
PLACE – GORNJI LAĐEVAC
LOCATION NO. 1 – Gornji Lađevac 20
The location is assumed to be a grave with the remains of a person and is situated in Gornji
Lađevac, house number 20, in the possesion of the deceased Jure Vuković. The grave is
placed in the garden behind the burnt house.
(…)
Identification of the remains from the bag, record number 1
(…)
The cause of death – most likely the death was caused by mechanic means which hit the
area of the thoracic cavity and the left arm, where the damage of the bones in the form of
fraction were found, and it could have been inflicted by projectiles fired from hand fire
arms.
Information about the identity – Jure Vuković, born on 07 July 1941 189
Identified by his sons Ivica Vukovi ć and Nedjeljko Vukovi ć, on the basis of the location,
status of the set of teeth, the lenght of the dead body, the belt.
PLACE – LAĐEVAČKO SELIŠTE
LOCATION 3 – Lađevačko Selište 35
(…)
On the site of fire the pieces of carbonized bones were find, which is insufficient for the
determination of the identity, and therefore it is impossible to determine the cause of death
as well as conduct the identification.
(…)
Supposition about the identity -
1. Ivan Radočaj
2. Roze Radočaj
LOCATION 3A – Lađevačko Selište 35
(…)
On the site of fire the pieces of carbonized bones were find, which is insufficient for the
determination of the identity, and therefore it is impossible to determine the cause of death
as well as conduct the identification.
(…)
Supposition about the identity
1. Mile Radočaj
2. Bare Radočaj
3. Ante Radočaj
ANNEX 420:
LETTER T O THEP ARLIAMENTARY C OMMISSIONER FOR THE
EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS – 15 JANUARY 1992
PARLIAMENT’S COMMISSION FOR
THE EXCHANGE OF THE PRISONERS
for Mr Stjepan Adanić
Ministry of Defence of the Rep. of Croatia
Gajeva Street 30
REQUEST
Residents of Široka Kula
and the relatives of the missing persons
We turn to you with the request that, within your authorities, do everything that is possible
in connection with the following:
The village Široka Kula is located on the relation Gospi ć – Titova Korenica and it is about
3 km far from Li čki Osik (in the direction of Titova Korenica) and which is under control 190
of the forces of the Serbian army and police. Our parents, brothers, sisters, children and
neighbors, residents of the village Široka Kula, are witnesses and victims of tragic events –
massacre, brutal torture of the unprotected civilians, merciless robbery and destruction of
their property.
On 22 ndAugust a “Martić’s Police Station” was established, and since then the people from
the village, the Croats, had no possibility of communication and free moving because of the
armed barricade on the road Gospi ć – Titova Korenica at Li čki Osik in the direction of
Gospić, and at the hamlet Vukava in the direction of T. Korenica. The only possibility of
communication is through phone lines that were, violently, broken on 30 thAugust.
On the entire territory the Serbs were armed on massive scale by the former JNA, the
peaceful living of the Croats was being disturbed with constant shootings and intimidation,
and in time the robbery and illegal taking of the property began. Their houses and other
buildings were being set on fire. As a consequence, people started to run away. Because of
their own safety, they escaped at night to the nearest village that is under the control of the
Croatian police, Perušić. In the village still stayed a great number of Croats who could not,
or would not leave their homes. Their moving was maximally limited and under the
constant guard of the armed formations, the so-called territorial defence and Marti ć’s
police. But, besides that, they did not expect of their neighbors, with whom they spent their
entire lives peacefully, to threaten their lives in any moment.
In the middle of September, from 12 thto 14 thSeptember, some of the local people were
physically molested, and 6 of them were taken in prison in Novi Li čki Osik (building of the
Hall of Culture) by the “Marti ć’s police”, where Antonija Nikši ć (born in 1946) saw her
husband Ante (Ivan) Nikši ć (born in 1937), who was also a prisoner there, on 25 th
September in the cellar. Čedo Budisavljević, the chief commander of the prison, told her on
that occasion that there were 13 people in the prison and among them were the following
residents of Široka Kula:
1. Ante (Marko) Orešković (born in 1937)
2. Anka (Franjo) Orešković (born in 1935)
3. Petar (Marko) Nikšić (born in 1942)
4. Ivica (Petar) Nikšić (born in 1974)
5. Joso (Mile) Nikšić (born in 1956)
6. Ante (Ivan) Nikšić (born in 1937).
The same persons were seen at the forced labor in Lič ki Osik and Široka Kula, where they
were brought at the end of September by the Marti ć’s police and for the burial of the first
civilian victim of the Croatian nationality – Kata Nikši ć (born in 1932) from the hamlet
Vukava, and where they were seen by the local people Dane Oreškovi ć (born in 1930) and
Blaž Orešković (born in 1928).
Kata Nikšić was killed in her own house on 25 thSeptember, in the evening, while her
husband, who was wounded on that occasion, managed to escape and save himself. In that
same hamlet at the time granny Marija (Martin) Nikši ć (born in 1902) and Mate Nikši ć
(born in 1930) were physically molested and wounded, while Mate managed to escape
leaving his wife, the ill and invalid Ana Nikšić (born in 1920).
In the hamlet Centar, at the beginning of October, according to the statement of neighbor
Mara Orešković (born in 1929), the ill granny Marica (Stipe) Oreškovi ć (born in 1919) was
physically molested, and in the hamlet Gaj Matija (Jure) Orešković (born in 1912). 191
On 13 thOctober in the hamlet Grubi ći, the civilians were first killed and then thrown into
the burned house and an out-house of Dane Orešković. These were the following persons:
1. Ana (Mate) Orešković (1930)
2. Anka Orešković (1945)
3. Nikola (Mate) Orešković (1937)
4. Mara Orešković (1911)
5. Milan (Mile) Orešković (1930)
6. Verica (Marko) Nikšić (1978)
7. Manda Nikšić
8. Kate (Petar) Orešković (1932)
About this tragic event witness the survived witnesses, the neighbors and close relatives
that managed to escape and save themselves in the evening of that same day.
Ivan (Mile) Orešković (1896) remained lying in his house, and which was also set on fire,
and furthermore, also in her house, Marija Orešković (1901).
According to Mile Nikšić’s statement (1936) in the hamlet Brdo Nikši ć granny Ana Nikši ć
(1904) was also killed. The last refugees of the Croatian nationality, Mile and Iva Ćaćić,
who fled from the village on 27 thOctober, stated that Iva Ć aćić’s brother does not live in
his house any more Milan (Mile) Vojvodi ć (1938), and his wife Ana (Ivan) Vojvodi ć
(1933), and that, according to the neighbor of the Serbian nationality Nedjeljko Uzelac,
they were taken by force on 14 thOctober in the evening by car in the direction of Novi
Lički Osik.
Besides the so far mentioned persons, the destiny of the following persons that remained in
the village is still unknown:
1. Roža Orešković (1914)
2. Ivan (Mile) Orešković (1922)
3. Mara (Mijat) Orešković (1920)
4. Marija (Stevo) Nikšić (1904)
5. Manda (Ante) Bašan (1921)
6. Kaja Ćaćić (1913)
7. Ivan Štimac (1930)
8. Marica Štimac (1933)
9. Petar (Mile) Nikšić (1947)
All until now we have been trying to get any kind of information in various ways about the
further destiny of those people, our close ones, bur without any success and the right
answer from all the institutions and authorities that we turned to. In this we got the
impression that the problems of this area is unjustifiably neglected, bearing in mind the
actions that were done about similar cases in other parts of the Republic of Croatia. That
motivated us to turn to you with this letter, because we consider that every man deserves
equal attention in the sense of protecting his life and the basic human rights.
Hard, toilsome life of the Croatian peasant in the harsh and rugged Lika created a dignified
man who appreciated the work and, above all, another man. With this, it is more painful
and tragic the notion that this forceful hatred and crimes snapped over these completely
innocent people.
Because of all this we beg you to take concrete and decisive steps that will lead to the
liberation of all the prisoners from the Chetniks’ camps and prisons. The same way these 192
decisive steps will bring to the liberation of all the ill and old people that are still at mercy
of the Chetnik formations.
Besides that, we would like to bury decently all those that wrongfully became victims of
the frantic savageness and terror.
We thank you for your help in advance.
Signatories of the letter:
Ivan Nikšić
Josipa Nikšić
Blaž Orešković
Ivo Orešković
Ankica Orešković
Ivanka Vojvodić
th
Zagreb, 15 January 1992.
Delivered to:
International Red Cross
Mission of the European Monitors
The Red Cross of the Rep. of Croatia
Ministry of Defence – Commission for the exchange of the prisoners
Country club – Široka Kula
A NNEX 421:
L ETTER FROM M EMBERS OF THE F AMILIES OF THE DEAD AND M ISSING FROM ŠROKA
TH
K ULA , 13 O CTOBER 2000
Dear citizens of our beautiful country, representatives of the Croatian government,
members of all the parties and associations, representatives of the newspapers!
Today, on the ninth anniversary of the killing of our dearest, we feel obliged to speak, we,
the members of the families of the murdered Croats from Široka Kula, which is only 11 km
far from Gospić, from Široka Kula whose destiny was in this war directly connected to the
events and destiny of Gospi ć and the surroundings: Peruši ć, Lički Osik, Urije, Novoselija,
Ostrvice, Barlet, Bilaj, Ribnik, Lički Novi, Čanak, Podlapača and a number of others.
Feeling conscious of the possibility of the misinterpretation of addressing ourselves to the
public, we want to speak from the aspect of the Croatian victim and with this contribute to
the responsible thinking, understanding and truth in Croatia and about Croatia. We consider
that, because of the past, present and future of the complex Croatian reality, nobody in
Croatia is free from the responsibility for telling the truth.
We do not approve of the approach to the truth about the Homeland War, to which of the
higher priority is finding out the wrongs of our defenders in the fight for freedom of their
people, instead of the wast suffering of the Croatian people. Croatian victims are numerous,
but the Croatian victims are still not found. Nobody mentions Croatian victims. We wonder
whether it shows our appreciation of them. And the lives that our dearest gave for the
family, home, country, are a pledge of peace, love and all the good that we, the survived,
have to build, and not destroy. 193
We, the Croats, have suffered too much because of stretching the truth and facts not to be
afraid of the dangerous superficiality. And this awful war, and all this hatred that we
directly felt, are the outcomes of the long-year lie that was imposed upon us as the truth.
Every superficial affection in the events that were fatal for us, hurts us, deepens our suffer
and raises suspicion in the seriousness of justice and peace that we have been waiting for so
long.
We condemn pillorying Gospić in front of the international public. At the same time we do
not comprehend the fast, disproportional and inadmissable forgetfulness of, without any
cause, sufferings in Široka Kula, Lički Osik, Perušić, Gospić, entire Lika and Croatia. We
wonder whether the awful attack at the barehanded, peaceful and honest man from Lika – a
Croat, should have the priority and how could Gospi ć be separated from all the events on
this area when we know that Croats and all that is Croatian, should have been destroyed in
1991.
There are too many proofs all over Croatia about this truth, and today, here, on the spot of
the sad memory in Gospi ć, we remind you of the sufferings of the innocent old people,
women, girl, young men, unarmed men – civilians, who were, according to the statements
of the survived witnesses, daily intimidated, threatened, phyisically molested and tortured.
In August 1991, Široka Kula, together with Lički Osik and all the surrounding villages, was
military cut out by the armed occupation of the former JNA, Territorial Defence and
Martić’s police. Trained and prepared in years, well armed, all the Serbs that lived there,
participated in the ruthless attack at the Croats of Peruši ć, Stari Li čki Osik, Mušaluk,
Gospić, with an intention to conquer all this territory and set the borders of the Great
Serbia, but without Croats. To realize their idea, they did not hesitate in giving their
children, wives and old people weapons. Active and reserve military forces from Serbia
arrive at the occupied territory, and over the unoccupied territory of Lika planes, tanks,
mortars, cannons, multi-barreled rocket launchers of the JNA spread death.
The movings of the Croats in Široka Kula, Urije, Novoselija, Ostrvica is limited, they are
threatened, beaten, robbed and their property is being set on fire. They are taken to prisons
and murdered. Thus in September 1991, because of their “guilt” for being Croats, a 17-
year-old Ivica Nikšić and his father Petar (49 years old), Ante Oreškovi ć (54 years old) and
his wife Anka (56 years old), Joso Nikši ć (35 years old) and Ante Nikši ć (54 years old)
were sentenced, imprisoned and tortured in the prison. Ante Nikšić ’s neighbours, the Serbs,
threatened his six-year.oldthon by putting a knife at his throat that they would,: “Butcher
him like a rabbit”. On 25 September 1991 Kata Nikši ć (54 years old) was killed by the
Serbs in her own house, and her husband Mile (47 years old) was wounded. Mate Nikši ć
(61 year old) survived despite the stab wounds, and his invalid wife Ana (71 year old) was
taken alive on a wheel-barrow, and her further destiny is still unknown. On these days they
killed Nikola Nikšić (59 years old), and the old woman Marija Nikši ć (89 years old) died
from the maltreatment and wounding.
In October 1991, the Serbs continue to rob and to murder, and they kill all the Croats that
they manage to catch. In Dane Oreškovi ć’s backyard they kill their neighbours: Kata
Orešković (59 years old), Milan Oreškovi ć (61 year old), Ana Oreškovi ć (61 year old),
Nikola Orešković (54 years old), his mother Mara (80 years old) and his wife Anka (46
years old), Manda Nikšić (51 year old), and with the fire from the machine-gun they forever
stop the life of her daughter, 13-year-old girl Verica.They leave their bodies in the burned
house and stable. In the houses they torture, kill and slaughter the ill old people: Ivan
Orešković (95 years old), Marija Oreškovi ć (90 years old), Ana Nikši ć (87 years old), Kata
Ćaćić (78 years old) and Matija Oreškovi ć (79 years old). At the time all the prisoners 194
disappear from Li čki Osik, and the Serbs take Mile Vojvodi ć (53 years old) and his wife
Ana (58 years old) from their backyard in the unknown direction. Armed Serbs walk into
Ivan Štimac’s house (61 year old), kill him and his wife Ana (58 years old), and leave their
bodies in the burning house.
The survived citizens save their own lives by escaping towards Perušić , and from the
villages from where the smell of burning, cries and death spread, they bring awful news.
There is nothing about the destiny of the Raki ć family, and whose five members did not
want to participate in the crimes over the Croats: Mane (60 years old), his wife Luja (60
years old), sone Dragan (29 years old) and Miodrag (29 years old) and daughter radmila (30
years old).
Petar Nikšić (44 years old) was tortured and killed in his house in 1992, and his funeral was
organized by the members of the UNPROFOR.
In October 1991, together with the Croats from Široka Kula, in the prison in Li čki Osik
there were Josip Juki ć (47 years old) from Ostrvica and his wife Lucija (55 years old and
Ivan Perković (58 years old) from Urije. There is nothing about their destiny, and reported
as the missing are Mile Zalović (40 years old) and Martin Pavleti ć (49 years old) from
Lički Osik.
Nine years have passed from those terrible events, nine years of waiting for the truth, nine
years of pain, sobs, uncried tears. And today the only thing that comforts us is the thought
of the unvaluable and undestroyable value of the innocent victim. We know that only from
the victim a new life is born, and this is the victim for us, our children, peace on this area.
And we want to be its builders.
Therefore we warn that the Homeland War is much too important to be subject to the
political games. One cannot speak about the Homeland War what he wishes and with little
facts he has. With this he jeopardizes not only the dignity of the Homeland War, but the
dignity of every Croatian man and citizen. Who has the right to, and in behalf of what truth,
take away the dignity of a people and man , in particular? Why the Croatian scientists and
educated people who have to and can say expertly and objectively about everything that
happened in Croatia in the Homeland War, keep quiet?
Today we ask the state services in authority, from the local and all to the highest state level,
to establich expert, non-partisan commissions that will be liable to the Parliament of the
Republic of Croatia, and that will chronologically search the sufferings on the area of Lika
and entire Croatia, and establish the concrete causes and consequences of the war. We also
ask that all the crimes done in this century should be scientifically lighten up and which are
directly connected to the destiny of the Croats and Croatian state.
We hope that now, after the hundreds of interviews in Gospi ć, everyone asks himself how
could a resident of Gospi ć and its surroundings survive all the terror that he has been
through, especially the one who had to, against his will, take a gun in his hand and defend
his family and his home.
th
Gospić, 13 October 2000. Members of the families of the dead and missing
Croats from Široka Kula (10 signatures)
Deliver to:
1. President of the Republic of Croatia
2. Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia
3. President of the Parliament of the Rep. of Croatia 195
4. Authorities of the Ličko-senjska County
5. Authorities of the town of Gospić
6. Newspapers
7. Government’s Office for the Missing and Captured?
A NNEX 422:
INVESTIGATION RECORD (EXHUMATION ), KIR-632/96
COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
INVESTIGATING CENTRE Kir. 632/96
MINUTES ON THE INVESTIGATION (exhumation)
th
made on 14 August 1996
made in behalf of the County Court in Zadar in the village Vaganac, municipality of
Smoljanac, (wider area of Plitvička Jezera), and on the occasion of the exhumation of
several bodies of the people murdered during the aggression on the Republic of Croatia in
1991/92 ( war crime against the civilians).
Present:
Investigating Judge: Milivoj Lasan
Recording Secretary: Sandra Paleka
From Zadarsko-kninska Police Department:
1. Krunoslav Pervan, Crim. Inspector at the Section for war crimes and terrorism;
2. Ivica Rogić, Crim. Technician;
3. Suad Karahasanović, Crim. Inspector from the Police Station in Korenica
4. Expert witness Dr Dražen Cuculić, the specialist of the forensic medicine from the
Institute for the forensic medicine in Rijeka and his assistant Josipa Doričić are
present at the investigation.
Dr Drinko Baličević, the specialist pathologist from Zagreb, controlling the exhumation is
present at the investigation.
Representative of the Monitoring Mission of the EC Dieter Gauglitz, and interpretor
Božidar Abramović from Zagreb, working at the Monitoring Mission of the EC in Zagreb,
are present at the investigation.
The relatives of the deceased whose names will be given when identifying the bodies, and
because of the recognition of the deceased by the relatives, are also present.
Began at 08.30 hrs.
The investigation is made on the occasion of the letter of the Commission for detained and
missing persons of the Rep. of Croatia from 30thJuly 1996, that it is necessary to make the
exhumation of the remains of the Croatian defenders and civilians killed during the
aggression in 1991/91, on the territory of Zadarsko-kninska County.
Location No I
A man named STIPE KUKURUZOVIĆ
o p i n i o n 196
On examining the remains of Stipe Kukuruzovi ć who was identified by the clothes, teeth
and the examination of the bone system, a wound of the chest bone was found, that is, a
defect typical for the wound from a projectile. The death was violent, and the CAUSE OF
DEATH is a shot wound of the chest from the hand fire arms.
I reckon that he died about 5 years ago…
Location No II
A woman named Jeka Mikuljan, maiden name Rukavina…
o p i n i o n
thOctober 1991 after
According to the witness statement Jeka Mikuljan was killed on 8
which she was thrown into a well
(…)
The death was violent, and THE CAUSE OF DEATH was strangulation with a wire, that is
the black wire that was found around the neck of the above mentioned.
(…)
Location No III
A man named Dane Jandrić
(…)
o p i n i o n
The death was violent and THE CAUSE OF DEATH was a shot wound through the head.
The body was postmortally carbonized, which means that the body was set on fire after the
death.
(…)
Location No V
The remains of a female person named Marija (Marica) Kukuruzović
(…)
Cause of death is unknown.
Location No VI
A female person named Milka Kukuruzović
(…)
o p i n i o n
The death was violent and THE CAUSE OF DEATH was a shot wound through the head.
RECORDING SECRETARY: Sandra Paleka
EXPERT WITNESS: Dr Dražen Cuculić, specialist of the forensic medicine
INVESTIGATING JUDGE: Milivoj Lasan 197
A NNEX 423:
IVESTIGATION R ECORD (EXHUMATION , K -469/96)
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
INVESTIGATING CENTRE
MINUTES ON THE INVESTIGATION
madeo on 20thJune 1996 on the occasion of finding out the burned remains of the late Ruža
Mikuljan, in her house in Gornji Vaganac
PRESENT:
Investigating Judge: Antun Klišmanić
Recording secretary: Stanka Grginović
Inspectors of the VIII Police
Station in Korenica Suad Karahasanovićand Josip Žgela
Inspectors of Zadar Police Department Kruno Pervan
Crim. technician: Ivica Rogić
Expert witness, pathologist Prim Dr Josip Dujella
Son of the deceased Ivan Mikuljan
(…)
The remains of the late Ruža Mikuljan
(…)
The mentioned person was burned down, that is, the cause of death was carbonization of
the body. It cannot be excluded that before the carbonization the deceased was suffocated
by carbon monoxide.
Recording Secretary: Expert Witness: Investigating Judge:
Stanka Grginović Prim Dr Josip Dujella Antun Klišmanić
A NNEX 424: TH
R EPORT OF E XHUMATION , 13 A UGUST 1996
COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
INVESTIGATING CENTRE Kir. 631/96
MINUTES ON THE INVESTIGATION (exhumation)
from 13thAugust 1996
made in behalf of the County Court in Zadar in the village Poljanak, municipality of
Smoljanac, (wider area of Plitvička Jezera), and on the occasion of the exhumation of
several bodies of the people murdered during the aggression on the Republic of Croatia in
1991/92 ( war crime against the civilians).
Present:
Investigating Judge: Milivoj Lasan
Recording Secretary: Sandra Paleka
From Zadarsko-kninska Police Department:
1. Krunoslav Pervan, Crim. Inspector at the Section for war crimes and terrorism; 198
2. Ivica Rogić, Crim. Technician;
3. Suad Karahasanović, Crim. Inspector from the Police Station in Korenica
Expert witness Dr Dražen Cuculić, the specialist of the forensic medicine from the Institute
for the forensic medicine in Rijeka and his assistant Josipa Dori čić are present at the
investigation.
Dr Drinko Baličević, the specialist pathologist from Zagreb, controlling the exhumation is
present at the investigation.
Firs Lieutenant Mrko Miloš, the commisioner of the Commission for detained and missing
persons of the Government of the republic of Croatia is present at the investigation.
Representative of the Monitoring Mission of the EC Dieter Gauglitz, and interpretor
Božidar Abramović from Zagreb, working at the Monitoring Mission of the EC in Zagreb,
are present at the investigation.
The relatives of the deceased whose names will be given when identifying the bodies, and
because of the recognition of the deceased by the relatives, are also present.
Began at 08.30 hrs.
The investigation is made on the occasion of the letter of the Commission for detained and
missing persons of the Rep. of Croatia from 30 thJuly 1996, that it is necessary to make the
exhumation of the remains of the Croatian defenders and civilians killed during the
aggression in 1991/91, on the territory of Zadarsko-kninska County.
R E P O R T
Body No 1
By examining the remains of Juraj Bi ćanić, who was identified by his son Petar Bićanić and
by the things (4 keys and a bottom of the watch), and clothes, only a few parts of the bones
were found and which are mostly burned.
According to the son’s statement, the father was slaughtered, and after he died he was
burned down.
opinion
It can be concluded that the body was exposed to fire, that is burned down.
Body No 2 (ROŽA BIĆANIĆ)
opinion
The cause of death cannot be said with certainty, but it is certain that the body was exposed
to fire.
RECORDING SECRETARY: Sandra Paleka(signature)
EXPERT WITNESS: Dr Dražen Cuculić, the specialist for forensic medicine (signature)
INVESTIGATING JUDGE: Milivoj Lasan, Judge (signature) 199
ANNEX 425:
AUTOPSY R ECORD , 15THAUGUST 1991
AUTOPSY RECORD
Kir-94/91-2
from 15 August 1991
is drawn up at the mortuary of the General hospital in Gospić regarding the outward
examination and autopsy of 5 male corpses by the investigation on the spot – next to the
railway line not far away from the place Lovinac. The detailed immediate investigation as
well as the examination of the exact place see in the Investigation Record. In the afternoon
on 14 August 1991, the investigation is conducted at the location and relatives-inhabitants
identified corpses of five persons in the advanced state of decomposition by clothing.
PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE COURT:
Đuro Pavlica, the investigative judge
Dušanka Đaković, the recording secretary
PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE ADMINISTRATION:
Božo Perišić, the criminal technician
Mile Ugarković, the inspector
PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE “OJT” GOSPIĆ:
Đorđe Kalanj
THE MEDIACL EXPERT:
Petar Katalinić
Start at 09,00 a.m.
Relatives identified the corpses by clothing and the same are handed over to Petar Dr.
Katalinić, a specialist for forensic medicine and a regular judicial expert at the County
Court in Rijeka, who has already been warned about the oath, who, assisted by Mladen
Štavlić and Janko Jeli ć, performs the outward examination and the autopsy and gives the
following
FINDING
On 14 August 1991, the investigation is conducted at the location and on the basis of the
identification by relatives and known persons, dead bodies are numbered as follows:
Martin Šarić
Ivan Ivezić
Marko Pavičić
Stjepan Katalinić
Jure Sekulić
The autopsy is performed on the bodies one by one under the same numbers and the
criminal technician, under these numbers, photographs taken and all relevant information
recorded. (...)
MARTIN ŠARIĆ (...)
A shot wound, a wound on the head where the bullet went right through with multiple
fractures of bones was established during the examination ... There is an exit wound on the
back where the bullet went right through ... There are also wounds on the buttocks and on
the lower extremities where bullets went right through ... He died a violent death. The cause 200
of death is a wound on the head where the bullet went right through. With regard to the
advanced decomposition it can’t be concluded whether this wound is inflicted from close
range, from a relative closeness or from a distance.
IVAN IVEZIĆ (...)
A head wound where the bullet went right through is found during the external examination
and during the autopsy ... We also find two wounds in the abdomen where the bullet went
right through. The shot through the head is a serious and deadly lesion and it is the cause of
death.
MARKO PAVIČIĆ (...)
There is a round defect with a diameter of 12 mm on the area above the right ear and the
entire left side of the head is missing ... A deadly wound on the head where the bullet went
right through, as well as shot wounds on the right upper arm and on the back of the right
upper leg, which are serious wounds, are found during the external examination and during
the autopsy. Projectile shrapnel was removed from the described shot wounds.
STJEPAN KATALINIĆ (...)
A shot wound in the middle of the chin is found during the external examination and during
the autopsy ... We find a shot wound on the back ... The person died a violent death. The
cause of death is a shot through the chin and a shot through a part of the spine.
JURE SEKULIĆ (...)
The head smashed, multiple skin lesions towards the front side of the head, that is towards
the face, bones suffered multiple fractures ... There are two defects of the skin on the back,
in the middle between the shoulder blades ... Both upper legs are broken... Multiple shot
wounds to the head, on the torso as well as on the limbs are found during the external
examination and during the autopsy. The shot wound to the head that goes from the back to
the front is a deadly lesion. Other lesions that are going in the same direction are serious
and life-threatening wounds. (...)
With regard to the advanced decomposition as well as the length of larvae, in my opinion
the time of death is 8 or 9 days before the examination, that is 5 or 6 August 1991.
The examination and the autopsy performed on all five remains showed that all of them
died due to multiple shot wounds. (...)
Completed at 8,25 p.m.
Medical Expert:
Petar Dr. Katalinić (signature)
Investigative Judge:
(illegible signature)
Recording Secretary:
(illegible signature) 201
A NNEX 426:
IVESTIGATIVE R EPORT , 22NDAUGUST 1996
THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
THE COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
CENTRE FOR INVESTIGATION
INVESTIGATIVE RECORD
from 22 August 1996
During the exhumation, the examination and the autopsy of the remains of the late Manda
Kovacevic from the village of Sv. Rok, of the late Marija Skorup from the village of Ričice,
of the late Mate Kova čević from the village of Lovinac and of the late Ivan Tomi čić from
the village of Ri čice, killed during the Homeland War by enemy paramilitary units on the
wider territory of the former municipality of Gra čac, was drawn up on behalf of the County
Court in Zadar.
PERSONS PRESENT DURING THE INVESTIGATION:
1. On behalf of the County Court in Zadar the investigative judge Ladislav Judnic with
the recording secretary Dragica Peić
2. Representatives of the Team for the exhumation of the mortal remains of Croatian
defenders and civilians from the Government Commission for Detained and Missing
Persons led by Mr. Marko Miloš
3. Judicial experts: Dr. Drinko Baličević, a consultant pathologist, with the assistant
Izidor Skec from the Clinical Hospital “Sestre milosrdnice” in Zagreb (for exhumation
of remains) and the doctor of science Renata Dobi-Babi ć, a consultant for forensic
medicine with the assistant Josipa Dori čić from the Institute for the Forensic Medicine
of the Medical School in Rijeka (for examination of remains)
4. On behalf of the Police Administration Zadarsko-Kninska in Zadar: inspectors Ante
Mikulić and Krunoslav Pervan and criminal technicians Ivica Rogi ć and Tomislav
Galić
5. The representative-observer from the European Community in Zagreb Mr. Zofal
Werner, Austria
6. Representatives of the Croatian Red Cross (from Gračac)
It is established that the judge has been informed about the procedure of the exhumation
and of the examination of corpses on the mentioned territory by a special official
proclamation of the Government Commission for Detained and Missing Persons sent
around and dated 16 August 1996, the reference number: 50412-96-3067-02, and so the
date of summons was determined in advance.
Arriving at the location, and before the conduct of the exhumation and the examination of
the remains, the investigative judge of the County Court in Zadar, based on Article 232,
Subsection 1 and Article 242 of the Law on Criminal Procedure, 202
ORDERED
The exhumation, the identification and the autopsy of above-marked remains of the late
Manda Kovačević, Marija Skorup and Mate Kovač ević will be performed. The purpose for
that is to establish the identity of the bodies, as well as to establish the cause and the time of
death, what provoked the cause and other information necessary for this procedure.
In charge of the exhumation procedure has been appointed the team of the expert Dr.
Drinko Baličević, a consultant pathologist from Zagreb, and the examination and autopsy
Dr. Renata Dobi-Babić, a specialist for forensic medicine from Rijeka, who will enter the
medical findings and the opinion regarding the aforesaid in the record during the
investigation.
The Government Commission for Detained and Missing Persons will bear the expenses of
this investigation and of this expert opinion.
The start is at 8,00 a.m.
After that, the exhumation and the examination of remains will start in order determined by
the Team for the exhumation as follows:
THE BODY NUMBER 1 / the late MANDA KOVAČEVIĆ
It is established that they arrive at the so-called “Malo groblje” (“Little cemetery”) in the
village Ricice. It located about 150 meters from the main road. There, they come across:
- Marija Šarić, born Kovačević, born in 1930, now in Zagreb, at the address,
who states that she is a daughter of the deceased woman, and
- Mile Šarić from …, who states that he is a grandson of the deceased woman
Both of them are stating that, according to the witness statements, the late Manda
Kovačević, born Pešut, daughter of Marko, born in 1898 in Piplica, municipality of
Lovinac, nationality: Croat, died on 25 October 1991 and that she was buried at this so-
called “Little cemetery” in the town of Ričice, although she lived in the village of Sv. Rok.
Those identification witnesses state that they would identify the deceased woman by her
clothes, by height and the like.
After that, they start to remove soil from the location of the grave that is to be found by the
side of the access path, between two other locations of the grave. Present crime technicians
photograph every phase of the exhumation. During the procedure removing the remains, it
is established that the corpse is at a depth of 80 cm and that it is wrapped in a green blanket
with white designs. After that, the remains are handed over to the expert Dr. Renata Dobi-
Babić for the final identification and examination. She will give the expert opinion together
with Josipa Doričić.
The expert Dr. Renata Dobi-Babi ć, daughter of Ivan, from Opatija, Maksim Gorki 20, a
specialist for forensic medicine and the Head of the Institute for Forensic Medicine of the
Medical school in Rijeka, states as follows:
At around 10,40 a.m. on the present day, the examination of the remains from the location
no. 001, exhumed at the location Ri čice, “Little cemetery”, began. After she heard the
information about the deceased woman stated by the above-mentioned witnesses (a
daughter and a grandson), she enters in the record: 203
The outward appearance: The body is about 160 cm tall, medium built woman.
The deathlike stiffness is not characteristic. The skin is completely saponified,
brown, slimy.
There is a black scarf on the head and its knot is in the mouth. This is photo-
documented. There are no traces of lesions visible on the head or the neck.
Then, the clothing – black slippers, low and of linen, black stockings with elastic – are
taken off. The dead body is wrapped in a green blanket with white designs. Underneath that
are: a woollen black knitted shirt that is buttoned at the front, a black waistcoat with
buttons, a shirt with long sleeves and a silk shirt that is buttoned from the front.
After the clothing is removed, there is in the bosom a plastic bag wrapped in elastic. In that
plastic bag are a well preserved a Christmas card and a New Year’s card for 1990, and
money – a Yugoslav dinars – inside the card. There are two times of 2.863,30 dinars, which
is visible from the report of a bank statement (see photo-documentation).
An orifice of a diameter of 1,5 cm is visible on the left side of the thorax above the rib
cartilage and the second one, of the same diameter, is about 3 cm above the first one. To the
right and 3 cm above the middle of the groin, an orifice of the diameter of 1 cm is seen.
After the body was turned around, two smaller orifices are seen on the left side of the
thorax, in the middle near the spine, as high as the 10 thvertebra of the chest and another one
of the same diameter at about 3 cm above and to the left as high as the shoulder-blade is.
On buttocks, on the right in the middle, an orifice of the diameter of 1 cm is visible.
All of those defects are also noticeable on the clothes and on the black apron.
It is established that witnesses of the identification, particularly the daughter Marija Šari ć,
stated that they identify from the mortal remains the late Manda Kova čević, born Pešut,
born in 1898, who lived in the village Vranik – Lovinac, Sv. Rok, primarily by clothing and
by the nylon bag with the described contents. By statements of the daughter Marija Šari ć,
the death occurred on 25 October 1991.
She died a violent death and the cause of death is that the thorax and the torso were shot
through. On the ground of the performed examination, in my opinion, it is a question of
riddling with bullets with entrance wounds on the back part of the body.
THE BODY NUMBER 2 / the late MARIJA SKORUP
They come to the village Ri čice, to the house of the late Marija Skorup and near the hay-
stack on the territory of the so-called “Brizek”, along the green fence, where it is said that
the late Marija Skorup, who was killed by enemy army between 25 and 28 September 1991,
should be buried there.
The present witness of the identification is the person Manda Lakti ć, a daughter of the late
Pavao Skorup from Ri čice, who states that, according to the narration of a fairly large
number of persons, her mother – the late Marija Skrup, daughter of Pavao, born on 25
August 1906, from Ri čice, who was killed between 25 and 28 1991, in the hamlet Petraci,
but she was buried on this place not far away from her house – was buried at the above-
mentioned location.
Present employees are removing earth that is covered with grass and the terrain slightly
slopes. After between 40 and 50 cm, they come across mortal remains of a person that was
placed into a nylon bag. 204
This body is then handed over to the expert Dr. Renata Dobi-Babi ć, with her personal
above-mentioned data she gives the finding and the expert opinion:
The examination of these remains begins at 12 o’clock and the corpse is
transported from the village of Ričice, the territory of Brizek.
After the nylon bag is opened, I come across the skeleton, a woollen green
cardigan – a waist coat with buttons, a piece of a black sleeve – a delicate wool,
black slippers low-shoes, as shoes.
In the front, lower, left pocket of the cardigan, that is in the pocket of the woollen
waistcoat, is a roll of blue thread, a black plastic holder for socks, a female
buckle, one small black button and black stockings.
When examining the skull, it is established that all stitches are ossified except the
coronary one that is partially ossified. There is one defect visible on each temple.
There is an entrance shot wound of a 3 cm diameter on the left side and there is
an exit wound of a 10 cm diameter on the right side. Multiple fractures of the
bone of the vault and of the base of the scull are also established. The upper and
the lower jaw is worn out, with no teeth. All neck vertebrae are in its places and
4 thand 5 are grown together. All vertebrae of the chest are in their places except
th th th th
5 and 6 and 7 and 8 that are grown together. The pelvis of the female is
undamaged. The bones of the upper and lower limbs are undamaged and their
length is taken for subsequent calculation of the height.
The remains belong to a female person that died a violent death as a result of a
head shoot. This is the cause of death.
The daughter Manda Laktić that is present, on the ground of the identification of
clothing, states that the mortal remains belong to her late mother Marija Skorup.
With this, the identification of the body is completed.
THE BODY NUMBER 3 / the late MATE KOVAČEVIĆ
They arrived at the location of the hamlet of Babi ć of the village Sv. Rok to the house of
Luka Budak destroyed by fire no. 160 where dead Mate Kova čević called “Suljega” – son
of Dano, born in 1894, earlier permanent address in …, who is believed to have been killed
at this location and buried in the yard of the family house – should be buried.
Margareta Kovačević – the wife of the deceased, who gives the above stated information
and who describes the appearance of her husband while he was still alive, what diseases he
had and what is he wearing, is present. That information shall be used during the
identification.
The removing of soil begins and they come across a body wrapped in a yellow nylon cover.
The corpse is then handed over to the expert Dr. Renata Dobi-Babić, with other personal
information as aforesaid, who, after the examination, gives the findings and opinion:
The examination of the corpse begins at 1,00 p.m. The delivered dead body is
wrapped in a yellow nylon cover.
Limbs are ossified and the back side of the torso is saponified.
There is a shirt, probably the white one, from the clothing there. A defect of a
diameter of 20x17 cm with an edging that is turned inside out is visible on the
front left side of the shirt. The defect is also on the left pocket. After the shirt is 205
removed, the fracture of the breastbone, the fracture of the front side of ribs and
that the organs in the chest are altered due to the decomposition is established.
On the back, in the middle between bones of the shoulder blade, a defect of 5x4
cm is visible.
As a result of the examination of the skeleton of the head, it is established that
stitches are completely grown together. Frontally, in the middle, an impressive
fracture of 1x0,8 cm is visible. A fracture of a frontal bone on the right and a
fracture of the roof of the orbit, where a defect is visible, are also visible. There
are no teeth on either jaws.
Margareta Kovačević that is present explicitly affirms that the shirt belongs to her
husband, the late Mate Kova čević. She states that her husband wore neither
trousers nor pants because he was ill and he had diarrhoea, and so it is established
that no underwear is found on the corpse. The wife of the deceased states that her
husband was a corpulent person and that corresponds to the corpse that is tall
between 180 and 185 cm. In this way it is established that the mortal remains
belong to the late Mate Kovačević, son of Dane, from Lovinac.
The cause of death is that a thorax was been shot through, with the entrance
wound on the back. He died a violent death. 206
A NNEX 427:
SPECIAL R EPORT N . 511-18-041243/95
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
ZADARSKO-KNINSKA POLICE DEPARTMENT
CRIMINALIST POLICE SECTION
No: 511-18-04-1243/95. SZA
th
14 December 1995
TO THE COUNTY PROSECUTOR IN ZADAR
SPECIAL REPORT
as an addition to the criminal report against MIRKO LI ČIN and others (overall 43 persons)
made by Ličko-senjska Police Department under No: 511-04-02-KU-91/92 for the article
236 in connection with the article 244 issue 1 and issue 2 of the Criminal Law of the
Republic of Croatia and the article 235 of the Criminal Law of the Republic of Croatia
given to the Court Martial in Karlovac
(…)
In Lovinac, hamlet Parčići 179, the body of IVAN BRKIĆ was exhumated
(…)
Ivan Brkić was violently killed from fire arms between 2426 September 1991
(…)
In Smokri ć JOSIP PAVI ČIĆ and MILE PAVI ČIĆ were killed between 24 thand 26 th
September 1991 in the backyard of the family house. According to the findings, possible
cause of death of Josip Pavi čić was a shot fired in the temple, and because of few numbers
of bones found, the cause of death of Mile Pavi čić cannot be concluded with certainty. The
remains of the brothers Josip and Mile Pavičić were identified by their brother Ivan Pavičić.
(…)
Chief of Section
Ive KardumPART B: DALMATIA208 209
ETHNIC STRUCTURES210 211
D ALMATIA
Ethnicity of Dalmatia in 1991 (%)
0,21%
1,40%
0,25%
3,45%
12,06% 0,66%
81,96%
Croats Serbs Muslims Slovenes Albanians Yugoslavs Other
Croats 780002
Serbs 114805
Muslims 6303
Slovenes 2346
Albanians 1967
Yugoslavs 13356
Other 32862
GRAND TOTAL 951641 212
M UNICIPALITY OFŠIBENIK
Ethnicity of Municipality of Šibenik in 1991 (%)
11% 5%
84%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 71386
Serbs 8971
Other 4645
GRAND TOTAL 85002 213
PIRAMATOVCI
Ethnicity of Piramatovci in 1991 (%)
2%
5%
93%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 453
Serbs 23
Other 8
GRAND TOTAL 484 214
C ICVARE
Ethnicity of Cicvare in 1991 (%)
7%
12%
81%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 11
Serbs 74
Other 6
GRAND TOTAL 91 215
SONKOVIĆ
Ethnicity of Sonković in 1991 (%)
4%
44%
52%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 307
Serbs 360
Other 28
GRAND TOTAL 695 216
M UNICIPALITY OFDRNIŠ
Ethnicity of Municipality of Drniš in 1991 (%)
2%
21%
77%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 18732
Serbs 4974
Other 463
GRAND TOTAL 24169 217
P ULJANE
Ethnicity of Puljane in 1991 (%)
3%
97%
Croats Other
Croats 154
Other 5
GRAND TOTAL 159 218
SIVERIĆ
Ethnicity of Siverić in 1991 (%)
1%
10%
89%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 881
Serbs 97
Other 8
GRAND TOTAL 992 219
D RNIŠ
Ethnicity of Drniš in 1991 (%)
4%
22%
74%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 3447
Serbs 1021
Other 185
GRAND TOTAL 4653 220
M UNICIPALITY OFKNIN
Ethnicity of Municipality of Knin in 1991 (%)
3% 9%
88%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 3886
Serbs 37888
Other 1180
GRAND TOTAL 42954 221
K NINSKOP OLJE
Ethnicity of Kninsko Polje in 1991 (%)
2%
14%
84%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 58
Serbs 342
Other 8
GRAND TOTAL 408 222
K IJEVO
Ethnicity of Kijevo in 1991 (%)
0,24% 0,16%
99,60%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 1256
Serbs 2
Other 3
GRAND TOTAL 1261 223
E RVENIK
Ethnicity of Ervenik in 1991 (%)
1%
2%
97%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 32
Serbs 1526
Other 12
GRAND TOTAL 1570 224
V RPOLJE
Ethnicity of Vrpolje in 1991 (%)
4%
32%
64%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 343
Serbs 174
Other 19
GRAND TOTAL 536 225
M UNICIPALITY OOBROVAC
Ethnicity of Municipality of Obrovac in 1991 (%)
2%
33%
65%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 3761
Serbs 7572
Other 224
GRAND TOTAL 11557 226
JASENICE
Ethnicity of Jasenice in 1991 (%)
0,23%
0,23%
1,53%
0,15%
97,86%
Croats Serbs Slovenians Montenegrins Other
Croats 1280
Serbs 2
Slovenians 3
Montenegrins 3
Other 20
GRAND TOTAL 1308 227
M EDVIĐA
Ethnicity of Medviđa in 1991 (%)
2%
41%
57%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 395
Serbs 282
Other 11
GRAND TOTAL 688 228
M UNICIPALITY OB ENKOVAC
Ethnicity of Municipality of Benkovac in 1991 (%)
3%
41%
56%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 13553
Serbs 18986
Other 839
GRAND TOTAL 33378 229
BRUŠKA
Ethnicity of Bruška in 1991 (%)
10%
90%
Croats Serbs
Croats 334
Serbs 39
GRAND TOTAL 373 230
K ORLAT
Ethnicity of Korlat in 1991 (%)
2%
43%
55%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 519
Serbs 405
Other 17
GRAND TOTAL 941 231
SMILČIĆ
Ethnicity of Smilčić in 1991 (%)
2%
30%
68%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 192
Serbs 439
Other 10
GRAND TOTAL 641 232
M UNICIPALITY OZADAR
Ethnicity of Municipality of Zadar in 1991 (%)
7%
10%
83%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 113170
Serbs 14112
Other 9290
GRAND TOTAL 136572 233
Š KABRNJA
Ethnicity of Škabrnja in 1991 (%)
0,05% 2,41%
97,54%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 1906
Serbs 1
Other 47
GRAND TOTAL 1953 234
NADIN
Ethnicity of Nadin in 1991 (%)
1,95% 0,45%
97,60%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 650
Serbs 13
Other 3
GRAND TOTAL 666 235
M UNICIPALITY OFSINJ
Ethnicity of Municipality of Sinj in 1991 (%)
5% 3%
92%
Croats Serbs Other
Croats 55789
Serbs 2785
Other 1636
GRAND TOTAL 60120 236
M UNICIPALITY OD UBROVNIK
Ethicity of Municipality of Dubrovnik in 1991 (%)
7%
4%
7%
82%
Croats Serbs Muslims Other
Croats 58838
Serbs 4765
Muslims 2866
Other 4972
GRAND TOTAL 71419 237
WITNESS STATEMENTS238 239
A NNEX 428:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S.C.
SURNAME: C.
NAME, FATHER'S NAME: S., A.
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH:..., ..., Knin county, Croatia
RESIDENCE: …, Croatia
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE: …, Croatia
EDUCATION: qualified (equivalent to high school)
PROFESSION: shift supervisor
EMPLOYMENT:
MARITAL STATUS: married
CITIZENSHIP: Republic of Croatia
NATIONALITY: Croat
I give the following
STATEMENT
Before the elections in Croatia, even before the pre-election campaign, local Serbs together
with Serbs from Serbia (wearing Serbian national insignia and photos of their leaders)
cruised on buses around the village. Their first official nationalistic gathering was in the
village of Kosovo near Knin (Sozovica). They demanded the "Greater Serbia.” Since then
(1990-91) they have been firing Croats from their jobs.
In February 1991, I came to work. I was a supervisor of a work shift consisting of 180
workers. I saw them just standing around. When I asked them why they did not work, they
told me that they did not want me for their supervisor because I am a Croat. Six months ago
the Serbian workers in this workshop started making various arms and I forbade that. Later
they kicked me out of a job. The manager BrankoĆelebičanin asked them why they wanted
me replaced and they said that it was for the simple reason I was of Croatian origin. I was
transferred to another working post in the technological department. I worked there until
September 12, 1991. Then the manager, Zdravko Vejinovi ć, called me and told me: "As
you are Croat, you cannot work here any more. You are free to go home." From that
moment until my banishment, I lost all rights as a worker. I worked for the ".."
company since 1957, during which time I was granted many awards. And this is how they
thanked me, by calling me "Ustasha.” I had to live without any salary. There was no power
in the so-called Krajina. It was impossible to live there. Then, on June 28, 1992, a
"Landrover" came in front of my house. The criminals got out of it. First they threw tear-
gas at my house, and then they fired from their machine-guns. I had to protect my parents
(my father was 80, and my mother 78 years old) from the tear gas. I took them out of the
house. I saw that those soldiers wore “SAO Krajina” militia signs on their uniforms. There
were five of them. Until that moment, we practically lived in house detention. The
UNPROFOR refused to grant me a permit to exit the village. They were useless. The
members of the UNPROFOR forces were accommodated in Serbian houses and were in
their favor. They were bringing them things from other parts of Croatia, and they black-
marketed together.
After the Croatian Army action at Maslenica, life in “Krajina” became unbearable for us
Croats. Various gangs from Okuč ani, Banja Luka, Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro came to
Knin. Captain Dragan and Arkan and their lot arrived. Šešelj's volunteers arrived. Nobody 240
was able to control the situation any more. There was anarchy. Refugees from the village of
Smoković would barge into houses armed with automatic guns and say: "Get out, and be
happy that we did not kill you." They allowed us to take along our underwear and nothing
else. Thus, we were forced out and we came to the UNPROFOR's South Camp. We had to
wait for five hours until a black woman came and asked us what we wanted. The next two
hours we spent arguing about our moving out. After six or seven hours, they took us to the
"Srpskih Junaka" ("Serbian Heroes") Elementary School. We spent three days and three
nights there. Elderly people got blankets, while the rest of us had to stand. The
UNPROFOR staff gave us cold meats and some bread. All that time nobody came from the
local or International Red Cross to inquire about our situation. On Saturday, January 30,
1993, around 12:00 am, they brought a list of all those who were leaving Krajina of their
own will. As there was no other way, we had to sign our names and at 2:00 pm, 177 of us
went in front of the school. Three buses were standing there, waiting for us, and the lady
from the Red Cross said that only 60 of us could leave, and that Croatia would not accept
the others. We quarreled with her and it was an hour later that we all got on those buses.
We departed in the direction of Žitni ć. Around 3:15 pm, they stopped us in Drniš, under the
pretence of a mined road. They said we could go no further. We went to Žitni ć and we
waited for an hour there. It grew dark. They returned us to Drniš. We spent another hour
there. Then their soldiers fired five or six mortars at the Croatian Army positions, so that
they would fire back and then Serbs could say: "Here, the Croatian Army kills Croats." We
returned to the elementary school and spent the night there. There was no room to sleep, we
had to stand. Around 10:00 pm, five drunken members of “Marti ć's unit” barged in and
started provoking us: "Ustashas, you want to slaughter, ha?!" The two of them appended
some funny badges on us. They span and made funny noises and if any of us reacted he
would be shot. The UNPROFOR staff asked them to stop doing this. In the morning of
January 31, 1993, we got on the buses and at 9:00 am, we were on our way to Žitni ć.
Again, we stopped in Drniš, but there were no provocations. Their militia's checkpoint was
in Žitnić. At that time, the busload of army volunteers from Banja Luka arrived. All of
them wore beards and were fully armed, trucks followed them. They threatened to kill us
all. Our bus drivers moved the buses 500 meters away, across some concocted line of
theirs. We were carrying our personal belongings. We went a further 500 meters on foot
under the supervision of armed Chetnik forces. They stood from the both sides of the road
and watched. Suddenly, one of them shouted: "You motherf... Ustashas!" and he reloaded
his gun, or perhaps it was an automatic gun. We walked on foot some 2.5 kilometers until
we reached our people in Pakovo Selo, and from there we went to Solaris and then to
Primošten. My elderly parents remained at home, and I do not know where they are. My
wife, son, and I arrived here. Another son has lived in Split for some time. My son got three
summonses to the so-called “Krajina army”. There we had to leave our house, two cars,
land, everything my family worked for over centuries. We could take only two bagfuls of
underwear; I even did not have enough time to take our documents.
In Primošten, February 21, 1993
Statement given by: S.C.
Statement taken by: Miljenko Buljan 241
A NNEX 429:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J.C.
J.(M.) C., born on ., address: .... Temporary address: .... Croat,
married, father of two children, retired, UCRN:.... I give the follo
STATEMENT
I worked as a railway worker until 1991. I retired in 1991. While I was still working on the
railway, one worker that worked with me, pulled a gun on me on one occasion only because
I was Croat. He is a Serb, his name is ZLATKO VUJINOVIĆ . Another colleague saved me
from being killed. There were provocations by the neighbours, mostly verbal ones.
Before we were chased out from our house, our movements were limited. We could not go
far out of the house, they were telling us: “Why are you walking there, we will chase you
all away, you Croats, and you will never come back again. This is all Serbian.” They even
persuaded little children to tell us things like:”Ustashe, you don’t belong here.”
(…)
Zagreb, 16thOctober 1994
Statement was given by: J.C.
Statement was taken by: Dubravka Megen-Ružička
A NNEX 430:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S I.
S.I., son of I.(a father), born on ... in ...,
municipality of Zadar; led in Knin, … ; married, occupation: a plumber, employed in the
Medical Centre in Knin until the departure, presently unemployed; nationality: a Croat,
th
staying in … from October 26 1992; gives the following:
STATEMENT
“ I personally experienced the first methods of torture committed on Croats in the Kninska
Krajina, as well as on me, in 1991. In those days, it was the beginning of summer, I went to
do something at one man's place in Potkonje. I was coming back home, when suddenly 50
armed members of “Marti ćevci” came on a raid into the village. They started shooting
throughout the village and falling into houses. They came to disarm Croats, allegedly “well
armed”. I hid under one wall and I stayed there from 3,00 p.m. until 9,00 p.m. when the
shooting abated.
A certain Savic, a member of “Martićevci”, asked me what I was doing there and he wanted
to thrash me with a butt-end of a rifle, but another member of “Marć’s police” stopped
him.
At that time, a lot of Croats left Knin and after that, the frequent breaking into Croatian
houses, as well as evictions from flats, took place... At that time, our house was also broken
into... After some time, someone broke into our house again and took away some things, so
that, in the end, brothersČedo and Željko Dra ča came into the house. Željko Dra ča
threatened me when I entered the house and found him there. He told me that he would put
me in the house together with an activated bomb. He reloaded a gun at me until I promptly
went away and left. 242
Since then, I didn’t leave my flat at all, except when they called me from the hospital
because of some urgent work. Otherwise, I was on coercive sick leave like the majority of
Croatians employed in the hospital. Several times I went to work due to some urgent
interventions and every time my “fellow-workers” welcomed me with provocations like:
“Ustasha, what are you still doing here?”...
...
In Zagreb, November 15 th1993
Statement was given by: S.I.
Statement was taken by: NADA LIKAREVIĆ
A NNEX 431:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M.M.
M.M., son of S. (a father), born on ... in ... , address:
…; temporary address: …; n ationality: a Croat, occupation: ..., ..., a
pensioner; a widower, father of three; UCRN: …, gives the following:
STATEMENT
“...
On August 26 th1991, the village Kijevo was attacked from the garrison of Knin and they
were also in Cetina, in Cirpani, they were all around. They shelled us, bombarded us and
bombed us. However, our people, women and children retreated across Korjana to Drniš.
They attacked from 6,00 a.m. until the evening.
When they entered the village, they set everything on fire...
They conducted me to a church for 1,5 km. One man from Pola ča wanted to kill me. Then
they brought me to the main road. There was a lot of army. They destroyed everything.
They shook 4 shops to pieces.
...”
In Zagreb, November of 1994
Statement was given by: M.M.
Statement was taken by: DUBRAVKA MEGEN-RUZIČKA 243
ANNEX 432:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF JB.
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
made on 13 tDecember 1995 about the murder of Milan Pipuni ć from Piramatovci during
the occupation of that place.
J.B., son of late A. , born on ... in ..., Municipality of
Skradin, where h e lives, retired, states, in connection with tiscase, that he stayed in
Piramatovci with his wife during the occupation, until 20thMarch 1992 when he came to
the liberated territory.
(…)
He states that Pipuni ć was often disturbed by the Chetniks who beat him several times.
Somewhere about November 1991, the Chetniks caught Pipuni ć and took him to Kistanje
where they kept him for two days and two nights, and when he returned to Piramatovci, he
told J.B. that he was constantly beaten, but that he did not recognize anyone.
(…)
He also told him that the commander who w as there, put a pistol on a table and told him to
kill himself, and he said that he would not kill himself, that they should kill him.
Furthermore, that Pipuni ć was on one occasion beaten by the Chetniks in Bribir, near the
clinic, who cursed at him and then sent him home. Then that Pipunić was once beaten by
the unknown Chetniks in his own house in Piramatovci. J. states that, since his house is
next to Pipunić’s, he saw three Chetiks walking into Pipunić’s house and beat him so hard
and that he heard the Chetniks yelling that he should be beaten three more times the Serbian
way.
(…)
He states that he was again beaten, but that he does not remember the details and he states
that it lasted until winter 1991, and the murder of Pipunić, about 4 months.
th
On the day of the murder, 12 March 1992, B. came into the house and talked to his
wife who told him to go and ask Pipunić toc ometolunch.HethenwenttoPipuni ć’s
somewhere before 10.00 hrs, but he did not find him at his house.
(…)
Shortly after that, and it was all around 10.00 hrs, maybe a bit later, their neighbour Stana
Bratić came to their house, and his wife and Stana decided to go look for him, and they left
together, but soon they returned screaming that they found him swimming in the water of
his cistern. Furthermore he states, that only the third day they came to pull him out when
the police came, and that he asked them that Pipuni ć’s clothes should be changed and that
he should be buried. When they were taking his clothes off, he saw his groins and his
genitals were all swollen and blue and that it was awful to look at, and his right hand
fingers were all scratched and bloody.
Since the Chetniks were there almost every day, B. thinks that they came this time, beat
Pipunić and threw him into the cistern. He clai ms that with the fact that he found these
injuries on his body, and that he must have been injured after he saw him walking in the
morning, since he could not have walked with these injuries, he could not have even stood
on his feet. 244
When asked whether Pipunić could have been injured before, B. answers that it cannot
be possible, since Pipuni ć would have tolh im as he has been telling him every time the
Chetniks beat him. So he claims that the Chetniks beat him and threw him into the cistern.
Made by:
Joško Ferara
A NNEX 433:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF B.C.
POLICE ADMINISTRATION OF ŠIBENIK
2ND POLICE STATION
Number: 511-13-20-10-93/95 GJ-MP
Vodice, June 7 1995
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn up on June 7 th1995 on the occasion of the informative interview conducted with
B.C., daughter of the late J. (a father), born on ... in ...,
municipality ofBenkovac...
The informative interview with B.C. was conducted about circumstances of the
war crimes committed in a ruthless way on the innocent Croatian population on the territory
of the place Cicvare-Krkovi ć-Bilostanovi, during her stay on the temporarily occupied
territory of Cicvare.
B.C. states that she spent the entire time of her stay in the temporarily occupied
territory of the Republic of Croatia in Cicvare...
th
Namely, on the Christmas of the Serbian Orthodox church that is on January 7 1992, there
was celebrating and shooting going on in Cicvare until late at night. And so she heard
bursts, shot by drunk Chetniks who celebrated Christmas, about the village even after
midnight...
The next morning, Milka Cicvara was found murdered with 9 stabs wounds made by a
knife and left, torn to pieces, in front of the door of her house. This incident was preceded
by an event that had taken place 8 days ago when Boško Ardali ć, son of the late Rade (a
father), had told Milka that she had to be slaughtered...
...
About 20 days after the murder of Milka Cicvara, Dujo Gadži ć, son of the lateĐuro (a
father), and Marko Čakić, son of Vujo (a father), tied Mihajlo Korov with a telephone wire
to a wooden post in the village, whereupon Dujo Gadžić wrapped him in the Croatian flag
and Marko Čakić battered him with a stick. After the maltreatment, they untied him and
sent him home... 8 days after that incident, Mihajlo Korov was found hung in his little
house (a hut) with the veins on his arms and on his legs torn to pieces.
B.C. believes that she knows the members of the group that slaughtered Milka
Cicara: Milenko Macura, Davor Mandi ć, Dragan Reljić and Dujo Ga čić, who was always
with them, are responsible for his death. 245
...Authorised official:
GORAN JAKOVLJEVIĆ
A NNEX 434:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF K.S.
K.S., born on the ... in ..., Drniš municipal ity. Address: ….
Temporary residence: …. UCRN: …. I give the following :
STATEMENT
th
On the 16 of September there was an attack on Drniš. We are situated only 1 km away
from Drniš across the river, and 14km away when not going directly across the river. They
had been shelling Oklaj and Drniš for three days with the aim of destroying the waterworks.
As soon as the attack began, all the younger people organized to go overČikola to Šibenik
or Split. Only the invalids and the older people stayed. In the period of the next month
some people used to come occasionally to see their houses that, at that point, were not
completely robbed and they were not burnt.
rd
On the 23 of November 1991 the JNA came to all the villages, they took all the men and
they brought them to the prison in Knin. They stayed for 10 to 50 days there. I stayed in the
village because I was an invalid and I had had a damaged backbone since childhood.
On the 2 ndof July 1992 after the attack on Miljevci the UN came and the village was
nd
peaceful until the 22 of January 1993. There was an occasional shooting but nobody
touched us.
nd
In the period after the 22of January 1993 the Chetniks started to come, they started to rob
and mistreat us and they burnt houses that were empty. Those were the Chetniks from the
surroundings of Knin. They wore old police uniforms or dappled uniforms on which
“Krajina police” was written. They came every day over a period of 10 days, they used to
come 2 or 3 times a day, they would provoke us and called us Ustashas.
On the 1 sof February 1993 they committed a massacre in Puljane in the evening, around
10 p.m. They killed 8 people – civilians: 2 married couples, one old lady, a young man, a
widow and one older man, who was about 80 years old. Some of them were killed, some
were butchered. Killed and mutilated were the following people: ANA and PAVO PARA Ć,
MIRAN PARAĆ, KATA PARA Ć, IVICA BRA ČIĆ and his wife, KRSTO BRA ČIĆ and
MILKA BRAČIĆ.
That day people started to ran away to Miljevci. I went with my mother who was 80 years
old in a wagon to Knin where my brother was, but I had to sign before that, that I was
emigrating “voluntarily”.
I stayed in Knin for 45 days, and on the 13hof March 1991 UNPROFOR transferred us to
Otočac in Lika where my brother from Zagreb was waiting for me, and I am in Zagreb now.
After we left Puljane, all the Croatian villages were robbed and burnt by Chetniks.
Zagreb, December 1994.
THE STATEMENT WAS GIVEN BY: K.S.
THE STATEMENT WAS TAKEN BY: Višnja Franković 246
ANNEX 435:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M P.
M.P., the daughter of P.. I was born on ... in ..., Drniš
municipality, where I lived.am a housewife of Croatian nationality. I have been living in
Sesvete since 2 November 1993, …. I give the following:
STATEMENT
My husband, J.P. , was killed on 2 February 1993 in his room. He went to bed,
while I stayed with a woman in the kitchen. Senly we heard him shouting: “Wife, they
killed me” and we heard shooting. I hurried to the room, and, at the same time, a Chetnik
with a gun came out of the room and while he was passing by me he said: “Old woman,
better hide because I’ll kill you too!” There were many of them outside in the yard and I
heard when the Chetnik said: “I killed the old man”. Then they started shouting and
shooting around the village and went away. From Thursday to Saturday my husband lay
dead in the house and then some commission came from Knin and buried him. During these
couple of days I went to the village of Nev čen to stay there overnight, because the police
officers told me to hide because they could kill me too. On the same night 7 more people
were butchered: KAJA PARA Ć, IVICA and ANA BRA ČIĆ, PAVO and ANA PARA Ć,
MARIJA BRAČIĆ, and KRSTO BRAČIĆ.
Before that worst event Chetniks had been coming every day to rob us. Three days before
they killed my husband they also came to our house and beat my . We who stayed
alive went to stay in the houses of our acquaies in Ljubotić where the UNPROFOR’s
base was, so it was safer to be there. Immediately after these killings, around 20 people
from the village came through Miljevci to the territory under the command of Croatians. As
I said the 11 of us were accommodated in Ljuboti ć. On a few occasions, during ten months
of our stay there, we went to Puljane to see our houses, and it was really a terrible sight,
everything was robbed and destroyed.
While we were in Ljubotić, Chetniks would came at night to rob us because the members of
the UNPROFOR slept. There isn’t a living soul in Puljane anymore. All Catholic churches
in the nearby villages Chetniks destroyed and burnt at the beginning.
On 2 November 1993 the UNPROFOR and the Red Cross organized for the 11 of us to be
transferred to Oto čac. We were stopped by the “Krajina police” twice and they only
checked our identification cards.
Sesvete, 9 November 1993
ANNEX 436:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF J.P.
J.P. (I.), I was born onrdhe ... in ..., ... municipality
where I had lived till the 3 February 1993. I am a pensioner, of Croatian nationality, a
widow. I live in Zagreb now, …. I give the following:
STATEMENT
My house was in a lonely spot so almost all the time during the occupation I used to go to
my brother A.P. ’s house to sleep. All the time during the war, the army was in
Puljane but they did not maltreat almost any body and nobody was killed, they only took 247
from us what they needed, that is, they would rob us. They used to shoot at night, and we
would stay low in our houses and we did not go anywhere.
In the beginning they took a few younger people from our village to prison in Knin, but
eventually they released them, some people after a month, other people 5 months later.
nd
In the evening of the 2 of February 1991 a large group of Chetniks came to the village and
we heard that those were “Arkan's” people. I was just at my brother A. ’s house when
he came and told me that our brother J. was killed. Supposedly the Chetniks came
through his bedroom window an d they killed him, and A. told me that his whole room
was riddled with holes. I went to my brother’s house and with a few other women, I
cleaned him and put things in order, but we could not bury him before the commission from
Knin arrived.
In the morning of the next day a woman from the village came and she told me that she had
talked to a Serb and that he told her that if we plan to escape we should not take the by-
road, instead we should take the regular road. The day before my brother was killed the
Knin police came and they went from house to house asking us who would sign to be
transported to Knin by them, and then to Croatia. All the people they found at home said
that they would like to go. However, the morning after my brother was killed a few of us
decided to run away through Miljevci and then what happens, happens.
We started in the morning at 8 a.m. while the Chetniks were still asleep. We took the usual
road and we passed about 13 km and we did not meet anyone until we reached the Croatian
Army. Only later in Šibenik we heard that the Chetniks slaughtered the following people:
KATA PARA Ć, IVICA and ANA BRAČ IĆ, PAVLE and ANA PARA Ć, MARIJA
BRAČIĆ and KRSTO BRAČIĆ.
Before we ran away from Puljane we saw that those people were not there, but we could
not possibly imagine that they were killed, we thought that they had gone before us. The
people that stayed behind us where transferred to LJUBOTI Ć later on, so they told us that
Chetniks robbed and razed the whole village to the ground.
By signing each page of this statement I confirm its authenticity and the fact that the
statement was not given forcibly.
In Zagreb, 10thof November 1993.
THE STATEMENT WAS GIVEN BY: J.P.
THE STATEMENT WAS TAKEN BY: Nada Likarević 248
A NNEX 437:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M S.
M.S., born on the ... in ..., Drniš municipality. Address:
…. Temporary residence: …. . I give the following:
ST ATEMENT
I had lived with my son Krsto in Puljane, a little village near Drniš. The attacks on Drniš
started in the middle of September. Our people organized and helped the younger people to
leave Puljane in time and to save themselves. We, the older ones and all the sick people or
invalids could not move quickly and we waited, what else could we do. We saw that some
kind of army was coming, the Chetniks from Knin, some of them were called “Šešelj”
people. They entered the abandoned houses and they started to rob, but they did not set
them on fire yet. People who had a chance to run away towards Miljevci used to come
occasionally to visit their houses at night or whenever they could.
In November the JNA came and they took all the men that were not invalids and they took
them to prison in Knin. My son stayed. They did not touch him because he was not able to
walk since childhood because he had a damaged backbone. I was very afraid and I could
not do a thing because of the fear. Only a couple of people stayed in the village and they
did not hurt us.
In July of 1992 Miljevci “fell” and the people with blue helmets came. The village was
peaceful and the Chetniks could not do a thing to us.
In the January of 1993 they came back and they started to mistreat us, and the blue people
went away. The Chetniks started to burn all the houses and they robbed everything that was
left. They wore police uniforms on which “Krajina police” was written. They used to come
in that way for 14 days, a couple of times every day. They called us Ustashas.
On the 1sof February 1993 they massacred in Puljane, they killed and slaughtered 8 people
and those were the following: married couple ANA and PAVE PARA Ć, IVO BRAČIĆ and
his wife, MILKA BRAČIĆ, KRSTO BRAČIĆ, KATA PARAĆ, MIRAN PARAĆ.
They forced the people that were not killed to “voluntarily” sign that we were emigrating.
My son signed it, and as he was a severe invalid they did not hurt him, so we went in a
wagon to Knin after he signed it. We were about a month and a half there, and then the
UNPROFOR soldiers transferred us to Oto čac in Lika where my son from Zagreb was
waiting for us. I am in Zagreb now. They burnt, destroyed and robbed everything.
In Zagreb, December 1994.
THE STATEMENT WAS GIVEN BY: M.S.
THE STATEMENT WAS TAKEN BY: Višnja Franković 249
A NNEX 438:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF I.F.*
I.F., born on ... in .., married, has two children, wife’s name J.
F.*, maiden surname .... They worked as constructor workers at a mine. I have been
retired for 20 years.
I give the following:
STATEMENT
th
Whe n the war began, I was in my house with my wife, on 16 September 1991, the
grenades were falling around the house, the firing could be heard from the direction of
Tepljuh and Mio čić (these being Serbian villages). The Serbs dug in there 4 months ago,
they attacked us. On the day they attacked us, the tanks came from Knin towards Tepljuh.
When they arrived, they joined them. Two people were wounded there, BRANKO
MATIJEVIĆ from Siveri ć and TOMO GITIĆ from Badanj. 150 missiles fell then. They
fired until 2.30 hrs in the morning all over Siverić. There were 14 Serbian houses in
Siverić, these people mostly remained there, and 90% were our Croats, who escaped to
other places towards Split. BUKARICE, MR ĐENI, DUČ IĆI, ODACI, TOMI ĆI,
RAMLJACI, stayed in the village of all Croats, about 10% of them stayed. They stayed in
Siverić throughout the war.
MywifeJ. stayedathomeinSiveri ć throughout the war. At the beginning the y were
reducing her humanitarian help, what remained of the cattle they took for themselves as
food. She worked in the garden, and she had some grapes, and she managed the best way
she could. She had a goat which gave her some milk. They were not allowed to go outside
the house for some time, especially lately, after our actions “Bljesak” (Flash) and “Oluja”
(Storm). It was awful. Lately, my wife did not live in the house, she escaped to the woods
with other women. They were hiding in the ruins in the woods. With her were IVANA
KURELIĆ*, MARICA and MANDA. In the evening they would come home for food. The
Serbs would come at night into the houses, asking for food, money and gold. They would
loot everything they would come across. They beat my wife several times, they would take
her by the breast and throw her on the floor asking for money. Then they closed her in a
room and did not let her move anywhere. They turned the house, the barn, wine-cellar,
garage upside down and took what they wanted.Those were the Serbs from Miočići: RADE
VUKOVIĆ and MILAN ČOLOVIĆ. The Serbs from Bio čić (OŽEGOVIĆI) and Mioč ići
(MIRČETIĆI) were setting the Croat’s houses on fire in our village. In Siveri ć they beat an
old woman, A.F. *, born in 1914, asking money (DM) from her, because her
sons worked in Germany. They tied her up and beat her with their rifle butts and kicked her
asking for money. After they did not get the money she was raped by MILAN JOVIĆ from
Drniš and RATKO from Drniš. They made this horror. The same Serbs attacked MILE
RAMLJAK, born in 1919, beat him, asking for money, since he lived in Germany. The
Serbs beat and molested I.K. , a widow from Siveri ć. Her daughter,
A.K.*, who was a retarded person, was taken by the Serbs and she lived for
some time in Knin with the Serbs.
The JOVIĆ’S fom Drniš, the VUKOVI Ć’S and MILE ČOLOVIĆ were the ones that did
the most of this evil.
After our soldiers came to Siveri ć, 110 Croatian houses were found burned down, of the
other houses none remained whole, the windows, doors, dishes were taken and the furniture
destroyed. They were breaking the locks, everything was ruined. In a room a pile of slothes, 250
a mess, in the kitchen all the dishes were broken, glass. They would throw rocks at our
houses while they were shepherding sheep. They ruined everything.
I give this statement of my own free will and with my signature I am willing to testify its
authenticity and credibility.
2ndSeptember 1995
The statement was given by: I.F.
The statement was taken by: Ankica Vujčić
A NNEX 439:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF B.H.*
POLICE ADMINISTRATION ŠIBENIK
III POLICE STATION DRNIŠ
No .: 511-13-30-KU-181/95. M.G.
Drniš, 12 August 1995
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn on 12 August 1995, on the premises of the III Police station Drniš, on the occasion
of the inquiry with B.H. ,…. She was born on …, in the village of ... ,
municipality of ..., retired, residing in the village of ..., Croatian national. (...)
She stated that she syed in her family house in Siverić with her husband P.*. (...)
B. and her husband felt for the first time the hrs of war in January 1992, when at 3
p.m., they heard banging on the door. When they opened the door, two masked soldiers
with cockades were standing at the door, said that they were policemen and that they had a
search warrant to search the house. At the same time, they were swearing and threatening
that they would kill the seed of Croatia. They were searching for German marks, but as they
found nothing, they threatened that they would come back later, only taking some smaller
things, such as knives, radio, tools etc. This continued for the next few months. A year
later, they took all valuables. On one occasion, Vugdelija and the other person broke into
the house and threw B. and P. out of bed, searching for German marks again. As
they found none, they put a pistol against B.’s forehead, and a knife under her neck.
They beat P. and were throwing him all over the room. Similar harassment continued
every four to six months. B. noticed that P.’s behaviour greatly changed. He was
weakened, did not eat much, did not sleep well, he was afraid all the time and cried quite
often. On one occasion when soldiers were beating him, he had a heart attack. One month
later, when he recovered, Vugdelija came again. This time, they were throwing him around
the room wrapped in sheets and B. was beaten as well. That morning P. was
transported to the hospital in Knin, fell into coma and died on 9 July 1994 on 5 a.m. (...)
At the end of May 1995, B. was beaten for the last time by two Chetniks. (...)
They came that night around midnig ht and went away at about 4 a.m. They banged on the
door and threatened to killed her. As she was afraid, she opened the door. Vugdelija forced
his way in and grabbed her by her neck with one hand, strangling her, and covered her
mouth and nose with the other hand, choking her. He asked for German Marks, and told her
that he would kill her, tear her to pieces and rape her. Then he threw her onto the bed and 251
tied her hands at the back. By that time B. did not have enough air, she was exhausted
and could not defend herself. (...)
Few hours later when she could walk, she run away naked and with bare feet some 300-400
meters from the house to her neighbours and relatives who witnessed the drama that she
and her husband experienced. They hid her for three days and then, with the help of her
sister in Knin, she managed to get to the free territory of the Republic of Croatia on 28 July
1995.
Drawn up by:
Mario Galović
A NNEX 440:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A.F.*
POLICE ADMINISTRATION ŠIBENIK
III POLICE STATION DRNIŠ
No .: 511-13-30 /95
Drniš, 30 August 1995
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn up on 30 August 1995, on the premises of III Police station Drniš, on the occasion
of the inquiry with A.F. , daughter of … (maiden name …), born on …, in the
village of ..., municipality of ...
During the inquiry, she stated that during the war, i.e. from 1991 until the liberation on 6
August 1995, she was permanently residing in Siverić, in her family house. (...)
She stated the following events:
In Autumn 1992, in the late evening hours, two unknown soldiers from Krajina, with
stockings on their heads, came to her family house in the village of Siverć. They were
armed with guns and pistols. She knew one of them, as he previously plundered her house,
and he was known under the name of Jovo. That evening, Jovo came first to the kitchen and
the unknown soldier in camouflage uniform followed him. Jovo was acting wildly,
aggressively and was half-drunk, and started to beat A.. She remembers that he hit her
several times with his fist in the head. He forced her to take her clothes off, and told her that
he would kill her if she did not do it. He was holding a gun in his hand, pointed at A.,
while he threw her to the kitchen floor. He tried to take her clothes off, but when she started
to cry and scream, both soldiers left the house.
On 27 December 1993 at 11 p.m., while she was sleeping in her family house on the 1 st
floor, Chetniks broke into the kitchen.
She said that they called her by her name; she was afraid, got up and told them to leave the
house. Both Chetniks came to her room, and she recognised Jovo from before, as a
plunderer and rapist. When he entered the room, Jovo told her that he would kill her if she
moved; he hit her with his fist on her head, hit her head on the floor, and then extinguished
a cigarette on the left side of her face (she showed visible scars).
After harassing her, Jovo threw on the floor, while holding her hands at the back, and the
other unknown soldier with a stocking on his head took off his trousers and then took off
her clothes and raped her for ten minutes, while holding his hands around her neck and 252
telling her that he would strangle her. When he finished, he changed place with the other
soldier, and then the unknown soldier held her and Jovo raped her.
When they finished, they both went away, and A. stayed in her house, afraid and
exhausted.
On 2 March 1994 at 9 p.m., two unknown Chetniks came to the house of I.D.* in
the village of Siveri ć, where A. was sleeping with her. One of them, known as Jovo,
broke the glass on the door, pulled his hand through, lit a lighter and opened the door of the
house. Jovo ordered I. to go to the other room and A. to stay in bed, telling her that he
would shoot her with a gun, if she moved. The other soldier stayed at the front door.
Knowing full-well how he behaved on two previous occasions, A . stayed in bed, and
while threatening her with a gun, he raped her. (...)
A. stated that she reported the rape to the police in Drniš, that a gynaecologist examined
her in Knin, but that she did not know whether the rapist was identified.
Drawn by:
Ivan Vidović
A NNEX 441:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A K.*
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
POLICE ADMINISTRAT ION ŠIBENIK
III POLICE STATION DRNIŠ
Drniš, 30 August 1995
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn up on the premises of the III Police station Drniš on 30 August 1995, on the
occasion of the inquiry with A.K. , daughter of …, born on …, in ... ,
residing in the village of ... (...)
As she is mentally retarded, two longer inquiries were held with her on two occasions on
the same day. She stated as follows:
In the village of Siveri ć, from early 1992 to mid-1995, she was raped on several occasions
by several members of the army and the police of the so-called “Krajina”. She said that two
soldiers came to her house in Siverić on several occasions, beat her mother and that she was
threatened with guns to leave the house. She was taken not far away from her house and
both members of the “Krajina Army” raped her. (...)
She remembers that she was once raped in Badanj, when she went to visit a demolished
church. One tall civilian, with black short hair, in white shirt and blue tennis shoes, came to
her. He had a pistol in his hand and threatening her with it, took her to an abandoned house
and raped her. (...)
As A.K. is mentally retarded, it is not possible to have a detailed inquiry with
her.
Drawn up by:
Ivan Vidović 253
A NNEX 442:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF M .P.
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn up on November 23 rd1995 on the occasion of the informative interview conducted
with M.P., born M., daughter of the late J. (a father), born on ...
... in..; permanent address: …, about circumstances of incidents that took place
on the territory o Drniš during the Homeland War.
In the informative interview, the same states that she stayed behind in Drniš from the very
beginning of the Homeland war...
...
...on June 25th1992, while she was in her family house, three of their policemen: Nikica
Vugdelija, Samir Malešević or Mirčeta from Miočić and Milan Martić – Mićo came to her
house by military truck, they brought her to the premises of the police in Knin and locked
her up. Before the very conducting up to the police station, the policemen mentioned were
taking out, in front of her eyes, her things – a colour TV, a VCR, hand-drills, grinders,
power-saw for wood and many other things. After they had loaded those things on the
truck, they drove them away.
...
During the time on her return from the prison to Drniš, together with the rest of the
inhabitants of Croatian nationality (mostly men), she had the work obligation doing manual
labour in vineyards...
As to the committing crimes on Croats in Drniš, the same states that she is aware of the
following:
- during 1993, she does not remember the exact date, Ivan Radas from Drniš
was found in his family house black-and-blue, in a pool of blood with his
ears cut off. He was transported to a hospital in Knin right away where he
died two days after...
- ...she personally saw the dead Ivan Mujan and his wife Manda who were
black-and-blue and who looked horrible...
...
At the end of the interview the same states... that during the Homeland War, the life for
inhabitants of Croatian nationality was hard and drudgery, daily maltreatment, plunders,
burning... so that it wasn’t possible to move around freely. Croats often associated with
each other and they spent their time hiding in fear of their lives...
Authorised official:
IVAN PERIŠIĆ 254
A NNEX 443:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF N K.
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn up on 1 September 1995, by authorised official Joško Ferara, cong the murder
of MILKA MILOVAC, daughter of Joso, born in 1933 in Trbounje, municipality of Drniš,
where she was residing permanently, by unknown person from Chetnik formations during
the occupation of this part of the Croatian territory.
N.K., son of J., born on ... , in ..., municipality of ... ,
where he perm anently resides, retired, Croatian national, declared that he conot
remember the exact date, but that he thought it was in December 1992 when Ante Marin
came to his house and informed him that he found Milka Milovac dead. (...)
He said that as far as he could remember that she was shot in the thighs and that she was
laying in a large pool of blood. He claimed that he did not know who killed her, as Chetniks
from other villages and from the villages of Veluši ć and Varoš were attacking inhabitants
of the occupied village of Trbounje.
Drawn up by:
Joško Ferara
A NNEX 444:
W ITNESS SATEMENTS OF I.H.*, M.M.*
Šibenik, 31 March 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
On 28 March 1992, I .H., … wife from Drniš and M.M., M.’s* wife
also from Drniš were interviewedhe interview were aimed at collecting the information
on the conditions and activities of the specific Serbian extremists and terrorists in the
occupied area of Drniš...
...Every day, the occupying forces robbed and searched the houses of the expelled Croats...
...A particularly extreme Serb and satisfied with the situation and occupation was ŽIVKO
RAJIĆ and his daughter ŽIVANA. Živana said that what had happened to the Croats was
nothing when compared with the things that were going to happen soon. The above-
mentioned four persons led by MARKO MACURA made a list of the remaining Croatian
inhabitants in the occupied area of Drniš...
The officials
Branko Pilizota
Dinko (surname illegible) 255
A NNEX 445:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M.M.
ŠIBENIK POLICE DEPARTMENT
DRNIŠ POLICE STATION
POLICE BRANCH OFFICE MILJEV CI
No: 511-13-3
Miljevci, 13 June 1993
OFFICIAL RECORD
The record was composed in the rooms of the police branch office in Miljevci after an
interview with M.M. , maiden name P. , born on ... in
.., a housewife. The interview is in the connection with the murder of PAŠKO
KOZIĆ from Drinovci.
The subject stated that during the Chetnik occupation of Miljevci, she lived in her family
house...
...In the evening, after sunset, M. heard PAŠKO KOZI Ć arguing with the Chetniks who
took his tractor and set his house on fire. The subject and Paško Kozi ć’s houses are around
200-300 meters away one from another.
After the quarrel, she heard two shots from the same direction. The following morning, the
subject assuming that something was wrong went to Paško Kozi ć’s house where she found
him lying dead in front of the house, barefoot, and around the dead body she saw blood...
The authorized official
Živko Bulat
A NNEX 446:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF J.G.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
ŠIBENIK POLICE DEPARTMENT
3rdPOLICE STATION
No: 511-13-30-32-36/94
Miljevci, 3 February 1994
OFFICIAL RECORD
The record was composed on 3 February 1994, in the rooms of the police branch office in
Miljevci. The record is in the connection with the murder of Vinć, son of the late
Anto, born in 1948 in Bogatići Miljevački...
...During the investigations in the field and the interview, son of the late
J., born on ... in ... , who was with the
late Vinko in the car when he was killed, we found out that he left the Miljevački plateau on
16 September 1991 and went back home in the village of Gali ći around 27 September 1991 256
where he stayed until 2 October 1991. At 8.00 am, when they realized that the enemy forces
occupied the villages of Širitovci and Brištani, they took off along the road from M.
Bogatići to Brištanji Gornji in a personal yellow car, “Golf”. As they got to the village of
Šamci, the enemy opened the fire at the car from automatic weapons and machine-guns. As
they heard shooting, Vinko stopped the car and with the late Mamut began running away
but after 40-50 meters he was shot down by a machine-gun burst. The late Mamut managed
to run away through the village and came back to Bogatići Miljevački.
The Commander of the
police branch office
Zvonko Gambiroža
ANNEX 447:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A.M.
SECOND NAME M.
FIRST NAME, FATHER’S NAME A., J.
DATE OF BIRTH .......
RESIDENCE ….
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE …
QUALIFICATION:
PROFESSION ...
EMPLOYMENT:
MARITAL STATUS married
CITIZENSHIP Republic of Croatia
NATIONALITY Croat
I am giving the following
STATEMENT:
They invaded the village on 22 January 1993. They were there all the time driving through
the village. We were under seizure. There were many Croats before that in the village.
They conducted massacres in the village of Razvo đe, and later, in Puljane, 10 or 11 people
were killed. In Mratovo they killed 2 people. They were all civilians. They were killed
because they thought civilians were not worth living. I went to Miljevci to a doctor of the
Croatian Army. There, I saw Šešelj’s people. They entered houses and plundered. They
went into the house and then in the cellar. There was around 200 kg of corn. There was also
one smoked ham, which they did not see, but it hung there. I could not leave the house,
because they would have destroyed everything. When they saw the ham, one of them
asked: “Old man, what do you need this for?” and waved his hand. Then another one asked:
“Shall we eat it?” I said: “I cannot say, but you better do not”. They took it down and I sat
by the window. They put down their guns and sat down to eat. Then one of them said:” Old
man, we know what you think of us”. I said: “Me, I have nothing to think of you. It would
be nice if you came next year again, but without your guns. So we can live as we lived
before, like humans”. The one said: “You are right, old man”. When I went out, he asked 257
me: “How do you cross yourself?” I said: “You want me to tell you how I cross myself? If
it counts this way, it also counts the other way”. Two of them sat by the window and ate.
One of them asked me again:” Old man, how are you doing?” and I said: “It goes the way it
goes. We are all rather miserable. There are humans and non-humans on both sides. “
They did not beat me, but Šešelj’s people threatened that they would kill me. We had a
garage across the street with two or three cars in it. They plundered there, took off all the
car pieces, and took it away. While they were doing so, we were not allowed to come close
to the garage. They took my neighbor D.M.’s car.
The three of us were sitting and watching them. A moment later I said: “Let’s go into the
house, they could take their guns and start firing. What then?” So, we went into the house,
and they plundered in the village. They took everything out of my garage, but they did not
touch the rest while I was there. They did not plunder those houses where somebody was
still in.
In my neighborhood only one house and the garage next to it was burned. It was Šime
Džapo’s house. We could not leave the houses, because if we left, they would plunder
them. Later they killed two men and two women. It was 22 or 23 January 1993, and they
were thrown into a well.
The Vučić family went to bury their grandfather. When they returned home, they found
their house plundered. They kept saying: “Who stays in their house, his house will not be
plundered”.
Not far from my house, they slaughtered Petar Džaja. He chased back his cattle from the
pasture. The animals saw that somebody was in the yard and ran off. Petar could not see it
because he was blind.
If there had not been two men from Knin, I do not know how else I would have gotten out.
The night we were supposed to go out, all became complicated, so I could go nowhere.
They said: “We did not use any bullet for the one last night, so we won’t use it on you
either. Out of four kills, you will be one of them.” He sat there and drank wine. Later he
said: “I have been in Petrovo Polje for seven months. I will not let this go, because it is
Serbian territory. I come from the area around Knin. I asked him: “Which place?” He said:
”From Oton”. Then I asked: “Is the church in Knin still standing?” He said: “Yes, it is. I
used to sit in front of it”.
When our people left, there was everything in the village, because the people were working.
Later they took everything out of the houses. The one who wanted to kill me had no family;
so one could not condemn him.
Before we left, soldiers came to the house and said:” If you want to, you can go to Knin to
our place”. They did not force us, but simply said: “If you want to go beyond Miljevica,
you can go this and this way”. And so, we took off.
In Zagreb, 28 February 1994 258
A NNEX 448:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF JT.
POLICE ADMINISTRATION SPLIT
Department for Operational Affairs
No. 511-12-02/1-Sl.
Split, 4 May 1993
REP ORT
Drawn up in the Police Administration Split, on the occasion of the interview with J.
T., refugee from the village of Kadina Glavica, Drniš.
J.T., son of A. and M., born on ...., in the v illage of ...
..., Drniš, retired ..., Croatian. (...)
The above-mentioned person stated in the interview th at during the occupation in the
village of Kadina Glavica, about 60 inhabitants of Croatian nationality were living there.
During the whole time, they were mistreated and robbed by local and newly arrived
Chetniks, and Ivan Grci ć, Kata Grci ć and I.T. (spouse of the above-mentioned
person) were killed during the night, ano one knew who killed them.
(...)
On 27 January 1993, about 11:00 a.m., four unknown soldiers from the nearby positions
came to his house. They allegedly came to search the house, and captain Đuić allegedly
gave them a search warrant. However, J. considers that they were sent by Stoji ć in order
to provoke him. They did not search the house, but they took three smoked hams and 40
litres of wine and they went away to the nearby position where a cannon was located.
I.T. went after them to see where they were going and Jwent to the village.
About 16:30 p.m., gunshots cou ld be heard and J. went home and his brother I. told
him that his spouse I.T. was kied (maiden name G.). She was killed in front
of her house while she was cleanig a urkey-hen, with two bullets shot in the region of her
heart and two shots in the head. (...)
At the end of the interview, he declared that all Croatians left the village of Kadina Glavica
except for his brother I. who did not want to leave the house and the village.
Drawn up by:
Josip Buljan 259
A NNEX 449:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF ŠP.
POLICE ADMINISTRATION ŠIBENIK
III POLICE STATION DRNIŠ
No.: 511-13-30- / 95.
Drniš, 30 November 1995
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn up on 30 November 1995, on the premises of the III Police station Drniš, on the
occasion of the inquiry with Š.P. , son of M. , born on ..., in the
village of ..., with pernt residence in ….
On 30 November 1995, the above stated person came to the Police station Drniš and
reported that on 9 December 1995, under unexplained circumstances, his father M.
P., born in 1927, was burned in the stable.
(...)
He and his neighbour P.P. noticed fire and smoke from the direction of the stable.
When they came closer, they noticed that te stable was on fire. They tried to turn off the
fire, but they did not succeed. When the stable was almost burned down, they noticed
remnants of a burnt corpse. In the meantime, they did not manage to find M .P., so
they concluded that it was his corpse ohe site of the fire.
(...)
When they returned from the funeral, inhabitants found Chetniks soldiers with 2 trucks in
front of the house of M.P. who were loading personal belongings of the late M.
P. into the trucks.
(...)
Š.P. stated that 10-15 da ys before his f ather was killed, Chetniks robbed a larger
amount of money from the house of his father.
Drawn up by:
Milan Djidara 260
ANNEX 450:
W ITNESS SATEMENTS OF M .B., A.B., M.B.
Šibenik, 21 February 199
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn up on 2 December 1994, on the occasion of the inquiry w ith the following persons
who were exiled from the village of Par čić, and were accommodated as refugees in the
village of Rakovo selo at Mile Baković’s house:
1. M.B., son of M., born on ..., in the village of ...
where he lives,
2. A.B., daughter of P ., born on ..., in the village of
...,
3. M.B., daughter of R. , born in ..., in the village of
....
Th e above-mention ed persons stated that local Chetni came and started to harass them,
both physically and mentally. They started cleansing the village, they were breaking into
the houses of Croats and were plundering everything they liked. The inhabitants were afraid
to stop them.
The pressure on Croatians continued after the fights in the Zadar hinterland, when Chetniks
were openly chasing them away from this area, claiming that it was “Serbian land”.
Chetniks continued plundering houses, and would burn them down afterwards.
(...)
A. declared that during her stay in the village of Par čić, Djuić, a Chetnik from the village
of Polača, came toher house for an unknown reason and told her that Chetniks raped N.
P.* in the stable, in 1992 (on Good Friday) and that she was found the next day in a
pool of blood. She also heard that I.M. * from the vage of Kadina Glavica was
also raped, and that Mate Popović from the villagef Kadina Glavica was burned down in
February 1992. (...)
Authorised official:
Ivan Perišić 261
A NNEX 451:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M V.
ŠIBENIK POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DRNIŠ POLICE STATION III
Number: 511-13-30 /95.
Drniš, 28 August 1995
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on 28 August 1995 in relation to the conversation conducted with M.V.,
the daughter of the late M. (born B.), born on ... in ., Drniš
municipality.
On 16 December 1991, at 12:00 p.m., in e village of Kričke, a group of approximately 20
soldiers of the army of the “Republic of Srpska Krajina” (“RSK”) came to her house.
These slodiers kept four Croatian villagers for 30 hours and questioned and molested them
for the whole night, threatening them with arms saying that they would kill them all, asked
for their sons.
On 23 March 1994, at 1:30 a.m., Neno Luni ć and Mi ćo Lunić stole from M. ’s house,
after they moved off with the door, a w ashing machine, stove, wall clock, and electric
cooking stove. They drove the stolen goods in a white car of the Lada make, and Mćo hit
M. on 18 March 1994 with a rifle butt on her forehead and grasped her by her neck and
kept saying that he would strangleer.
On 27 January 1993 Goran Vukašin came to the house of Marija Bitunjac in Srednje
Kričke. Goran Vukašin hit Marija with a knife blade on the neck.
On 16 February 1993 in the village of Kričke, Nikola Barišić called Ljube was killed by
two Chetniks (one of them was allegedly from Sombor) who fired at him from an automatic
rifle.
In February or March 1992 in the village of Srednje Kri čke Krste Sikirica, the son of
Nikola, born around 1925, was found dead. He allegedly choked in smoke.
At the end of June 1995 in Srednje Kričke, near her house, Kata Bitunjac called “Gara”,
born in 1924 in Žitni ć, was found lying unconscious, covered with a blanket, beaten all
over her body, especially on the left side of the body.
On 24 July 1995 Kata passed away.
On 28 August 1992, at 10:10 a.m., the Queen of Peace church was mined in the village of
Kričke. 262
A NNEX 452:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A .B.
ŠIBENIK POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DRNIŠ POLICE STATION III
Number: 511-13-30-
Drniš, 8 July 1997
OFFICIAL RECO RD
Made in the accommodation of the Drniš police station III after the informative
conversation conducted with A.B., the son of the late P., born on ...
... in ..., Drniš municipality, where he lives, a Croat, retired.
Conversation i conducted in relatn t the unexplained missing of the following persons:
MILENKO ERCEGOVAC, the son of the late Nikola, born on 30 September
1931 in Žitnić, Drniš municipality, where he lived, a Croat.
ANTE ERCEGOVAC, the son of the late Nikola, born on 18 September
1926 in Žitnić, Drniš municipality, where he lived, a Croat.
MARIJA ERCEGOVAC, the daughter of the late Marko, born on 22
February 1923 in Žitni ć, Drniš municipality, where she lived, a Croatian
woman.
In relation to their missing A.B. stated that he heard a Chetnik who used to drive a
water cistern in Žitni ć, at the end of 1992, saying “ ntwa pour water into that well
because there are three corpses in it”. A. states that nobody else could kill them except
for the Chetniks who kept watch in the hamlet of “Ercegovci”, and, according to A.
B.’s statement, after killing them Chetniks probably threw the bodies away somewhere
so they couldn’t be found.
Authorized official:
Dink o Strunje 263
ANNEX 453:
W ITNESS SATEMENTS OF Z Č., D.A., J.B.
Šibenik, 5 February 1993
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on 4 February 1993 on the occasion of the informative convers ation conducted with
the persons who, because of the fear of the terror of the members of the Chetnik formations,
ran away from their villages:
Z.Č., the son of the late J., born on .... in
Lukar where he lives
D.A., the son of the late M., born on .... in
Sukno vciwhere he lives
J.B., the daughter of I. , born on .... in Puljane
where she lives
In the informative conversation they state that life on the temporary occupied territory
became unbearable, especially a few days before (29 January 1993) when many volunteers
came to the territory under the temporary control of Chetniks. The volunteers threatened
and molested the inhabitants and stole their possessions. Because they were afraid of
Chetniks, the inhabitants were forced to run away and hide in woods and caves. Some of
them slept there and the others returned at night to sleep in their homes because it was
possible that Chetniks would kill them. So, Z.Č. and D.A. state that they
(Chetniks), at the end of November 1992, killed IvanDžapo called “Spavalo” fr om Oklaj
and Roko Agić, the son of the late Josip, approximately 70 years old, who was butchered
and before that he and his wife M. A. were beaten up. Also it is supposed that Marija
Dizdar, the wife of Ilija, was also killed. She was also beaten and no one knows where she
is.
Authorized official:
Ivan Perišić
(signature) 264
A NNEX 454:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF N.B.*
ŠIBENIK POLICE ADMINISTRATION
CRIMINALIST POLICE DEPA RTMENT
Number: 511-13-04 /95
Šibenik, 16 August 1995
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on 16 August in the accommodation of the Drniš police station III on the occasion of
the informative conversation conducted with N.B. , the son of …, born on … in
..., permanent address: …, retired, a Serb, a citizen of the Republic of Croatia.
On the eve of 16 September 1991, the army, that is, the former JNA, entered the village of
Oklaj. On entering the village they fired from tanks destroying the Croatian houses.
After the liberation of the Maslenica territory and the wider area of the Zadar hinterland, in
February 1993, the army of the “Republic of Srpska Krajina” came to Oklaj. Together with
police they terrorized the remaining Croatian villagers, robbed and set Croatian houses on
fire etc. They robbed the houses, and they would set them on fire in such a manner that first
they would come near a house, and with the purpose of not being recognized, they would
shoot at the house and force the villagers in the house threatening them with murder, after
that they would carefully clean the house, and then they would set it on fire, usually at night
so that they couldn’t be recognized. During the day they would put stockings on their
heads.
Further on he states that a group of villagers from Puljane were killed by the captain
Atlija’s group, and that K.K. * from … was raped twice by a Gipsy and a soldier from
Ramljani, and that allegedly they raped an old woman from Lukari.
Authorized official:
Alen Papak
(signature) 265
ANNEX 455:
W ITNESS SATEMENTS OF JČ., K.Č.
OFFICIAL RECORD
nd
Made on the 22 of March 1993 on the occasion of the conducted informative conversation
with J.Č., son of the late P., born on the ... in ... and
with K.Č., wife of J., born on the ... in ...
permanent address … and connected with the circumstances of t he incidents and the
situation on the temporarily occupied territory of Lukari.
th
After the fall of Drniš, the Chetniks passed through Lukari on the 17 of September 1991,
many of the villagers running away and hiding in the woods. On that occasion Dragan
Cvijetić, of the late Drago, from Razvo đe drove one of the tanks and then it was fired from
that tank at the “Gospa of Čatrnja” (Lady of Čatrnja) church. Chetniks came to village of
Lukari again at the end of the December 1991 and they abused the villagers of Croatian
nationality and they stole their property.
Further on, J. states that on the 10hof March 1992, he was arrested, together with a few
other Croatians by the Chetnik formations and they were all taken to the Knin prison.
After the taking over of Miljevci by the Croatian Army, as K. states, Jeka Lali ć, born in
1910, from Razvođe was killed by the Chetn iks and she was thrown into the well. Later she
was buried in Lukari in the “Gospa Čatrnja” cemetery.
As far as J. states, when he was brought into the prison in the south barracks where he
th
stayed until the 30 of May 1992 the prison guards beat them.
In the further informative conversation J. states that the members of the Chetnik
formations at the end of January 1993 in the hamlet of Krivi ći, near Oklaj, butchered 3 or 4
older persons which they later threw into the well.
Before the actual leaving from Lukari, K. and J. state that the commander of the
police of the “Republic of Srpska Krajina”, Slobodan Mirkovi ć from Bobodol came into the
st
village on the 1 of February 1993 and he listed them all and told them to prepare to leave.
After the villagers of Lukari packed their things, that same day, in the evening the local
Chetniks came into the houses and they stole the money of foreign currencies and the
valuable things that the Croatians intended to take with them.
J. states that he forgot to mention before, that he heard about the murders of Željko
Ujaković and Branić who were killed by the Serbs from the hamlet of Pokrajci.
Authorized official:
Ivan Perišić
(signature) 266
ANNEX 456:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M .D.
Criminalist police department
Šibenik, 7 December 1995
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on 7 December 1995 on the occasion of the i nformative talk conducted with
M.D. (born T.), the daughter of the late P. and the late M.n
B.), born on ... in ..., where she lives, a citizen of the Republic of
Croatia, a Croatian woman, in relation with th e circumstances of the death of A.
D., the widow of the late P., from Razvođe.
The same woman stated in the con versation that after the fall of Miljevci the local Chetniks
started physically and psychologically molesting Croats who stayed in Razvo đe. So, the
local Chetniks: Rajko Medi ć, the son of Mile, Zdravko Cvijeti ć, the son of the late Špiro,
and Željko Cvijeti ć, all of them from Razvo đe, on 29 June 1992 threatened remaining
Croats to leave the village of Razvo đe. Some houses in the village were even set on fire,
and the already mentioned Rajko Medi ć, she personally saw leaving the house of the
neighbour of Marko Duvančić called “Toni”, after that she saw that house on fire.
On the second day, 30 June 1992, Chetniks came to Razvo đe again, but that time M.
didn’t see anyone from the local Chetniks. A group of 7-8 Chetniks came to M.
D.’s house. They introduced themselves as Chetniks from Belgrade, and they were
dressed in camouflage uniforms an d had red berets on their heads. That group of Chetniks
began to break things in M.’s house, and they forced her to climb a table and dance, and
to kneel on the floor while they pu the barrels of a gun and pistol under her throat. After
they robbed the house they set it on fire and ordered her to leave the village by threatening
her.
On that occasion the above-mentioned Chetniks set some few more houses on fire and
killed Ivan Duvan čić from Razvođe. After being molested in such way M.D. ,
Milka and the late A. decided to leave Razvođ e and run away towards Miljevci. On the
same day , around 4:00 p.m., they set off froRazvođe by a field path towards Miljevici.
The late A. and M. went alongside, and Milka went behind them. When they were
approximately 50 meters away from the road, walking on the path, the late A. most
probably got hitched by the rope of a mine and activated it. After the explosion M. saw
the late A. taking a few more steps in the direction of the smoke and falling on the ground
with a scream. She and Milka ran away in panic back to the village and came to Branko
Beršić’s house where they calmed down a little and took care of the injuries they got in the
explosion of the mine.
Authorized official:
Branko Novoselić
(signature) 267
A NNEX 457:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF Z S.*
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
ŠIBENSKO-KNINSKA P OLICE ADMINISTRATION
DRNIŠ POLICE STATION III
Number: 511-13-30-KU-20002/99.
Date: 20 January 1999
RECORD OF RECEIVING A DENUNCIATION
Made in Šibensko-Kninska police administration – Drniš police station III
on 20 November 1998.
In attendance:
Goran Jakovljević, Milan Djidara - authorized officials
Damira Matić - recording secretary
Beginning at 12:00 p.m.
Z.S. born on … in ... , UCRN: …, the daughter of
the late A.H.*, a ho ewife, permanent address: ….
Z.S. states:
That since the beginning of the occupationhe lived inher family house in the hamlet of
Berse together with her sick husband M.S.*. Shortly after the village was occupied,
Chetnik para-military formations arrived to thhamlet. As far as she knows these people
were from Lika and they stayed in the hamlet until the end of 1992. During October and
November 1992 other Chetniks came to the hamlet of Berše and replaced them. There were
approximately 30 of them and they were mostly volunteers from Vojvodina. They were
accommodated in the neighbouring house of I.S. *, her relative who left the hamlet
together with his family before thccupation.
The Chetniks used to come to her house often and ask for something to eat and drink. She
gave them what they asked for because she was afraid, but she and her husband didn’t have
any major problems with them until 18/19 February 1993.
One of the Chetniks, about whom she later found out that his name was An đelko Paulović,
returned, around 11:00 p.m., to Berše and came in front of her house and started banging on
the door and calling for her to open the door. She and her husband were sleeping on the
first floor and at first she didn’t want to open nor to answer him. After some time the man
climbed to the terrace on the first floor and started ferociously banging on the door and
calling her by name asking her to open. After that she opened the door. He ordered her to
go in front of him towards the house of her relative I.S. . She was crying for help
but did as he ordered her. Her husband stayed in thhouse, on the first floor and he was
afraid to do anything. Z, was dressed only in her nightgown. After they came to I.
S.’s house he forced her to enter the kitchen. There was light in the kitchen when they
entered it. He threw her down on a couh with his arms and gun, he pulled off her panties
and then he raped her. While he was raping her he had his automatic rifle leant against her
back, that is, her shoulder. 268
After the intercourse he forced her for a couple of times, to take his penis and to put it into
her mouth and similar things. She tried to make him stop by crying and begging him to stop
but he threatened her to butcher her with the knife which he had kept in the boot-leg.
The person who reported: Recording secretary Authorized official
Z.S. Damira Matić Milan Djidara
[signature] [signature] [signature]
A NNEX 458:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF V.Z.
ŠIBENIK POLICE ADMINISTRATION
CRIMINALIST POLICE DEPARTMENT
Šibenik, 27 October 1995
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on 27 October 1995 after the informative coversation conducted with V.
Z., the son of Š. and N. (born M.), born on ... in ...,
... Permanent address: …. A Croat.
On 31 Decemb er 1991, in the afternoon hours, he was brought in to the police station, in
Knin, by the “Krajina police”. Inspector MILIVOJ BJELJA from Raškovi ć questioned him,
but before the questioning he was taken to a solitary cell and the chief of police, Milenko
Zelenbaba came there and brought 6 or 7 uniformed police officers and ordered them to
beat V.. They did as they were ordered and so they beat him with legs, sticks, and
hands. They let V. go home on the same day, but as a consequence of the beatings two
of his ribs were broken and one was cracked. He has medical reports that confirm his
condition.
After that, on 11 September 1992, in the Krka canyon, on the path called “Marasovska
strana” V. was intercepted by members of the special platoon of the Knin police. They
molested him on his way home. They threatened to kill him by firing from guns and pistols
near him. After they had come to V.’s house they searched it, and took V. to the
attic where the stated Cvijanovi ć, Kesić, and another two unknown “specialists” beat him
with sticks and fists for a while.
On 27 October 1993 the so-called “Serbian volunteers” forcefully brought a quite big group
of Croats from Matase, Zelić, Suknovci, and Lukari, to the command of the 1stbattalion of
th
the 75 motorized brigade, where the same persons were molested physically and
psychologically because they allegedly “cooperated with Ustashas”.
They molested them physically and psychologically during the whole day, and, in the
evening hours, the majority of the arrested Croats were released and sent to their homes.
After that, V. was taken to serve his time in the military prison in Trbounje, where he
arrived on 25 August 1994 in the afternoon hours.
Approximately ten days on arriving at the prison, where he was psychologically molested,
in such way that the already mentioned Čedo together with the colonel Stojakovi ć and a
“NN” soldier, a soldier of the army of the “Republic of Srpska Krajina”, threatened that he
would butcher V. and while he was saying that he put a knife under his throat, and that 269
he would kill his son. Besides stated molesting they threatened and psychologically
molested him every day.
At the beginning of 1994 members of the military police of the so-called “RSK” came to
V.Z.’s family house with the purpose of again taking him to Knin. V. refused to
go and asked for the UNPROFOR’s pr otection. However, regardless of the UNPROFOR’s
presence, V. was beaten by the members of “the military police”.
He was detained for two days in the mi litary prison in Drniš. During that time he was
beaten by SEAT called “SKIKE”, and DEJAN BEADER, OMER NJEGI Ć (from the
hinterland of Šibenik, lived in Šibenik, approximately 40 years old), and the already
mentioned Milovac, on that occasion, put V . in a sewer hole and closed it with a lid, so
he had to stay in there for two hours. They also tied him to a phone wire and with an
induction phone they conducted electricity through his body.
In the period of time between his release from prison and liberation V. was forced to
work at physical jobs in the area of Oklaj, and he was often disturbed by members of “the
army of the RSK” who used to fire from fire arms around V.’s family house, and they
would also, forcefully, take away his lambs.
From those events that seem to be a war crime V. stated that he eye-witnessed the
murder of ANTE KARAGA, called “Malac”, from Ljuboti ć. He was standing
approximately 150 meters away from the scene of the crime together with BUDIMIR
JANKOVIĆ, the son of the deceased Jovo, born in 1962, from Bobodol, who, after few
shots, went to see what had happened in Ljuboti ć. After he had returned Budimir said that
he had seen Ante, who was wounded “near the road” and near the house of Josip Biluši ć,
crying for help, but, allegedly, he couldn’t help him because, a probable masked killer was
standing approximately 20 meters away from wounded Ante, and he, allegedly, shot at
Budimir and threatened him that he had better run.
When it comes to the murder of JOSIP ZELIĆ from Matase, V. states that he heard, and
that was, allegedly, confirmed by the ”RSK” authorities, that ZORAN CVIJANOVI Ć, the
son of Stevo from Ljubača, killed him.
When it comes to the robbings of Croatian houses, V. states that the majority of the
Serbian villagers of Bobodol and Vrbnik robbed those houses.
At the end of 1993 V . personally saw VLADE JANKOVI Ć, the son of the deceased
Jovo, his son Rade, and the ir son-in-law, a volunteer from Serbia, destroying the rooms,
and loading dismantled door-posts, beams, doors, bathtubs etc. in two team cars and driving
it all away. It happened in the hamlet of Marasovina, in the house of the deceased Ivan
Čavlina. 270
A NNEX 459:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF J.L.*
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
ŠIBENIK POLICE AD MINISTRATION
DRNIŠ POLICE STATION
MILJEVCI POLICE COMPANY
Drinovci, 17 January 1993
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made in the accommodation of the Miljevci police company in relation to the arrival of
J.L., the son of the late ..., born on ., a worker, permanent
address: …
J.L. en t to the occupied territory, that is, the village of Matase, on 15 January 1993
because his wife M.* stayed in the villagee care of the houshold and cattle.
During his stay on the occupied tery he heard, beside other things, that some unknown
men, Chetniks most likely, in the village of Ljuć, raped S.M. *, the wife of
L.*, approximately 35 years old, in the ni ght from 12 to 13 January 1993, around 1:00
a.m.
Authorized official:
Dinko Strunje
(signature)
A NNEX 460:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF I.G.
ŠIBENIK POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DRNIŠ POLICE STATION III
Number: 511-13-30- /95.
Drniš, 3 Septemer 1995
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on 3 September 1995 in the accommodation of the Drniš police station III, in relation
to the informative conversation conducted with I.G.
On 3 September 1995 an informative conversation was conducted with I.G. , the
son of the late M ., in relation to the killings of the Croatian citizens: Luka Reljanovi ć,
Nikola Cigić, and Filip Filipović by the Chetniks and the Serbian para-military formations.
We find out the following from the informative conversation:
The whole time during the Chetnik occupation on the area of the Drniš municipality he
lived in his house in the village of Otavice.
He saw Luka Reljanovi ć for the last time on 3 February 1993 when he came to visit him,
and told him how Chetniks were threatening to kill him because they had seen some picture
in the house.
On 7 February 1993 he saw Gojko Raketi ć, the commander of the Serbian para-military
formation in the village of Kadina Glavica, and asked him if there was a way to get 271
Reljanović to the free territory of the Republic of Croatian, and he answered that that
couldn’t be pulled off, and that Reljanović was going to be killed as soon as he was found.
Nikola Cigić, the son of the late Mijo, born in 1910, was killed on 31 January 1993 in the
still unfinished garage of Slavko Mati ć in Otavice. He was shot from fire arms, and Boško
Lađević shot him from behind.
On 31 January 1993, in the afternoon hours, Boško Lađ ević shot at Filip Filipovi ć from
firearms and killed him. That happened in the village of Otavice, near Ante Matić’s house.
Police official:
Marko Stanković
(signature)
A NNEX 461:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J.H.
ŠIBENSKO-KNINSKA POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DRNIŠ POLICE STATION III
Number: 511-13-30- /98.
Drniš, 25 February 1998
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made in the accommodation of the Drniš police station III after the conversation conducted
with J.H., the son of the late , born on ... in ... , the
... municipality, where he lives. The conversation is conducted in relation to his stay in
his family house in Otavice, during the occupation of the village by Chetniks.
When Chetniks would come to the village he would hide in the wood. The situation was
like that until May 1992 when Chetniks ran into him, in the house of Mara Su čić. So they,
forcefully took him to the village of Baljke and Mirlovi ć polje, Ružić municipality, where
he was psychologically molested.
Further on J.H. states that on 27 March 1992 Branimir Jankovi ć and Marko
Džaleta together with two more persons unknown to him came to his house. They were
dressed in Chetnik uniforms and had automatic rifles. On that occasion Branimir Jankovć
physically beat and molested him in other ways. After that Marko Džaleta beat J.H.
with his fist on the head. Also, he forced him to beat his neighbour L.R.. Also
L. had to beat him. So, they had to hit each other, and on that occasion they took J.
and L. to the hamlet of C. where they kept on molesting and beating them, as well as
N.C. whom they came across in front of the house.
J.H. states, further on, that during 1992 he was forced to go to Cecela on more
occasions. He had to work in vineyards there. And after being molested more and more
each day, he ran away to the free territory of the Republic of Croatia on 29 May 1992.
Authorized official:
Dinko Strunje 272
A NNEX 462:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF S.S.
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn up on January 11 th1995 in the Department for War Crimes and Terrorism of the
Police Administration of Zagreb, on the occasion of the informative interview conducted
with:
S.S., son of H. (a father) and V. (a mother, maiden name K.),
born on ... in the place ..., Lipljan, Kosovo, Serbia; nationality: an
Albanian... a person of military refugees under the protection of the High Commission for
Refugees of the United Nations...
The informative interview with S.S. ... was conducted about circumstances of a
participation of S.S. in the armed aggression again st the Republic of Croatia during
1991 while he was serving his tim e i the then JNA. S.S. stated:
...
He states that he received the first call-up fo r the then JNA, that is for the regular serving of
the military service, in Febrthry of 1991 with the order to report himself for completion of
military service on March 15 1991 in the barracks of Benkovac.
He describes that he served the JNA at the Military Post 1318/19 in Benkovac and that he
was disposed to a tank unit...
...
After 20 days spent in the place Radu čić... they were ordered to start for the place Kijevo.
About 1 km before the mentioned village, at around 11,00 a.m., they were met by general
Mladić, major Radulović,... and a certain lieutenant-colonel Lisica.
...He also states that they happened to find, besides Mladi ć and his officers, quite a few
members of the “Secretariat for the Interior” from Knin and members of the so-called
“Special Police Forces of the SAO Krajina” before Kijevo...
...
He explicitly states that when armoured vehicles and the “police” entered, there was no
resistance in any way and that he is positive about that because he observed the entire
situation by a periscope from a tank in motion. He also states that during the approach,
members of the “police” shot small firearms...
...
…Lieutenant-colonel Lisica ordered the commander of his tank to open artillery fire at a
church and to pull down a church tower where the Croatian banner was streaming. After
that, the commander of the tank ordered colleagues and himself to go into the tank and by
that connection (“sljemafon”) he commanded him “’ Čelo, charge!”, (his nickname is
“Čelo”). He executed the order and he notified the commander of the tank about that. After
that, they shot a tank cannon in the direction of the church. They shot 3 grenades of 100
mm. None of them hit the church, since a sighting-device was moved.
Since the distance between their tank and the church was about 100-120 meters, misses
enraged the present commander of the platoon and lieutenant-colonel Lisica. Subsequently,
the commander of the platoon opened artillery fire from his tank and he hit the church with 273
3 grenades. He hit the upper part of the church tower with one grenade, so that the roof of
the tower, where the Croatian banner was, was demolished. He hit the left and the right
corner of the church, watching from their direction, with the other two grenades... The
church was also shot at from a non-recoiling cannon, cal. 100 mm, from one armoured
personnel carrier, while the rest armoured vehicles shot at the church from PAMs, cal. 12,7
mm. All of them shot with a view to destroying the church...
...
Authorised official:
VLADO CAVOR
A NNEX 463:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF B V.
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on the 12 thof April 1995 in the Department of the war crimes and terrorism of the
Zagreb Police Administration, as a result of the conducted informative conversation with:
B.V., born V. , daughter of J. and M. , born T. , born in the ...
... in the village of ..., the last place of residence –…..
st
She points out that she had to leave Kijevo under the threat of death on t1 of September
1993.
She remembers that after she left Kijevo, about 20 to 25 Croatians remained to live there
and she states that they were mostly elderly people.
She stated that the most terrible crimes in the area of Kijevo were committed, besides by
the “Šešelj” and “Martić ” men, by the local Serbs, that is the Serbs from Pola ča, Cetina,
Civljan and Unište.
She also states that VASO RADINOVIĆ, called “Dragić”, born in 1933, from the village of
Polača joined, together with his four sons the so-called “Krajina” army in the first days of
the aggression on the Republic of Croatia. In the composition of that army he took part in
the exiling of the non-Serbian population from the area of Kijevo and after that he took part
in the robbing and burning of their houses. Radinovi ć came on the 6thof January 1991 into
the hamlet of Vujići and he, together with some other people, took by force the motorized
cultivator of “Honda” brand, the motorcycle of “Tomos” brand, as well as the rest of the
furniture and then they burnt her house and the farm buildings. After that she moved into
her other house that was also in Vuji ći but she was forced out of that house during the
March of 1992.
She states that VASO RADINOVI Ć and his sons forced her out of her other house for the
second time and then they robbed and burnt her house again.
Further on she remembers that on the 13 thof January 1992 MIĆ O RADINOVIĆ came to
her house with his godfather, she knows that PILAJDŽI Ć was his last name and then he
forced her to take out all her clothes from the wardrobe and then he put the clothes on the
floor, set them on fire and forced her to stand with her bare feet on the fire and as a
consequence of it she suffered light burns. 274
She also states that on the 1 stof July 1992 MI ĆO and SAVO RADINOVI Ć cametoher
house again, they started to abuse her physically, putting a knife under her throat, sticking
the barrel in her mouth and continually threatening her to kill her.
She remembers that during the September of 1993 DARKO MIRKOVIĆ , son of Gliša
came to her shed in which she lived and which was the only undamaged object. Darko
Mirković was born in 1979, he lived in Pola ča and when he came, he started to abuse her
psychologically and physically, holding the bar for killing cattle in his hand, threatening her
to leave Kijevo immediately and then he took the remaining food that she had got through
the International Red Cross and the UNPROFOR out of her house.
She states that Darko Mirkovi ć used to come to the village during 1992, together with
underage MILIVOJ TUTUŠ and they burnt the Croatian houses no matter if somebody still
lived in them or not.
Also VASO VU ČKOVIĆ from Pola ča abused her in various ways, threatening her with
firearms to kill her, stating that this country is no longer hers, but that it belongs to all the
Serbs from Krajina.
th
She stated that on the 10 of July 1992 in the hamlet of Ercegovci IVAN ERCEGOVAC,
born in 1911 and JAKA ERCEGOVAC, born in 1914 were killed in the rooms of their
house.
After they were killed they were thrown into the cistern that was situated in the yard of their
house and after a couple of days their daughter KAJA MALOČA, born Ercegovac, born in
1939 found them.
th
She states that in the end of January (she thinks it was on the 29 of Jnauary) 1993 PERA
GOJEVIĆ-ZRNIĆ, born in 1926, was killed and her body was found on the road, near the
Jurici hamlet. She knows that BOŽICA ERCEGOVAC, born in 1910 found the body of
PERA GOJEVIĆ-ZRNIĆ.
During the certain conversation Božica Ercegovac also stated that when she found the body
of PERA GOJEVIĆ-ZRNIĆ, the body was mutilated.
She also states that on the 25thof June 1992 BOŽICA SLAVIĆ , called “Ruža”, daughter of
Mijo, born in 1941 was killed on the meadow at the foot of the Dinara mountain.
Further on she states that during the January or March, MATE SLAVI Ć, husband of the
mentioned BOŽICA and DOMA or TOMA GAŠPAR were also killed.
th
She also states that on the 13 of December 1991 MARKO GOJEVI Ć, born in 1910 or
1912, was killed in his house in the hamlet of Gojevi ći. She knows that the villagers of the
Polače hamlet killed MARKO by throwing an explosive device into his house so he was
injured and he died. She states that his wife, TOMA GOJEVI Ć, born Ercegovac, born in
1922 found his body.
Authorized official:
Željko Mikulić
(signature) 275
A NNEX 464:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M .G.Z.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
POLICE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PRIMORSKO-GORAN SKA COUNTY
CRIMINAL POLICE SECTOR
War crime and terrorism department
Number: 511-09-11-/95.A.G.
Rijeka, the 13of April 1995
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on the 12 thof April 1995 in the War crime and terrorism department of the Police
administration of the Primorsko-goranska County connected with the conducted
informative conversation with:
M.G.Z., son of M. and B., born S ., born on the ...
19... in the vllae of ... , Knin municipality, permanent address …, agricuurist,
married, father of three children, of Croatian nationality.
The conv ersation revealed the information that since the beginning of the so-called
“BALVANIZACIJA” (tree-trunk revolution) till he came to the free territory of the
Republic of Croatia, the persons of the Serbian nationality that lived on the area of the Knin
municipality, abused and killed the Croatian peoplth among them his wife P.
G.Z., born S. was killed anshe was killed on the 20of January 1993.
TOMA BILIĆ, his wife MARKA, IVAN BAREŠIĆ and MATE JAKOVICA, and RUŽA
SLAVIĆ were also killed. They were all killed by unknown persons in an unknown place.
He further on states that in the period till he came to the free territory he did not find his
wife and he states that he found out about the death of his wife from a masked Serbian
soldier who came to get food at his house and on that occasion he told him “your wife was
killed and do not look for her anymore.” 276
A NNEX 465:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF C V.
POLICE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SPLIT –
DALMATIA DISTRICT
7TH POLICE STATION
rd
Kaštela, the 3 of July 1995
OFFICIAL RECORD
th
Made in the 7 Police Station by the authorized official, connected with the conducted
informative conversation with C.V., refugee from Kijevo.
DATA: C.V., born on the .... in ..., a Croatian, citizen of
the Republic of Croatia, hworked temporarily in Germany, now he is retired.
Immediately after the village was occupied the Chetniks from the neighboring villages
performed massed robbery in a planned way and that was prepared in advance. First they
came into the village with tractors, they robbed the village, they took the technical devices
(tractors, TV sets, hi-fi components, washing machines and other things) and then they took
the cattle, alcohol, smoked meat, tableware and other things and eventually they took
everything they could and they set on fire most of the sheds and houses.
He, Milica Teskera and Boja Gojević stayed in his hamlet of Vujići. They were abused and
terrorized daily and regularly. They were beaten, starved, and in the end they had to collect
the hay and cut the clover and they had to take it to the warehouse that was situated a little
bit over towards the Cetina spring.
The Ercegovac family had the obligation to watch and feed the cattle.
The Chetniks came regularly to the village to rob and he stayed in the village till the 28
June 1992 when one of the Vaso Nin čević’s sons, together with 5 younger persons in
camouflage uniforms, took him by surprise in front of his house and they all beat him,
asking him all the time to give them money and gold. 277
A NNEX 466:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S.K.
MINUTES
on taken information
Made by the authorized sen ior offcer at the Security agency military p.o.box 7280 KNIN
th
on 13 February 1992 at 10.10 hrs, on the basis of the article 151 issue 2 ofthhe Law on
criminal procedure on the occasion of the murder of Drago Čengić’s family on 18January
1992 in the village Ervenik, municipality of Knin.
S.K., son of L., born on ... in the village
..., municipality of ..., Socialist Republic of Croatia, at the office in 2 of
the territorial defence, address:...; h e has been called up to state all the circuandances
tha facts that he knows and are related to the event, he has voluntariliy given the following
information and accepted that it should be recorded:
I am not certain about the date when I, together with D.T., son of the late D.
and Nebojša Travica, son of Stevan, killed Drago Čengić, Nevenka Čengić and their two
underage children…
(…)
I remember that around 18.30 D. and me sat in his car…
(…)
…exactly whether D. and I were arranging how to exile the Croats that remained in our
village, but I think that while we were driving and having lunch at my house,…
While D. and I were alone in my house I probably then suggested to go and chase away
the remaining Croats from the village Ervenik and around it. Then I knew, and I think that
D. knew also, that in Ervenik remained the following people of Croatian nationality :
Drago Čengić, his wife Nevenka and their two children, Drago Čengić’s father Josip with
his wife and Petar or Pavle Đakulović, his wife and a son.
(…)
D. and I took the weapons only with an intention to scare and chase away the people of
Croatian nationality by firing at their houses. In D.T.’s kitchen, behind the door,
there was a hand rocket launcher “ZOLJA” which I took and put across my back.
(…)
When D. and I were at the corn-storage, right behind D.’s house, Nebojša Travica,
whom we call Nebešilo, son of Stevan, came to us. I do not remember well, but it was
probably D. who told Nebojša that we were going to chase away those Croats and not
to tell that to anyone.
(…)
We planned to mine Drago Čengić’s, Pavle or Petar Đakulovi ć’s and Josip Čengić’s
houses, and to burn them after the mining, so in that way to prevent their further living in
our village.
(…)
We came to the wire fence of Drago Čengić’s backyard. 278
(…)
First I came to Drago Čengić’s front door, getting down a few steps leading to the front
door and knocked on the door.
After I knocked, Drago Čengić opened the door.
(…)
As far as I remember I said the following: “Did you see what has happened to our boys,
you fucking Ustashe”, after which Drago said something, I do not remember what and I
fired from my gun which was pointed at his chest, and hit him, probably with three of four
bullets in the chest.
(…)
When I entered the kitchen, I saw NevenkaČengić sitting opposite the front door, about 3-4
meters away from the door, sitting on a chair to the right from the kitchen cupboard, and
probably, as far as I remember, next to her right leg her younger son was sitting or was
leaned against her leg, and the older son, as far as I remember, was sitting or lying on the
couch left from the front door, and right from Nevenka.
When I fired at Drago Čengić, he just fell down when he was standing without a word.
(…)
D.T., who at that moment came into the kitchen behind my back, fired a shot in
Nevenka’s direction. I rememeber very well that Nevenka’s head drooped, but she was still
alive, because D. did not shoot well and I came to Nevenka pulling a knife out of the
case and put a knife at her throat. I came to her facing her, her younger child was lying over
her leg, as far as I remember, and I took with my left hand Nevenka’s hair, and with the
right hand with which I held the knife with my thumb turned to left, put the knife at her
throat at the Adam’s apple, that is, pressed the neck on Nevenka’s throat, that is larynx. I
said to her while she was looking at me: “Will the Ustashe come back, you fucking bitch?”
While I was telling this, I held her by the hair, and then released it, and after that her head
moved, that is it moved ahead after I released her and pressed the knife blade and then I,
after her throat had already been cut, pulled to the right, and after that I stepped away from
her. While I was pulling my knife to the right, a very quiet sound could be heard that was
coming from my knife as I was cutting the skin on her neck, and I felt my knife cutting
Nevenka’s throat, that is, the skin on Nevenka’s throat.
(…)
From the kitchen I moved to DragoČengić’s bedroom.
(..)
I came into the bedroom with an intention to burn the furniture in the room, which I did
with the lighter, I set on fire one side of the blanket with which the bed was covered.
(…)
I do not remember whether I saw Drago and Nevenka’s older son lying dead on a couch at
the moment the couch has been set on fire, but I now remember that D.T. who
was behind my back, after I fired at Drago Čengić, first fired at the older son who was at
that moment sitting or lying on the couch left from the front door, and that after that, he
fired at Nevenka and their younger son from about 3 –4 m. 279
As soon as I saw that Nevenka Čengić and their younger son were not in the kitchen, I ran
out from the kitchen, in front of the house…
D.T. and Nebojša Travica stopped and I came to them. When I was coming to
them, as far as I remember, I told them “She’s gone”, and they answered that they had not
seen Nevenka. Then I went again towards the house, with the intention to find and kill
Nevenka Čengić. I came to the water tank which was about 4 – 5 m left of the house
looking towards the front door, and then I heard Nevenka’s cries and younger son’s cries,
who was saying “Mommy, mommy”. I came to the spot where Nevenka and her younger
child were, that was at the corner of some shed or hen.house,…
I found Nevenka lying on her back, and her younger son was lying over her chest and she
was holding him. I came about 1m from them and fired about 4-5 bullets at them. When I
came to them, Nevenka raised her head, and after I fired her head fell on the ground. After
that I did not hear the child’s cries…
(…)
When the three of us met again, we set off towards the hamlet of Đ akulovići down the main
road…
(…)
I repeat that we went to Đakulovići with the intention to either kill or chase away the
Đakulovićs that remained there.
(…)
When we came to the hamlet of Đakulovići, I stopped in front of Petar or Pavle
Đakulović’s house, in front of the house where I knew that the family of one of them still
lived.
(…)
I then heard a dog barking, which was above the garage, I went to the dog and killed him
from my machine-gun.
(…)
I came in front of the house, that is, by the gate of the backyard, opened “ZOLJA” , aimed
and fired at Petar or Pavle Đakulović’s house front door. The doors at which I fired, from
about 20 m far, were on the first floor of the house. I fired “Zolja” at that door with the
intention of killing the family which I thought were still in the house.
(…)
After that Nebojša climbed to the door at which I fired and told me that nothing happened,
and then, as far as I remember, set this house on fire, while D. set the stable on fire,
some sheds, together with me.
Then all three of us went to the nighbouring house, and burned the houses and out-
houses…
(…)
We moved towards Josip Čengić’s house with the intention of burning it also, and I believe
that we ran into him and his wife and that we killed them, too.
(…) 280
…Travica Nikola, who was driving the car, and Željko Travica, called Žorž, came to us and
stopped.
…Nikola and Željko said, as far as I remember, the following: “We set on fire the Pejćs,
Pere Jurišić’s and Josip Čengić’s houses”, and then we answered that the flames were not
seen from those houses, that they had not done it and that we would go there and finish it.
(…)
When we, Nebojša Travica, D.T. and me, moving towards the village of Ervenik,
came to Ivica Ivankovi ć’s burned house, I remembered that D.T. and I set that
house on fire last year in July or August.
(…)
The knife in the case that you are showing me is certainly my knife.
(…)
Exactly that knife, in this case I carried when the Čengićs were murdered, and exactly with
that knife I slaughtered Nevenka Čengić.
(…)
Done at 15.00 hrs on 13thFebruary 1992.
Information taken by: Captain First Class Dragomir Pećanac
Recording secretary: The JNA secretary Snježana Sladić
Information given by: Soldier S.K.
A NNEX 467:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF D .T.
MINUTES
on taken information
Made bththe authorized senior officer at the Security agency military p.o.box 7280 KNIN
on 13 February 1992 at 18.30 hrs, on the basis of Article 151 issue 2 of the Law on
criminal procedure on the occasion of the murder of Drago Čengić’s family on 18thJanuary
1992 in the village Ervenik, municipality of Knin.
D.T., son of the late D., born on ... in ...,
municipality of ..., Socialist Repubic of Croatia, at the office in VP 4527 Knin,
address: ...; he h been called up to state all the circumstances and the facts that he knows
and are related to the event, he has voluntariliy given the following information and
accepted that it should be recorded:
th
I am certain that the murder of the Čengićs happened on Saturday, 18 January 1992 in the
village of Ervenik.
(…)
S.K. and I agreed to set on fire and kill the people of Croatian nationality in
the village of Ervenik who remained there, and who lived in the hamlets of Šaši ći and
Đakulovići. 281
(…)
… S. said that he was going to his house to change his clothes, that is to put on a
uniform and take weapons, so that we could later go and set on fire and kill the Croats that
remained in our village…
(…)
I know that in the village of Ervenik, that is in the hamlet of Šaši ći, Drago Čengić, his wife
Nevenka and two underage children remained, the older son went to elementary school in
the village of Ervenik, and the younger one was about 4 or 5 years old.
(…)
When we came to my house, both S. and I firmly decided to go to the mentioned
Croats and to kill them.
(…)
… S.K. opened the door by force…
(…)
Im me diately after that, I do not exactly remember, I heard t three short rat-a-tat shots
from a machine-gun. At that moment I came behind S.K. ’s back who was
standing about 2 m from the front doors i nside the house, and then I saw Drago Č engić
sitting and leaning on a bed and the wall, 2.5 m far from me to the left, and from his neck
and his chest blood was running, and it seemed that he did not show any signs of life …and
beside him was probably his older son who also did not show any signs of life.
(…)
When I saw Drago Čengić and his son, I fired at them once, after my shot at Nevenka and
the younger child, she was still standing. I remember well that the child’s head, and whom
Nevenka was holding in her arms, was on the left where I fired, immediately in front of
S. and I nearly killed him.
(…)
I forgot to say that while S. was coming near to Nevenka holding a knife at her neck
below her face, I manage to set a blanket on the couch on fire with my lighter. The couch
was on the left of the front door of the kitchen and Drago Č engić and his son were leaned
against it.
(…)
I forgot to say that when I told S. to get out, he told me “I will only slaughter her a
bit”.
(…)
At that moment when we already st epped over the fence of Drago Čengić’s backyard, a dog
started to bark and I told Nebojša Travi ć to kill the dog and then I pulled out my pistol and
fired at the dog. As far as I remember, I was the first who started firing at the dog, but my
pistol stuck, and I took Nebojša’s pistol and fired 3 more bullets at the dog, after which he
stopped barking.
Right at the moment when I stopped firing at the dog, S.K. came to us… 282
(…)
I remember that I told S.K. : “Go and see whether it is coming from
Nevenka and finish the job”, …
(…)
When I said that to S.K. , Nebojša and I set off slowly down the road
towards the hamlet of Đakulovi ći and after we passed about 20 m, from the direction from
which Nevenka’s cries were heard, that is from the hen-house or pig-sty, I heard a shot
from a machine-gun.
Soon after that S.K. joined us and I remember that he was holding his knife
in his hand, showed blood on the knife to me and Nebojša, and then wiped it, I do not
remember with what and put it back.
While S.K. was holding a knife, he showed us how he killed Nevenka
Čengić holding her by her hair and how he c ut her throat saying: “I slaughtered her”.
(…)
When we came to Josip Čengić’s house, I remember well that Nebojša Travica came inside
the house, and I set on fire the roof of the stable, in which there were no cattle, to the left of
Josip’s house. We were all burning stables and the house of Josip Čengić, after which we
came in front of his house and S.K. told us then that he let the gas off and
to remove ourselves from the house.
(..)
Information recerived by: Recording secretary Information given by:
Captain 1 sClass the JNA secretary: soldier
Dragomir Pećanac Snježana Sladić D.T. 283
A NNEX 468:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF A Ć.
SURNAME: Ć.
NAME, FATHER'S NAME: A., J.
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: J... the village of ..., ...
county, Croatia
RESIDENCE: …
TEMPORARY RE SIDEN CE: …
EDUCATION: high school
PROFESSION:...
EMPLOYMENT:
MARITAL STATUS: married
CITIZENSHIP: Republic Croatia
NATIONALITY: Croat
I give the following
STATEMENT
The result of the establishing of Croatian government and victory of the HDZ at elections
in Knin were barricades. This happened in July 1991. Soon after that terrorists started
sneaking around Croatian houses and throwing explosive devices at them. They destroyed
old houses, and forced out owners of the new and large ones. Then they would keep those
new and large houses for themselves. They used to come to my village VrpolĆaćići
hamlet) by night and throw about explosive devices. They looted the village, they took
everything they wanted, including cars and tractors. To intimidate Croatian populus they
barged into village and fire at houses without any reason. During one such "action" they
killed J.Ć., my cousin. When an investigator arrived they put an automatic gun
close to the victim. Radio Knin broadcastews that a terrorist had been killed. The truth
was that he only went to visit his girlfriend. He was unarmed. We endured everyday
provocations and maltreatment. They announced the general mobilization in defense of
Krajina, regardless of the nationality. As Croats refused to answer the Radio Knin call, they
started sending written summons, and deliver it directly to close members of a persons
family. After that, fifteen of them would come, ransack the house and searched after people
in order to forcibly mobilize them. At first, all of them believed in the power of the JNA
and therefore adopted the Greater Serbian solution to the problem called former SFRY. In
the beginning everybody wore JNA uniforms. Upon arrival of the UNPROFOR forces,
Serbs changed signs on their uniforms and called themselves “SAO Krajina” militia. Since
their arrival, the UNPROFOR protective forces not once came to my village, so that we
acquired almost no protection from their side. Serbian authorities did everything to use
them to their own advantage. Whenever we called UNPROFOR and “SAO Krajina” militia
after an incident had been done, they would protest and the incident would occur again the
following night. Almost all churches in the “SAO Krajina” region have been destroyed,
looted and burnt down. By St. Jacob's Parish Church there is a house where friars live, and
where registers of births, marriages and deaths are kept. Besides the parish house the friars
also built a new rectory. Now a Serb from Vodice lives in it. The old rectory was burnt
down and he keeps hogs and a cow in it. 284
All diversions on and destructions of Croatian houses were done by night, so that we could
not see who did what. I noticed that there are few honest Serbs in Krajina. All of the others
supported the policy of terror and looting of our properties and livestock. They came to our
houses at night, masked, and took whatever they needed. All of the Croats were sacked
from their employment. Two of my neighbors, Mirko Ćaćić and Drago Šimi ć were on a
sick leave and when they returned to the "TVIK" plant where they worked, the entire
workshop stopped and demanded that they leave the premises, which they had to do. We
lived on our agricultural products, soon we lacked money so we could not go shopping.
Since August 1991 we have lived in constant fear and terror. After the successful action of
the Croatian Army in Maslenica, the Serbian villagers of Bukovica came and forced
Croatian populations to leave their homes. They barged into houses, threatened at gun point
saying: "This is not yours any more, you have to move out." People were thrown out of
their homes so quickly that they failed to take anything with them. They gathered 400 of us
in the local Vrpolje school. They tried to force us men to mobilize but we refused. We left
with the help of the Red Cross and UNPROFOR. As Serbian population started resisting
mobilization in Krajina, the special militia from Vukovar arrived in order to make "order".
On February 15, 1993, two bus loads of Serbian militia from Vukovar arrived with the
intention to settle the affairs. Željko ča from the village of Bukovica moved to my
house, that is how they made order there. Some twenty days ago we got written summons
to mobilize, and we did not stay in our houses any longer. Jovo Opčić came to school in
order to separate men from women and children. Then we turned to the members of the
UNPROFOR and for the first and only time they showed us the purpose of their being
there. We departed from Vrpolje on February 14, 1993, and in the UNPROFOR escort
arrived in Primošten.
In Primošten, February 20, 1993
Statement given by: A.Ć.
Statement taken by: Miljenko Buljan
A NNEX 469:
W ITNESS SATEMENTS OF L.M., S.M., Ž.M.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTE RIOR
SPLIT POLICE DEPARTMENT
POLICE STATION IN MAKARSKA
No: 511-12-35th4/1- /92
Makarska, 19 February 1992
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
th
Made in the police station in Makarska, on 19 February 1992, by the authorized official
person Slobodan Kapitanović, and in connection with the interview with S.M. ,
Ž.M. and L.M. from ..., municipality of Obrovac.
Asked abou t the circumstances of the murder and other criminal deeds on the area of the
municipality of Obrovac, that is the places Jasenice and Zaton, S.M. (the late
L.’s son, born on ...in ..., municipality f Obrovac, with the
permanent address in..., temporary a refugee, settled in ... and his brother ,.M.
have stated the following: 285
“On 18 thDecember 1991 we were in Zaton at the new family house, while my parents went
shepherding the goats, not far from our old house in Zaton. Around 9.45 hrs, a vehicle of
“Land Rover” make and a police vehicle came from the direction of the factory of hydrated
alumina and set off towards the village of Meki Doci. The vehicles had police registration
plates, the “Land Rover” was an olive-drab colour, earlier a property of “Elektroprivreda” –
Split, and now property of the police in Obrovac, while the police vehicle IMV, was earlier
the property of the police station. Around 11.30 hrs my mother was getting home, and told
me and Ž. that some already mentioned vehicles were stopping by, and that the
members of the police were shooting afte r the vehicles were stopped. Then I and Ž. set
off towards the place of the shooting, to find our father, that is to see whether he was still
alive. When we came near the place of the shooting, we found the mentioned vehicles
which were coming back from the direction of Meki Doci, and the members of the police
from Obrovac were talking to the representatives of the army. We moved avay
immediately, that is we hid and we waited while they were gone. After they left, we called
for our father, and since he did not answer, we began to search the place. Since we did not
find him, we went to the Police station in Obrovac in the afternoon, where we asked if our
father was arrested. Perica Veselinovi ć and Boško Gagi ć – “Bi ćo”, met us at the Police
station and informed us that our father was not being arrested, nor that they knew anything
about him.
After that we returned home to Zaton, and when we were coming out of the Police station,
we noticed the mentioned vehicles at the parking lot. While we were leaving the mentioned
policemen told us not to come tomorrow, but to send women.
th
On 19 February 1991, around 7.30 hrs, we again came to the Police station in Obrovac,
where Đorđe Jelić received us and told us to give a statement about the disappearance of
our father at inspector Boško Gagi ć - “Bi ćo”. After the statement we asked from Jeli ć to
secure the place where our father disappeared. He contacted Lieutenant Colonel Iveti ć, and
they arranged that we could search the place without any disturbance. Then the two of us,
Kata Maričić, Mile Maričić, Luka Maričić, called “Tece”, Ivka Pejakovi ć, Stanko Modrić,
and Slobodan Župan searched the place where they were shooting, and Slobodan Župan
found the dead body of our father. When we came to the deceased, we saw that our father
was killed with several shots, there were three shot wounds to the head, that is on the back
of the head, one shot wound directly in the heart, where a little wound was from the front
side while on the back side there was a hole at the back, of about 5 cm radius, and there was
a wound on the forefinger of his left hand.
Since we were ordered by the police to report in case we found our father, we went to the
Police Station in Obrovac, and reported the case and then returned to the scene of the crime.
There we waited for about three hours, while the police, Kuzma Reljić , Perica Veselinović
and Boško Gagi ć, came to the scene of the crime. They wrote something down without
taking a picture, and after 5 minutes they left saying that we could take the body, which we
did. In conversations with the civilians, and the members of the army, we found out that at
the same time three people were killed in Meki Doci. After we found out about the
massacre in Meki Doci, and after the repeated warnings and threats to me, my brother and
other people from the village, we decided to ask for protection from the army so that we
could leave Zaton and Obrovac. In the negotiations were Jovo Dopu đ, the commander of
the Territiorial Defence, and a representative of the army, Lieutenant Colonel Iveti ć. After
Ivetić secured us the army company up to the Bosnian border, we rented a bus in Obrovac
th
to the amount of 35,000 YU dinars, so the 17 of us from Zaton left the place on 26
December 1991, and went through Kistanje – Knin – Grahovo – Drvar to Doboj, where we
settled in the village of Ularica where there were unknown people, and where we stayed 286
th
until 7 January 1992. After that we came to Split with the regular bus line and reported to
the Red Cross, and after that we were settled in the Children’s village.
As to the persons that did the masacres, arson, mining, robbery, we have a list of them,
which is in the enclosure.
L. (M.) M., born on ... in ..., municipality of Obrovac, wit h the
permanent address in ..., temporary a refugee in ..., about the circums tances of the murder
stated the following:
th
“On 18 December 1991 around 9.30 and 10.00 hrs, I was hidden in the woods for a longer
period of time, near the road to “Sveti Rok”, that is Meki Doci. My late uncle L.M.
brought me some breakfast around 8.30 hrs where I was hiding as usual. Then he left home,
to let go the goats with the promise that he would stop and see me, but that we would not
talk so that nobody noticed us. Around 10.00 hrs, the goats passed the place where I was,
but I did not see L. . Then from the direction of the factory of hydrated alumina two
vehicles came, a “Land Rover” and a police vehicle with the members of the police of the
“SAO Krajina” from Obrovac. The vehicles stopped not far from me, about 100 m away
from me, and I heard singing of the Chetniks’ songs, slamming the doors of the vehicles
and shouting. Then I heard: ”Step ahead”, which was repeated several times, and then I
heard shooting from automatic weapons, and then several shots. The vehicles then moved
in the direction of Meki Doci, where they stopped for about 50 minutes, after which they
returned in the direction of Obrovac. Since I could not show myself, I could not recognize
the members of the police of the “SAO Krajina”, but I claim that they were the members of
the Special platoon of the police form Obrovac, the list of them I give in the enclosure.
I was convinced that the above-mentioned members of the police killed my uncle, but I did
not say that to S. and Ž., who asked me whether I saw L..
The next day I confirmed my doubts, whe n we found the body of the late L., exactly on
the spot where the above-mentioned mem bers of the police stopped and fired from the fire
arms.
I would like to mention my cousin Š.M. , a son of the late I., from Z. , who
cooperates with the members of the police from Obrovac, in a way that he promised them
that he would find out the place where I was hiding. In connection with my revealing and
reporting to the police, he asked even the small children in the neighbourhood, asking about
my whereabouts, where I slept, when I was coming home, etc. Š. also reported to the
police in Obrovac, during the clashes at Jasenice and Ramlje, that I had a radio-station with
which I kept in touch with the members of the police and National Guard, which is not true.
According to his reports, Stevan Macakanja from Benkovac, lives in Obrovac, and
Slobodan Badža, called “Baja” from Obrovac, the members of the reserve of the police in
Obrovac, did what he ordered them. That was how the mentioned two men came by force
into the house of my parents at night, breaking the doors and windows, searching the house
and asking for me. Š.M. is now in Z. , where he sleeps with some of people of
Serbian nationality, and when he met Si mo Dubajić, he greeted him with three fingers
raised. 287
ANNEX 470:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S.Š.
MINUTES ON INTERROGATING THE WITNESS
S.Š.
Made in the Military Court Split, in Zadar on 04hFebruary 1993.
Present in the name of the Court:
Investigating judge(military):
Branko Brkić
Criminal subject against: Mladen Olui ć and others because of the criminal deed from the
article 236-0, issue 2 in connection with the article 236-b, issue 1 of the Criminal Law of
the Republic of Croatia
Recording secretary:
Zora Bašić
Began at 10.20 hrs
Before the interrogation the witness is in the sense of Article 238 of the Law on the
Criminal Procedure warned that his obligation is to tell the truth and that he must not
suppress a fact, and that giving a false statement is a criminal deed. The witness is told in
the sense of the article 236 of the Law on the Criminal Procedure that he is not bound to
answer some questions if he might put herself or his close relative in disgrace, significant
material damage or criminal persecution.
After that the witness gives the following personal data:
Name, father’s name: S.Š., I.
Occupation: ...
Address: ...
Place of birth and age:..... years old
Relationship with the defendant: not related
The witness is warned that he is bound to testify in the sense of the article of the Law on the
Criminal Procedure so he states
The witness is warned in the sense of the article 229 and q31 of the Law on the Criminal
procedure and he states:
The witness is after that called to state whatever he knows about the subject, so he states:
“It is true that I know MLADEN OLUIĆ from Bilišani. I do not know his father’s
name, he is about 30 years old, dark haired, plump, of middle height, unmarried. I
do not know where he previously worked, I only know that he was a member of
the special platoon of the police in Obrovac. A commander of the platoon was
ĐORĐE JELIĆ, and his deputy was ŽELJKO KALINIĆ from Bilišani.
I remember that this MLADEN OLUI Ć told me in Žegar in a café called
‘Posljednja Šansa’ that he was on Križ, above Zadar, when the Croatian Army
conquered Križ, that they escaped and NANIĆ surrendered himself. 288
I remember the time L.M. was killed, from Zaton, Obrovac. The
story spread right away. I think that itwas somewhere before the New Year, that
is, by the end of 1991. I was there in front of the Police station in Obrovac when
this MLADEN OLUI Ć and ŽIVKO MACURA showed off in front of a large
number of policemen that were with them in the Special unit, how they killed
L.M. while he shepherded goats on Velebit. They did not say why
they killed him, but I know that this L.M. was buried in Obrovac.
In the café ‘Posljednja Šansa’ in Žegar, I h eard from MLADEN OLUI Ć that he
participated from the very beginning at the barricades, and that he later was
transferred to the Special unit of the police in Obrovac.
ŽIVKO MACURA, Luka’s son, from Žegar, about 29 years old, married over
two months, without children. He also participated in the war from the very
beginnings. He was also accepted in the Special platoon, so I suppose that he was
also at the barricades because they usually took men like him into the platoon. I
heard from him in front of the police station in Obrovac, and in front of a large
number of policemen, that he and MLADEN OLUIĆ killed L.M..
MLADEN OLUIĆ and ŽIVKO MACURA opened a café in Obrovac, and it was
by force. That café was previously a property of a Croat. They robbed liquor in
Rovanjska and everywhere, and drove it into that café and sold it.
At the time, Živko Macura was stealing wooden logs, furniture, tiles, household
appliances and was bringing everything into his house in Žegar. When I was in
his house, two or three days before I was captured, I saw in his house parts of the
furniture, one electric stove and a fridge that he had stolen, he did not tell me
from where he brought those.
That is all that I can tell about those two.
I do not know whether those two participated in the first attacks at Kruševo and
Jasenice.”
The witness is warned according to Article 82 of the Law on Criminal Procedure, he states
that he has carefully listened to the dictation, and that everything was written down exactly
as he said, and he signs it without reading it.
one at 10.35 289
A NNEX 471:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A .V.
Republic of Croatia
Ministry of the Interior
Zadar Police Department
Section of the criminalist police
th
19 September 1997
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
An authorized official person of the Zadar Police Department has on 9 thApril 1996 in
Zadar at 9.00 hrs on the basis of Article 151, issue 2 of the Law on the Criminal Procedure
and in connection with the collection of information on the war crime done at the expense
of the Croats from Jasenice, municipality of Jasenice, made an inspection of the transcript
of the official note about the interview with A.V. , a daughter of L.
and A., born on ...n ..., temporary address: ..., and concluded:
- tat she married S.V., born on ... from ..., near Obrovac,
in Zagreb 1982, and that they lived in Zagreb until 12 tJuly 1991 and then they moved
from Zagreb, first to Bilišani at S. ’s parents’ and then to Obrovac. Since they
permanently left Zagreb although on the departure S. promised her that they were going
to his home place only for the vacation and that they would return to Zagreb, it all proved a
failure because S. became a member of the forces of the so-called “Special police” from
Obrovac the moment they came to Bilišani. Living with her husband in Bilišani and in
Obrovac, that is the places that were under the Chetniks’ occupation she was partly in a
position to find out about the crime that was done by members of the so-called special
police from Obrovac and at the expense of Croatian people from that place:
In the other half of December 1991 in Jasenice (former municipality of Obrovac) the
hamlet Meki Doci, the members of the so-called special police from Obrovac killed, by
shooting from firearms, 6 persons of Croatian nationality (she does not know the names of
those people). Her husband S. personally told her that, admitting that he also
participated in that criminal deed and that heilled two persons, and the other four persons
were killed by CRNOGORAC, BOĆIN and TUTA (those are their nicknames, she does not
know their names), and all three of them were members of the so-called special police
Obrovac, and they killed them because, according to S. , they betrayed the "Serbian
soldiers” comforting his wife that it w as w ar and that he had to fight on the side his
relatives were on (and these were all Chetniks).
Note: The persons that were killed in Jasenice were exhumed and identified and it was
th
reported to the County Prosecutor’s Office under the number KU-47/96 from 26 March
1996. The persons with the nicknames Crnogorac, Bo ćin and Tuta, who participated in
these criminal deeds we will try to identify and if we come up with any useful findings we
will report to the State Prosecutor’s Office in time.
AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL PERSON:
Mirko Lukić 290
A NNEX 472:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF N.V.
Republic of Croatia
Ministry of the Interior
Zadar Police Department
Section of the criminalist police
Noth511-18-04/70
19 September 1997
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
th
An authorized official person of the Zadar Police Department has on 19Septmeber 1997
in Zadar at 11.00 hrs on the basis of the Article 151, issue 2 of the Law on the Criminal
Procedure and in connection with collection of the information on the war crime done at the
expense of the Croats from Jasenice, from the village of Meki Doci made an inspection of
the transcript of the official note about the interview with N.V. , a son of
the late A., born on ......, temporary address: ...and concluded:
After the occupation of Jasenice by the Chetniks and the former, so-called, Yugoslav Army,
inside the special platoon of the “Police in Obrovac” the rumour was, and he heard this
from Željko Badža who was a commander of the platoon, that STIPAN ZUBAK (a victim
of the crime) gives shelter to the Ustasha that are on the Velebit mountain, and that in the
small village of Zubak in Meki Doci, was found one Ustasha mortar. Also, that in the
abandoned houses of this part of Jasenice was found a larger amount of groceries that were
used by the Ustasha during the night and who came from their positions at Velebit (a larger
amount of bread was found). In connection with that, one day, and this was in the middle of
November 1991, the members of the so-called “special unit of the police from Obrovac”
gathered with a paddy wagon. In this team were ŽELJKO BADŽA as a “commander”,
SAVO PUPOVAC, called “Granda”, BOŠKO PUPOVAC, called “Bo ćin”, PETAR
PUPOVAC, called “Tuta”, STEVO VESELINOVI Ć and RATKO VUJSI Ć, called
“Crnogorac” and with him were ĐURO JAKŠIĆ and MILOŠ OLUI Ć. They, on the above
stated day, set off towards Jasenice, that is, Meki Doci and they returned in the evening
hours. The same evening S.M., a son of L.M. (L. was also murdered that
night) said: “My f ather was killed tonigh”, and who was shepherding the sheep at the
M.s’ in Zaton Obrovački, but Stipe did not say on that occasion who killed hiThere
was an interview with S.M. , during which we did not find out anything useful).
N. was personally at SM in Obrovac, when the members of the special platoon set
off towards Jasenice, but he did not know w hat was their task. In a few days everyone
found out in Obrovac that the remaining Croats in Jasenice, Meki Doci, were killed. There
was no investigation at the crime scene, on which basis a conclusion or a version that this
was done by the above-mentioned members of the special platoon, could be drawn. As to
the burial of the remnants of the bodies, N. does not know who did it, or where or
when.
In connection with the above stated, he said that he has nothing more to add.
AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL PERSON
Mirko Lukić 291
A NNEX 473:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M .G.
M.G., son of the late A. (a father), born on ... in
..., Municipality of ..., reported residence in …, presently stays at
D.’s in Obrovac, …, nationality: Serb, married, father of two (Ž., born in ...
and M., born in ...), a wife V. (nee P.), a reti former employee at
the Ministry of Interior, gives the following:
STATEMENT
He was employed at the “police station” in Obrovac from 1959 until December 31 st1987,
when he was retired. Until 1975 he worked in a pedestrian patrol, from 1975 until 1982 he
worked as a criminal technician and from 1982 until retirement he worked as an operative
worker and he had a status of a junior inspector. He attended irregularly a secondary police
school in Zagreb from 1972 until 1976 and he finished it successfully.
th
He was receiving a Croatian pension until May 1991 and from then until July 14 1992 he
was receiving a so-called “Krajina’s” pension. At first his pension was about 10 DEM and
later it increased to 40 DEM.
He spent his retirement at his native town – ..., where he had family house. He
owned an apartment in Obrovac. His sons M. and Ž. lived in that apartment.
On July 14 th1992, Bogdan Gagi ć (a commander of a local police) asked him, through a
policeman Miloš Oluić, to come to work at the police station in Obrovac. He says that he
had to accept this summons since there was a state of war and everyone was exercising a
function in defence of the “Republic of Srpska Krajina”. It suited him more to work in the
police because he was familiar with that job, although he knew that police work during the
war wasn’t easy to do. He says that he saw this for himself. At that time there were a lot of
reserve workers at the “police” in Obrovac who neither knew how to work nor had they a
will to work. Nobody demanded of them to work by meeting high standards, especially
when they had to deal with cases at the expense of Croats.
He didn’t get an official identity card. In the beginning they told him that he would do some
peripheral work in executive organs, but it turned out that that wasn’t correct because he
was doing all the work in the executive organs beginning from inspection for judicial
purposes, search of houses, taking in custody...
When asked at which places, where there was a crime committed at the expense of Croats,
he had to conduct an inspection for judicial purposes, he gave the following information:
He is aware of that sometime in May in Medviđ a, before he started to work, Šime
Serdarević and his wife Ika were killed. Miloš Olui ć and Nedjeljko Vukši ć conducted an
inspection for judicial purposes at this place of the incident. Members of the Civil
protection from Obrovac buried mortal remains at the place of the incident right away. He
doesn’t know who is the perpetrator of that crime. Following the instructions of Bogdan
Gagić (a “commander of the police”) and his deputy Boško Gagi ć it was forbidden to work
on this case. According to this it could be concluded that this crime was planned and
executed by order of so-called “authorities of Krajina from Obrovac”.
th
On February 9 1993 a crime was committed on the Ersti ć in Medviđa. The investigative
judge Đuro Kresović from Knin conducted the inspection for judicial purposes on the scene
of that crime. Nedjeljko Vukšić, Miloš Oluić and he – M.G., from the “police” of
Obrovac, were also there. Nedjeljko Vukši ć worked as a criminal technician, while Olui ć 292
and G. were doing interviews. He remembers it well that during the conversation with
Janko Erstić (a person without one eye) he came upon the information that the crime was
probably committed by Dušan Škori ć (called “Duje”) and Milanko Bogdan (called
“Boško”). Janko asked him not to put that on the record because he was afraid of their
revenge upon him. M. accepted his request and he didn’t put it on the record, but he
told that piece of information to the investigative judge Đuro Kresović.
While the inspection for judicial purposes and interviews were being conducted, Duje
Škorić, Boško Milanko, Siniša Bogunovi ć and Bora Milanko passed along the road from
Medviđa to Par čić (about 200 meters to the south) several times by tractor. Janko Ersti ć
was saying: “Look, those that are passing down the road by that tractor, they threatened us
several times in the last few days and they are most likely the ones who committed the
crime.”
After the inspection was completed, the investigative judge, in co-operation with a coroner,
issued permission for a burial to workers of the Civil protection from Obrovac. On
February 11 th1993 workers of the Civil protection, in co-operation with other living
inhabitants of a hamlet Erstić (9 persons were killed), buried the mortal remains in a local
cemetery in Medviđa.
After the inspection was completed, the investigative judge issued a search warrant for
houses and other premises of Duje Škori ć and Boško Milanko. Members of the “police
station” did that a few days after the inspection. M. doesn’t know who searched
hous es, but he knows for a fact that on that occasion two automatic guns were taken away
from Duje Škorić and Boško Milanko and sent straight away to Belgrade to get an expert
opinion. During the inspection for judicial purposes a criminal technician took away from
the place of the incident several shells. Those shells were sent, together with confiscated
guns, to get an expert opinion.
In his opinion, a few months passed before the finding and the opinion of experts, regarding
the above-mentioned case, came back from Belgrade. They showed that delivered shells
were shot from a gun that was delivered. That gun was taken away from Boško Milanko. In
other words, marks on a shell, which was fired during a test from Boško’s gun, were
identical to marks on delivered shells. At the same time, marks on shells, which were fired
during a test from Duje’s weapons, weren’t the same as marks on delivered shells. M.
mentioned that Duje had several guns, but they weren’t able to find them and took them
away from him.
According to the finding of experts, workers of the so-called “police” of Obrovac brought
criminal charges against Boško Milanko and Duje Škori ć because there was a reasonable
doubt that they bereaved several persons of Croatian nationality of their lives in Medvi đa,
at the hamlet of Erstići.
M. mentioned that workers of the so-called “police” of Obrovac searched homes of
Siniša Bogunović and Bora Milanko, but they didn’t find any weapons there. That was why
they couldn’t bring charges against those two for the above-mentioned crime.
rd
On February 3 1993 in Medviđa, the inspection for judicial purposes was conducted at the
scene of the crime committed on Ivan Mrši ć. Nedjeljko Vukši ć was a criminal technician.
During the conversation with Marta Mrši ć (a wife of killed Ivan) he couldn’t get to the
information about the perpetrator of that crime, probably because she was afraid to reveal
their names. But, during the conversation with Kata Sivi ć (awifeof…)hegotthe
information that Bogdan Milanko and Duje Škori ć bereaved Ivan Mrši ć of his life using
firearms. Kata Sivić asked him not to put that on the record because she was afraid for her 293
own safety. M. did what she asked him to do. Shells were also taken away from the
site of that crime and they were sent to Belgrade to get an expert opinion. A finding and an
opinion didn’t come back.
At the later criminal proceedings that were conducted in front of the “District Court of
Law” in Knin they came by the information that Duje Škori ć and Bogdan Milanko
committed the crime on Ivan Mršić from Medviđa.
He remembers that members of the UN came in July of 1992 to the “police station” in
Obrovac and that they reported that Božo Demo was killed in Medvi đa. Mortal remains
were thrown in a pit that was about 500 meters south of the eastern elementary school in
Medviđa. After they had received that notification, employees of the “police” of Obrovac:
him, M.G. , Nedjeljko Vukši ć and Milo š Oluić, together with the investigative
judge from Knin, Đ uro Kresović, came to the scene of the crime. When they came to the
place of the incident, they only found a couple of shells and a few drops of blood at the
entrance of a pit. They couldn’t go in the pit because it was very deep. The investigative
judge came again to the place of the incident a few days later together with one potholer
that tried to enter the pit, but without success. And so that work stayed undone. Shells were
picked up from the place of the incident and then sent to get an expert opinion, but a
finding and an opinion didn’t come back.
At the end of January of 1993 members of the UN came to report that Marko Genda (called
“Branko”) was killed in Medviđa and that he was thrown in a pit in the region of “Japaga”
in Medviđa. Pajo Ležaja, from Karin Gornji, told him personally that he saw a dead body of
Branko Genda in a pit at “Japaga”. When the investigative judge from Knin came to the
place of the incident together with employees of the “police”, they didn’t come across
anything in the pit. That is why since then Branko Genda has been registered as missing.
Sometime during the second half of December of 1991, Jovica Jokić from Zaton Obrovački
came to the “police station” and he reported that several persons of Croatian nationality
were killed in the town of Jasenice at the hamlet of Meki Doci. According to M. ’s
words , during that time fighting was going on between Home Guardsmen of Jasenice and
members of “special units of the police” from Obrovac. Because of the stand of the head of
that period, an inspection for judicial purposes wasn’t conducted. It was ordered to the Civil
protection of Obrovac to gather and bury mortal remains. As Bogdan Gagić and Đorđe Jelić
instructed it was forbidden to work on this case. According to this it could be concluded
that members of the so-called “special unit of the police” from Obrovac committed this
crime. Members of the “special unit of the police” weren’t interviewed about this because
they frightened people out of their wits.
It was also forbidden to work on a case regarding a crime that was committed at the
expense of Marijan Modrić from Zaton Obrovački. On this basis it could be concluded that
members of the “special unit of the police” from Obrovac committed this crime.
Mile Gak (called “Gajan”) and Jovan Ogar committed other crimes in the territory of Zaton
Obrovački (according to the information gathered from surviving Croats another 8 persons
were killed). Those two were reported and they spent some time in the Court of Inquiry in
Knin. He believes that they weren’t convicted of those crimes.
There isn’t any knowledge of perpetrators that demolished cultural monuments in the
territory of the former municipality of Obrovac. Every Catholic Church in that territory was
destroyed. 294
There isn’t any knowledge regarding a disappearance or possible murder of Anka Pilipovi ć
from Medviđa.
He stated that in this connection he doesn’t have anything else to add.
A REMARK: In my opinion, while M.G. conducted inspections of criminal
offences for judicial purposes, he was persistetl working on concealing or hiding traces
of a crime so it would be very hard or even impossible to find a perpetrator. This is obvious
from his notes that he made on these occasions. We came across his notes in the building of
the Police station in Obrovac after the Military-Police Action “Oluja” was completed.
ANNEX 474:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF Š.L.
Š.L., son of the late J. (a father ), born o... in ... –
... a formal residence in … and now situated in …, indentity card number: ...,
UCRN: …gives the following:
STATEMENT
Since the first barricade was set up, our village was exposed to day-to-day shooting and
maltreatment. They let us know from the beginning that they entered the village, that there
wasn`t life for us there any more and that we had to move out as soon as possible,
otherwise we would be murdered. The population of Medvi đa was heterogenous – three
quarters of the population were Croats and one quarter were Serbs. In the beginning, Croats
were the only ones who were maltreated, but later on Serbs, who had a wife or a husband
that was Croat, were also maltreated. They were murdered afterwards.
I was a wealthy farmer. I had three houses and additional little houses for my cattle, a
stabling where my cattle were fed, two oxen, 100 goats and billy-goats, two pigs and two
donkeys. Houses were completely furnished. I had a set of vessels for grapes. I used to keep
wine and brandy, but it couldn`t be done any more and in addition to it – they took all
vessels for grapes with them. I had about 3,000kg of corn and about 1,000kg of potato. I
had a huge forest. In the very beginning they had cleared my forest and after that they cut
down everything. In March of 1992, my legs smarted and I was sent to Biograd to the
Orthopaedic hospital. There the doctors decided that I should be on a mineral-water cure. I
couldn`t agree to do that because I had a lot of cattle and a lot of responsibilities in the
house. When I went back to Medvi đa, I drove by car from Biograd to Bruška and I had to
go on foot to from there to Medvi đa because barricades were put up. There was a lot of
shooting going on and I barely made it to my house. I let the cattle be outside every day as
long as it was possible. Because of my illness, I asked someone else to graze my cattle.
Chetniks came by tractor to the village from time to time and on that occasion they robbed
one house. About twenty would come and several of them would keep guard while the
others would load tractors with all kinds of things. While I was in Medvi đa they kept
carrying away furniture, cattle and food from my house every day.
In August of 1992 three people were murdered: a husband, a wife and an old man (Šime
Serdarević, Ika Serdarević and Božo Demo). When they shot down a husband and a wife,
no-one was allowed to come near to see them. They threw Božo Demo, who was still alive,
in a pit. He was alive in that pit for 3 or 4 days. The pit was so narrow that he could only
stand in it. Serbs bragged and took pleasure in witnessing how long he could stay alive.
While he was still alive, they stoned him. Šime Serdarevi ć was tossed in a well behind 295
Glavica Erstina after they had shot him down. The panic and fear spread across the village.
They were looking for me also. I hid in a wood and in their woods because I was safer in
their wood – they didn`t look for anyone there. Serbs from our village haven`t been
murdering – they brought Serbs from Obrovac so they wouldn`t be recognized.
th
On December 28 people from UNPROFOR accompanied by police from Obrovac came.
Miloš Olujić asked me to whom I would leave my wood and my house. I responded that I
was going to the hospital and that I would give it in somebody`s charge until my return. As
soon as I left Medvi đa together with 29 other people, our houses were set on fire. I found
out afterwards that everything that I owned was carried away.
We left Medviđa and headed off for Starigrad and from there by boat for Ražanac. The next
day we went from Ražanac to Zadar from where we headed for “Zelena Punta” – Kukljica.
I have three daughters and eight grandsons. Every one of my grandsons is serving in the
Croatian army. I am proud of them. One of them is badly wounded. I am satisfied here, but
I will be very happy if I return to Medviđa alive.
I am 81 years old but if I were younger and if my feet were of any use to me, I would gladly
go to defend our Croatia.
With my signature on this statement I confirm its authenticity and that it was given without
coercion.
th
In Kukljica on May 28 1993
Statement was given by: Š.L.
Statement was took by: STANKA MIŠLOV
A NNEX 475:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S.M.
S.M., son of the late N. (a father), born on ... in ...
– ..., a residence in … and presently situated in …, nationality: Croat, was working
in the fir“...” – ..., identity card number: …, UCRN: …gives the following:
STATEMENT
In the very beginning we didn`t know what was going on. When we were listening to the
radio, we heard about barricades. Although we thought that it was something that would
soon come to an end, we guarded our village in shifts with those few guns (hunting guns)
that we possessed. All of the young people started leaving Medvi đa. My three sons joined
right away in the defence of the village. I am a seriously ill person and I was continually on
sick-leave. At the beginning we could work in the field and put cattle to pasture. It was
strictly forbidden for us to sell cattle or to to leave the village. We were deprived of moving
out of the village.
I had three houses, rather large soil, two cars and everything that one peasant family
needed. We had a good life because all members of our household worked as much as they
could. I had 170 goats, two cows and calves, 5 pigs, 100 hens, 25 turkey-hens and 10 geese.
There was a lot of work to be done, but we have never been without meat. The Knez family
was among the first to leave the village. Only one old man stayed behind because he was
afraid of a violent shooting (he had to join them somewhere). There were constant shots
fired all day and all night. When the old man had left the house, Chetniks went to work. 296
They robbed everything they could and loaded it on trucks with trailers. Then they set
everything on fire. It was a horrible sight.
I left Medvi đa on September 8 th1991 because I wasn`t feeling well and I had to have a
check up in Zadar. Serbs warned me that there wasn`t life for me there any more and that I
should go away. We weren`t aware of the cleansing. I managed to get out and to come to
Zadar. I started exercising right away, but it was impossible because I had to take shelter
during the shelling. At that time a large warehouse (where weapons were stored) that
belonged to one military barracks, was shelled. Then there was a salvo coming from heavy
machine-guns. It can`t be described. I had to come to the exercises and as the
Rehabilitacion Centre wasn`t openned regularly, I had to hide in one garage which had a
deep pit that was used during the repair of a car. I was there for days. My wife and my
daughter, my brother with his family and a father of my wife stayed at the village. I haven`t
heard about them for 8 whole months. I hid in my house in Plo če. It wasn`t peaceful there
because the aerodrome of Zemunik (from where constant shots were firing) was near by.
Airplanes were landing and taking-off – it was impossible to stand it. Since the
UNPROFOR was there, I asked them to bring me news about my family. I found out
through their commission for Obrovac that my dear ones were alive. I was persistant and
my sons managed with the help of UNPROFOR to pull out my wife B. and my
daughter I. (17 years old). They both hid in pits and in woods all day and all night.
The ones who stayed there were condemned to execution by firing squad. My brother I.
was provoked on a day-to-day basis as they demanded from him to give them money. He
didn`t have any and he said to them: “Take everything, but I don`t have the money.” He
was shot by a machine-gun burst. He was lying on the road for three days. His legs were cut
off by a machine-gun burst. Then they forced his wife to dig a hole in her garden by herself
so she could bury him. She couldn`t do that (the ground was hard) and neighbours asked
Serbs to take him away and to bury him. They wrapped his body in a sack and carried him
off.
I heard some people, who came later on, saying that everything that I had was carried off
and burned. There were only walls left. I don`t know where to return to. I am in a safe place
now and I feel well. My wife and my daughter are with me. Although I am ill I am happy
that they are here with me now. They escaped death that they were condemned to narrowly.
God saved them. It is hard to be left with nothing, but thanks to God it may be better
someday.
With my signature on this Statement I confirm its authenticity and that it was given without
coercion.
In Kukljica on June 1 st1993
Statement was given by: S.M.
Statement was took by: STANKA MIŠLOV 297
A NNEX 476:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF I.P.
I.P., son of A. and L. (the mother, maiden name B.), born on
... in ...,icipality of ... a resident of ... , now l
in … in exile, married, father of six, nationality: Croat, gives the following:
STATEMENT
(This interview is conducted in regard to the circumstances of the killings of Šime and Ika
Serdarević – the married couple – in Medviđa on 9 May 1992)
“Concerning the killings of Šime and Ika Serdarević, I know that they were killed on 9 May
1992 between 4 and 5 pm. On that day I was at home when I saw smoke coming from their
house (that is about 1 km away from my house). I didn’t go there that day. The next day
around 8 pm in the evening, policemen (Miloš Olui ć and Neno Vukši ć) from Obrovac
came. They had found the dead body of Šime Serdarevi ć, but the dead body of his wife Ika
wasn’t found. It was Draginja Mršić (wife of Marko) who informed the police from
Obrovac. She is presently in Zadar in a hotel “Gortan”.
The police left. A police car and an ambulance came the next day around 1 pm, but they
still didn’t find the body of Ika.
After their departure, Marko Mrši ć and I went to the place where Stana Kapitanovi ć
referred to us to go, because she saw where they were sitting before they died. And so we
found the late Ika Serdarevi ć who was laying about 50 meters away from her husband
Šime. On the right side of her face there was a visible shooting wound. Then we came to
the body of the late Šime. Marko knew about him because he had been there with Miloš
and Neno the day before. He had been shot in the forehead three times.
The bodies were left there until Wednesday, 13 May I992, when members of the Territorial
Defence came – 3 of them wearing uniforms and 2 in civilian clothing. They buried them
and they returned with those with whom they came. The dead bodies weren’t buried
together. They buried them where they found them.
There weren’t any locals present at their burial. “
Statement written by:
Marijan Brkić 298
A NNEX 477:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF N .V.(1)
N.V., son of the late A. (a father), born on ... in ...,
presently a resident of …, at the house of …, gives the fowing:
STATEMENT
Janko Pupovac from Medvi đa, who was a brother to one of the victims ( Draginja Ersti ć )
reported a crime committed on tth Ersti ćs the day after the crime was committed. That
crime occurred on February 9 1993 at around 6 pm. About half an hour after the
notification, a group for conducting the inspection for judicial purposes was established.
That group was lead by an investigative judge Đuro Kresović from Knin, the members of
that group were Dr. Jovo Komazec, Boško Gagi ć and Miloš Olujić and the operational
workers were also N.V. (a criminal technician) and another 3 members of the
police wearing uniforms, whose names h eoesn’t remember.
That inspection for judicial purposes was begun in the yard of a house of Dušan Ersti ć
where the dead body of Draginja Erstić was found. After they entered the house, they found
the bodies of 5 killed persons there. Two females were lying dead on a couch, one female
body was in the centre of the room and two male bodies were found beside a table. All of
the victims had multiple wounds that were probably caused by firearms. Victims were
found in a kitchen, on the right from the entrance door of the house. About 20 shells were
found in the hallway on the right side and all the way to the entrance to the kitchen where
the crime was committed.
Shells were arranged in a way that it could be concluded that a criminal was shooting at
victims from the entrance door to the kitchen. There were probably about 30 shells, which
were thrown about under some parts of the furniture that were in the hallway. In the yard,
next to the first victim there were a lot of shells, but he took away just a few. From the
place where the described crime was committed, N. took away about 20 shells in
order to get an expert opinion.
After they had completed the above described work, they headed off to the house of Petar
Erstić (called “Janko”) which was about 200 meters east of the first described place. The
dead bodies of a male and a female were found on the road about 50 meters south of their
house. On the bodies of victims there were multiple shot wounds. They found a lot of shells
next to dead bodies and they took away a few to get an expert opinion. After that, they
headed off to the third house (he can not determine the location of that one in relation to the
location of previous houses). He remembers that they found a dead body of an old female
on the entrance door. She was found on a door-step and she had on her body several shot
wounds. They found several automatic weapons’ (a gun) shells next to the body and
N. took them away to get an expert opinion. The majority of the above described
shells, which were taken away from the crime scenes, were callibre 7,62mm (from a gun)
and the rest were calibre 7,9mm (also from a gun).
All shells that were taken away from the place of the incident were packed according to the
rules of a profession the day after a personal inspection had been done. Then they were sent
to Belgrade to the Centre for a Criminal Expert Opinion of the Ministry of the Interior of
Serbia. A few days after, members of the police in Obrovac when working on a field
concluded that the possible perpetrators of that crime were Dušan Škorić (called “Duje”)
and Bogdan Milanko (called “Boško”), both from Medvi đa. The head of the police in
Obrovac - Bogdan Gagić ordered that personal weapons should be taken away from those
two and then sent to Belgrade to get an expert opinion. Members of the police did so. He 299
isn’t aware who among the policemen participated in the search of the house and in taking
the weapons away from the suspects. As he can remember, the results of the expert opinion
came from Belgrade few months after the crime was committed. The finding and the
opinion of experts concerning delivered controversial shells and personal weapons, as he
can remember, was the following:
- the test regarding shells (in other words traces on them) that were fired from
a delivered automatic gun were identical to the traces on delivered
controversial shells calibre 7,62mm, but the test shooting from a gun M-48
didn’t establish the identity with traces on delivered controversial shells of
that calibre. As he can remember, the automatic gun was taken away from
Bogdan Milanko (called “Boško”) and a gun M-48 was taken away from
Dušan Škorić (called “Duje”). The above-mentioned finding and the opinion
of experts were sent to the District Attorney’s Office of Knin. On receipt of
the finding and the opinion of experts, suspects were deprived of freedom
and taken in custody to the Investigative centre of the “District court of law
in Knin”. There they were arrested. In his opinion those two weren’t in
custody for a long time, but they were released pretty quickly because of
Milan Marti ć’s intervention. They were freed from the responsibility and
they were set free.
He earlier forgot to mention that on the site of the crime at Ersti ći one person (he believes
that this person’s name was Jeka), survived this crime, but she was severely wounded. She
was found during a personal inspection in one of the houses at Ersti ći. A doctor gave her
immediate medical aid. It seemed that it was a through wound in her arm and in her
buttock. She was transported to the hospital in Knin by medical car, but he isn’t familiar
with anything that happened to her afterwards. They tried right away to conduct an
informative interview with her but she experienced amnesia and she wasn’t of any use.
Later, when she was in Knin, they tried it again, but they didn’t get any useful information
from her. Janko Pupovac (a brother of a victim Draginja) together with his neighbours took
into their charge the mortal remains of victims – the Ersti ćs from Medvi đa and, to his
knowledge, they buried them on the same day on the catholic graveyard in Medvi đa.
He states that he has nothing else to add regarding the above-mentioned. 300
A NNEX 478:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF N .V.(2)
N.V., son of the late A. (a father), born on ... in ...,
at this moment a resident of …., at …, gives the followi
STATEMENT
Since the first multiparty elections it was rumored in Obrovac that Šime Serdareć, from
Medviđa, was an old obdurate Ustasha and that during the World War II he gave a basket
full of eyes of Serbian children as a gift to Ante Paveli ć. Lots of local Chetniks wondered
why they were holding back in regard to him, why he wasn’t killed. He personally heard it
from Božo Ga čić (called “Božina”, a postman from Zelengrad) and from Mile Pupavac
(from Medviđa).
In the beginning of 1991, it was rumored that Šime Serdarevi ć didn’t live in his house, but
somewhere in the “underground”. His house was under constant surveillance, especially
since the beginning and all the time during the combat around Kruševo. Stevo Macakanja
(a leader with the Service for the Federal Safety in Obrovac) and Miroslav Badža (called
“Baja”, a member of that same Service) were supervising the territory where Šime
Serdarević lived. They used a yellow “Golf”.
A few days after Šime Serdarevi ć was killed, Jovica Pupovac (a policeman from Medvi đa)
brought that information to the police station in Obrovac. That day around noon, members
of the police: Slobodan Olujić, Boško Gagić, Miloš Olujić, Nedjeljko Vukšić, together with
Dr. Pajo Barbulovi ć (a doctor from the Health centre) came to the place of the incident.
There they found the dead body of Šime Serdarevi ć lying about 500 meters north of his
house. There were about 9 shot wounds, caused by a pistol calibre 7,65 mm, on his body.
He found those shells next to the body. Šime’s wife Ika was found about 100 meters south
of Šime. There were 2 shot wounds to her head. A working group from Obrovac, which
was controlled by Dušan Gak, took over the mortal remains from the site. They buried them
exactly where they found them.
N., as a criminal technician, took those shells from the place of the incident in order
to send them and to get an expert opinion. When Bogdan Gagić (a head of the Police station
in Obrovac) saw those shells, he asked Nedjeljko: “Why did you take those shells and other
items when nothing will be done concerning this case?” That meant that neither items nor
traces would be sent in order to get an expert opinion. That was speaking for itself, as
N. points out, that someone from their police station probably committed this crime,
in other words Stevo Macakanja and Miroslav Badža (called “Baja”). This crime wasn’t
discussed at the police station in Obrovac anymore. To his knowledge, the information
concerning this crime wasn’t compiled and this also gives an indication that members of the
so-called “Service for the Federal Safety” from Obrovac were involved in this crime, but
there isn’t any concrete knowledge regarding their involvement in this crime.
Official:
Mirko Lukić 301
ANNEX 479:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF SG.
S.G., daughter of S.L. , born in ... in ... , a residen t of ...,
... occupation: housewife, gives the following:
STATEMENT
“ I lived, together with my husband M.G. called “B. ”, in Medviđa. We didn’t
sleep in our house from 1991 till 1993 because we were afraid. Almost every day Duje
Škorić together with others came to our house and they frightened us, they took away
everything that we had in our house. I know that Duje Škori ć would come together with
Boško Milanko, Jovica Pupovac (son of Mile, about 25 years old) and one Bogunovi ć(little
boy whose name I cannot remember). I saw exactly those men when they came to my house
and took everything they wanted. When we saw them coming, we would hide somewhere
far and safe – we ran to the wood. I remember when, on one occasion, Milanko Miladin
came together with three people, whom I don’t know, with a trailer and took away from me
28 goats. I heard them coming and I ran to the wood that was about 300-400 meters far
from the house. I am sure that I saw Milanko Miladin.
That day, when I saw my husband alive for the last time, we were also sleeping outside of
our house, we came to the house in the morning and we had lunch at around 10am. My
husband had shaved and then he went to one fence that was about 400 meters away from
our house. He brought with him a book to read and I stayed in the house together with the
late I.G.. We agreed that B. would come to the house at noon, but as he wasn’t
coming, I went to look for him. I went to that fence where he should be. I looked for him in
other places, but he wasn’t anywhere.
On that day, when I was looking for my husband, I didn’t see any of the accused. I came to
my house the next morning, after I had spent the night in a fence, and I saw a long knife (it
is concluded that a witness showed that a knife was about 0,5 meters long) rammed into the
door of my house. That knife was covered with blood and the house was ransacked. I didn’t
touch anything, but when I came the next morning, I found that same knife rammed in the
other leaf of the folding door. On the third day that my husband was missing, they set my
house on fire. I saw Duje Škori ć in front of my house. He was together with Boško
Milanko. I recognized Škori ć’s tractor in front of my house. There were things from my
house on that tractor. Beside those two, whom I recognized, there were another four
persons whom I didn’t recognize. I observed them from the woods, which were about 300-
400 meters away from my house.
I looked for my husband everywhere in Benkovac when Bogdan Gagi ć, who worked there
at the police station, told me that they killed his father and that the same should happen to
B.G.
Janja Erstić from Medviđa, I don’t know whether she lives in Zadar or in Rijeka, told me
that, on the day when the Ersti ćs were killed, she recognized Duje Škori ć and Boško
Milanko on my tractor, but she didn’t recognize the others. There were six people on my
tractor. Janja Erstić is a wife of the late Marko and she is about 70 years old.
I don’t have anything else to state. “
She doesn’t want to read the minutes because she listened to the dictation. She signs it
personally.
Finished at 10.15 a.m. 302
A NNEX 480:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S.E.
(S.E., born on 19..., from Medviđa, survivor of the massacre of 9 civilians)
On Febru ary 9, 1991, at about 5 p.m., when night w as falling, my daughter and I moved
towards our neighbour’s house. On the way we met our next-door neighbour, S.E., who
was going to the same house as us, then we encountered four armed bandits. One of them
had red-yellow skin, the other one was black and the other two, who walked behind, had
chestnut hair. They asked us: “Where are you going?” They entered a courtyard in front of
a house. The owner of the house, Dragica Ersti ć (the wife of Dušan) asked them: “What do
you want?” But they said: “Get into the house, all of you!” Dragica replied: “The house and
all this in front of the house is mine.” Then they fired three shots and without a word killed
her in her courtyard. The others entered the house. As soon as we entered, they started to
kill us with single shots. The entire time my 18 year old daughter was close to me and due
to her body (she was killed before) falling over me, I, thank God, was only wounded. I was
wounded in the right arm and shoulder, back side and loins. I was unconsciousness until
midnight. When I woke up, I was fighting for my life, the pain was very great. I heard the
cries of help from the wounded victims but I could not help them because I was covered
with blood and I was afraid. One hour after the massacre was committed, I.P. arrived and
cried but I did not hear it because I was so afraid that I did not hear anything. After
midnight, when I came to my senses, I do not know how, I went to my cousin for help, he
lived 2 kilometres away from the place of the events. The executed people remained there
for the entire night and nobody approached them.
The following day, on 10 February 1993 I returned to my husband. He was not disturbed by
anyone and remained in the house for the entire time. On my way I was falling down all the
time and I was fighting for my life until 8 am. I was afraid that I would not find my
husband alive. On the same day, 10 February 1993, an official commission from Obrovac
arrived in order to examine the killed persons. I too was examined by them on the same day
and they sent me to the Benkovac hospital where I remained for about 20 days. This would-
be “official commission” wanted justice and they questioned the witnesses – J.E., I and
some other people. I came later and they questioned me about the case. When they finished
their honoured duty, the corpses were put into nylon bags. After this the commission left.
Nobody approached them, except me. They decided that they would bury them on 11
February 1993.
At about 11 a.m. a military truck with Chetniks and some soldiers arrived and they picked
up the corpses. At about 1 p.m. they moved towards the local cemetery. The close relatives
of the killed went, but there were also many others who went at their own risk. There were
also some Orthodox people from the neighbouring villages. The entire burial, of putting the
killed Croats into their family graves, was performed by J.P.
Ten days later some members of UNPROFOR arrived and asked what had happened to the
ERSTIĆ family? What was the news, did someone survive it? The members of
UNPROFOR picked up survivors and drove them to the village of RODALJICE, in the
community of Benkovac. There they were watching them. I stayed with my husband for 10
days. A civilian physician with a nurse arrived and after he examined me, he sent me to the
Knin hospital where I stayed for 10 days. They drove me back to RODALJICE. We stayed
there until March 16 and through Knin and Otočac we reached Zadar and so we were saved
from the Chetnik knife. 303
All the provocations, agitations and maltreatments started after the election of dr. Tu đman
when in Medviđa a branch of the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) was founded. There is
no longer any peace.
Nine members in total of the ERSTIĆ family were killed.
By signing each page of the statement I confirm the authenticity of the above written.
In Zadar, March 31,1993
A NNEX 481:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J.M.
ZADAR POLICE DEPARTMENT
OPERATIVE SECTION
Zadar, 23rdMarch 1993
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
Made at Zadar Police department and on the baisis of the interview held with J.
M., daughter of S. and R.M., maiden name V.; born on ...
... in ..., municipality of Obrovac, Serb.
The interview was held about the circumstances of various criminal deeds on the occupied
territory of Zaton, municipality of Obrovac.
She states the following:
“During my stay in Zaton under the Chetniks’ occupation, I could not find out who did
those criminal deeds and there were a lot of them on this territory. That is, me and my
neighbours did not go very far from our houses from the well known reasons, especially at
night when those deeds were mostly done.
(…)
Our stays in Obrovac were normal, but we were followed, and with whom we met or
talked. The person who followed us was an unknown policeman in civilian clothes.
th
Our lives were like that until 26anuary 1993, that is, until the day when my neighbours
were killed.
th
On this day, 26 January 1993, I was in my cellar with my neighbours Ika Modri ć, Marija
Modrić, Maca Modri ć, Anica Modri ć and Ružica Mari čić. Somewhere around 14.00 hrs,
two soldiers came for us…
(…)
They were wearing uniforms and were armed.
They told us that we had to leave our homes and that they would take us somewhere safe.
(…)
Going further to Maričić’s house, we all asked them not to kill us.
(…) 304
When we came to the half of our street, the one I knew by sight asked me to stop and then
whether I knew him.
(…)
Then he told me that I could go back to my parents’ house in Muškovci, telling me that the
others would be killed. I asked him not to do that and to leave them alive.
(…)
In the hamlet Mari čići, Petar Mari čić joined this group, while Luka Marič ić and his wife
Boja, were, luckily, left behind. When I was about 50 m away from them, I heard shooting
exactly from the direction in which they had gone and taken my neighbours.
(…)
As to the death of Božica Dopu đ and Anđa Klanac, the were killed a few days later. The
story went throughout the village that Jovan Ogar had taken their sheep and goats.
Memorandum was made by:
Marijan Brkić
A NNEX 482:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF N .M.
ZADAR POLICE DEPARTMENT
OPERATIVErdECTION
Zadar, 23 March 1993
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
Made at Zadar Police department and on the baisis of the interview held with N.
M., son of L. and B. , maiden name P.; born on ... in
..., municipality of Obrovac, Croat.
The interview was held about the circumstances of vous criminal deeds on the occupied
territory of Zaton, municipality of Obrovac.
He states the following:
“At the beginning the Chetnik’s relations towards us, the Croats, was based on provocation,
saying that the Ustasha had nothing to look for there, and that we would all be exiled.
Shortly after that, they started to chase away the cattle by force and armed, and robbing and
setting the houses on fire. In all this the main ones were from the group that arranged
everything in Mirko Čuda’s house, son of late Nikola from Zaton.
(…)
They would usually rob at night, so I do not know all the cases concretely, but I know for
certain that most of the cattle are in Muškovci in the hamlets of Milanci and Baljci.
(…)
About the murder of six of our neighbours, I know, according to some sources from the
Serbian side, that in this there participated JOVAN OGAR and MILE GAK “Gajan” who
usually was with the other one. 305
As to the murders of Božica Dopu đ and Anđa Klanac, I know that they were killed in their
house, and according to some, the murderers came from outside, and they were persuaded
by the local Chetniks.
(…)
13 Croats left in Obrovac.
(…)
Memorandum was made by:
Marijan Brkić
ANNEX 483:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M J.
ZADARSKO-KNINSKA POLICE DEPARTMENT
Criminalist police section
Section for war crimes and terrorism
th
Zadar, 26 May 1997
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
th
Made at Zadarsko-kninska Police department, 10 Police station in Obrovac and on the
occasion of the interviw held with M.J. , son of late I. ; born on ....
... in ..., lives in Obrovac, the former member of the paramilitary formations of the
rebelle Serbs.
The interview was held concerning the getting of the information in connection with the
crime that was done in December 1991 in Kruševo, near Karmarkuša, and at the expense of
Mile Brkić from Kruševo, he gave the following information:
On 19 thDecember 1991 in the afternoon hours, he, M.J. , together with Davor
Tošić, son of Ljubo; Savo Zelić from Že gar; Milorad Milić also from Žegar and Jovo
Dopuđ, set off on a truck “DAITZ” make, from Obrovac to Kruševo, to the elementary
school “Tin Ujević”.
(…)
When they came to Kruševo, to the area called Karamarkuša, that is, at the facilities of the
mine of bauxite Obrovac, they stopped there.
(…)
When M.J. got out of the truck, on the north side of the road he noticed Mile
Brkić from Kruševo. At that moment To šić asked Mile Brki ć “How’s the business, old
man, what are you doing here”, and Mile answered that he was shepherding the goats and
sheep. Then Davor Tošić ordered Mile to turn his back to him, which Mile did. Davor then
took out a pistol of “TT” make, 7,62 mm, from the holster that was at his belt, and fired a
shot at Mile from the near, and then the whole charge containing several bullets, so he does
not remember how many there were. After that Mile Brki ć fell on the ground, moaning and
crying for help. After that Toši ć said to Jurjević “Now you shoot at him and finish him”. 306
M.J. climbed on the truck and took his semi-automatic rifle, reloaded it and fired
three bullets at the lying body of Mile Brkić, as back.
When they all saw that Mile was dead, they left him on the crime scene, got on the truck
and left towards the Elementary school “Tin Ujević” in Kruševo.
In the school they contacted Radivoj Paravinja, one of the commanders of the “RSK”,
telling him that they had killed a Croat in Kruševo, and he said “You were right to kill
him”.
Memorandum was made by:
Mirko Lukić
ANNEX 484:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF Ž M.
ZADAR POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT FOR THE OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Zadar, the 10thof July 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made in the offices of the Zadar Police Administration on the 10hof July 1992 on the basis
of the conducted informative conversation with Ž.M. , son of K. , born
on the ...in the village of ..., Obrovac mu nicipality, at ths
moment he resides in ... as a member of the Croatian army.
The conversation was lead in connection with the circumstances of his knowledge about the
arrest, taking to Knin prison, locking up and further destiny of JOSO MARINOVI Ć, son of
late Jerko from the village of Bruška, Benkovac municipality, so connected with it he stated
the following:
On Wednesday, the 27 thof May 1992 Joso Marinović from the village of Bruška, Benkovac
municipality, whom I knew before, was brought into the Knin prison.
During our conversations Joso told me that he was captured by the members of the so-
called Police of the “SAO Krajina” who where stationed in the Bruška centre, located in the
centre of the village of Bruška and he told me that there was about hundred of them and
that he was captured at his house and that on that occasion one person kicked him in his
leg, in the area of the fist, near the wall and that could be seen on his fingers that were full
of bruises.
As far as the crime that was committed in Bruška is concerned Joso told me that he hid
behind the concrete wall of the cistern and that it all lasted not more than couple of minutes.
st
The crime was committed on the 21 of December 1991 in the hamlet of Marinovi ći where
10 persons were killed and among them were the following people: Joso’s son, late Dragan
and his wife, late Ika, other close relatives and neighbors, two villagers were wounded,
ANTE MARINOVIĆ and JASNA MARINOVI Ć and they were transferred to the Knin
hospital later.
After I was released from the prison I heard that Joso Marinovi ć came at his home in
Bruška. 307
I heard that Joso Marinovi ć was found dead somewhere near his house in the village of
Bruška and, according to my opinion, most probably he died as a result of the heavy
beating in the Knin prison but that does not exclude the possibility that somebody killed
him in Bruška.
Record made by:
Ive Kardum
(signature)
ANNEX 485:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF A.M.
ZADAR POLICE DEPARTMENT
OPERATIVE SECTION
Zadar, 30thDecember 1992
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
th
Made at Zadar Police department on 29 December 1992 and on the baisis of the interivew
held with A.M., son of late R. and late B., maiden name K.;
born on ...n ..., municipality of Benkovac,ere he has lived.
The interview was held about the cr ime in Bruška (Gornja), hamlet Marinovi ći, and the
circumstances he is familiar with and that happened after that crime, so he gave the
following statement:
On 21 stDecember 1991, in the evening hours, in the family house of my late father R.
M., in which I also lived, me, my late father R.M. , my late brother
D.M., my late uncle P.M., my neighbour late S.D.,
my sister-in-law, mylate brother D.s wife, L.M., my brothers two underage
children, a three-year-d girl and one-year-old , and three and the half-year-old son of
late S.D., we were all sitting in the house.
(…)
Somewhere around 20.10 hrs, three men wearing masked uniforms rushed into our kitchen,
carrying machine-guns holding them ready on their chests. They had no caps on their
heads, and they were not masked. On their jacket sleeves was written in cyrillic alphabet
“Police of Krajina”. The had military boots on.
(…)
When they burst into my house, “Golman” and this other one with black hair came into the
kitchen, and the third one with brown curly hair, was standing at the kitchen door.
“Golman” said “Get out". We all got out of the house, terrified, without a word, and
“Golman” then said “Stand against the wall”. We stood against the wall one next to each
other, turned towards the front door, about 4 m far from them. It was moonlight, so that
everything could be seen like it was daylight.
(…)
We stood there lined up in this order (if you look from the front door of our house, left to
right): my late uncle P.M. , late S.D., my late father R. 308
M., me – A.M. and the last one near our cistern was my late
brother D.M..
(…)
They held their machine-guns ready, on their chest. Nobody said a word. I do not remember
what happened next. I did not hear shots, nor did I see flame from machine-guns. In one
moment I woke up and got up from the ground. Next to me, to my right side I saw my
father R. lying on his back, and to my left, my late brother D. was also lying on his
back. Their heads were turned towards our field that is south-west from our backyard. My
late brother’s head was touching the logs we cut this morning. I called for my father “ Ćaća,
Ćaća”, then for my brother D., but nobody answered. I realized that they were both
dead.
(…)
Somewhere at the time when I was getting up from the ground all wounded, I heard two
shots, and it seemed that they were fired from the North side, about 500 m far from me. At
that time, after I got up from the ground, I gave S. , S.’s wife, her son D. across
the wall that is between us and B.M.’s backyd, by the pig-sty.
Getting out from the backyard, on throad, with their heads turned towards the threshold of
the gate, to the right, my late uncle P.M. was lying on his back, and to the left,
face down, was my late neighbour S.D..
(…)
Memorandum was made by:
Ive Kardum
A NNEX 486:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J.M.
ZADAR POLICE DEPARTMENT
OPERATIVE SECTION
th
Zadar, 13 July 1992
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
Made on the occasion of the interview held with J.M. , daughter of B.
and M., maiden name A.-J.; born on ... in Benkovac.
The interview was held about the ci rcumtances of her being wounded by the Chetniks in
Bruška, and she states the following.
On 21 stDecember 1991, around 20.15 hrs, I was at my house together with my mother
M., J.M., D.M., S.D. and her two children. Then, around
20.15 hrs we heard someone banging at the door, I went i nto the hall and asked who was
there, and those that were banging said “The police”, I again asked who was there and
returned to the kitchen, and my mother and D.M. went to the hall and asked
“What police?” and they answered “The police of Krajina, ‘Martić ev’, open up”. At that
moment D. opened the door, and they ordered him to raise his hands and to turn on the
light. One of the Chetniks asked “D. , what are you doing here?”, and D.
answered:”Nothing, we were just sitting here”, and the other one orderd him to go out. At 309
that moment we jumped over the balcony into the backyard. When we were about 10 m far
from the house, we heard shooting near us, and another one, and at that moment I fell, I was
hit in my right arm and my hip. My mother was in front of me and when she saw that I fell,
she came back and somehow pulled me below a wall and there we stayed for about 2 hours.
Five minutes later we heard shooting.
After, that is two hours later, I got a fever.
(…)
At that time J.M. came to us crying and saying that his son D. and his wife
I. were killed. B.M. was later ng that he heard D. asking thendits to
say goodbye to his mother, and when hismother saw him, she hugged him and started to
cry, and the Chetniks killed them thus hugged in cold blood.
(…)
B. and K. were saying thet they were shooting at ’s house, then at B. ’s and
then in J.M.’s backyard and at K.’s house.
Memo randum was made by:
Dragomir Genda
A NNEX 487:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF D.Z.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
HIGHLY CLASSIFIED
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
SERVICE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CONSTIT UTIONAL ORDER
Department of the SPCO of the Ministry of the Interior
SPCO centre – Split – Zadar section office
Number: …
Line of woth: …
Date: the 7 of October 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
th
On the 5 of October 1992, the conversation was conducted with D.Z. , wife of
A., born D ., born in ..., from the village of Bruška, Benkovac municipality,
Serbian woman, (married to a Croatian), citizen of the Republic of Croatia.
On the 22 nd of December 1991 when the massed murder of the “M.” was
committed it was night and nobody could go out of the house because we were afraid. I do
not know who did that, but I know that after that some inspectors from the Benkovac Police
Station came to Bruška and Aco Drača, son of Stevo was the head person. That Aco held a
speech and he said that most probably the Ustashas who came to Bruška in a helicopter did
it. 310
ANNEX 488:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J G.
POLICE ADMINISTRATION OF ZADAR-KNIN
DEPARTMENT FOR THE CRIME INVESTIGATION
th
Zadar, August 25 1995
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn up in the premises of the Police Administration of Zadar-Knin on the basis of the
informative interview conducted with J.G. , son of the late (a father) and
V. (a mother, nee M.), born on ... ..., municipality of
Smilčić, a Srb, …, member of armed terrorist formations of reSerbs, …, in the County
Prison in Zadar.
The interview was conducted about the circumstances of the knowledge concerning the
murder of the married couple Cecilija and Martin Buljat from Korlat that was committed in
October of 1991 in the place of Korlat, municipality of Polča, and the same in this
connection gave the following information:
That in October of 1991, Marko Lacmanovi ć, …, Rajko Radmanović , …, Zoran
Radmanović, …, Zoran Laki ć, …, Bore Repaja, …, and Drago Repaja, …, all of them
members of armed terrorist formations of rebel Serbs, went to the place of Korlat,
municipality of Pola ča, with a view to depriving Cecilija and Martin Buljat, the only Croats
that, at that time, continued living in their home, of their lives. As they were probably
annoyed with the presence of Croats in their so-called “Republic of Srpska Krajina”, the
above-mentioned made a plan about the liquidation of the Buljat married couple. On the
planned date, J. does not remember when exactly it was, but he knows for sure that it
was October of 1991, the above-mentioned group of mmbers of armed terrorist formations
of rebel Serbs started for the place of Korlat. When they had arrived in Korlat, they
happened to find Cecilija and Martin Buljat in front of the house, sitting in the shade. They
approached them and asked them “Are there any other Croats in the place of Korlat besides
you two”. The unlucky Buljats answered them “There isn’t anybody else”. Immediately
after that, two terrorists reloaded a rifle, J.G. doesn’t know who they were, and they
fired a few shots at the married couple Cecilija and Martin Buljat…
…
Th e Note was drawn up by:
MIRKO LUKIĆ 311
A NNEX 489:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J.V.
POLICE ADMINISTRATION OF ZADAR-KNIN
DEPARTME NT FOthTHE CRIME INVESTIGATION
Za dar, February 8 1996
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn up on the premises of the Police Administration of Zadar-Knin on the occasion of
the informative interview conducted with J.V. called “J.”, nee K., daughter
of B. (a father), born on ... ..., municipality of Polača, citizenthe
Republic of Croatia, nationality: a Serb woman.
The interview was conducted about circumstances of gathering information in connection
with the war crime committed during January of 1993 in the place of Korlat at the expense
of the married couple Joso and Darinka Jurjevi ć and their female neighbours Luca Zori ć
and Đurđija Modrić. In this connection, the same gave the following information:
...
And so, in the evening, late in January of 1993, Jelena doesn’t remether with certathty the
exact date but she believes that it was in the period from January 24to January 26 1993
in the evening at around 5,00 p.m., firstly “Kapetan Dragan” and his fellow-fighters (there
were about 10 of them) came in front of her house in Korlat. Then, a few moments after
them, Svetko Cupać , son of Branko (a father), and Nebojsa Cupa ć, son of Ilija (a father),
appeared and they were conducting the old woman Darinka Jurjevi ć with them. When they
had arrived in front of the house, they stopped there and ordered Darinka to stand still
holding her at the gunpoint of an automatic rifle...
When J. had noticed what was going on with Darinka, she tried to approach the same
and to help her, but Nebojša Cupa ć prevented her in that by pushing her so powerfully that
she fell on her back. He told her “We know well who you and your husband are – you are
Ustasha protectors. When we take care of those few Ustashas that are left over in Korlat,
the turn of you Serbs, Ustasha helpers, shall come”.
...
Shortly afterwards, Sretko and Nebojša Cupa ć took Darinka in the direction of the house of
Lucija Zorić...
About 15 minutes after Darinka had been taken away, two shots of an automatic rifle were
heard and 5 minutes after that, another shot was heard. The first two shots were heard from
around the house of Lucija Zorić and the third shot was heard in the region of Vlaka, about
12 meters east of the Zori ć house (they learned the exact location of the third shot when
they found the mortal remains of Darinka Jurjević). The fourth shot was heard about half an
hour later and pretty far away, in the hamlet of “Gradine”.
...
The next day at around 8,00 a.m., J. started for the house of Lucija Zori ć. When she
had arrived there, she happened to find Đurđija Modrić in the hallway of the house lying
dead in a pool of blood. She was lying supine and so she noticed that she had a large wound
in her chest. Looking further for Luca, she went around the entire house and she looked
through a window of the south-east room. In front of it, on the outside, she saw the dead 312
body of Lucija Zori ć who had probably tried to run away through a window and on that
occasion she had been shot in the lower jaw that was completely destroyed.
J. further states that since she knew that the married couple Joso and Darinka Jurjevi ć
hid all the time at Lucija’s and since she had heard 4 shots the night before, she was
convinced that they had been killed as well. And so, she started searching together with her
husband. At about 20 meters north-east from the house of Lucija Zori ć they found Darinka
Jurjević lying dead on her stomach and there was a large pool of blood in front of her.
Looking further for Joso Jurjevi ć, they didn’t manage to find him that day or the next day.
The third day, an unknown person to her from Biljani Donji, whom she doesn’t know,
found him and the same informed one Cupać . J. and her husband A. found out
about the incident through those follow ing persons.
On that fatal evening, that is from January 24 thto January 26 th1993, Sretko Cupać and
Nebojša Cupać came to the house of Lucija Zori ć because they knew that above-described
persons victims were hiding in that house. They came across Darinka, Đurđija and Luca
there, but they didn’t find Joso. They asked them where Joso was and one of them
answered that he was somewhere in a wood near the house. Then they ordered Darinka
with a rifle in the position of “at the ready!” to lead them to her husband. She conducted
them to the house of Vidi ć, hoping that Andrija would bring them to reason so they would
give up looking for her husband Joso and telling them that Joso was exactly there. Since
they hadn’t found him there, they returned her to the house from where they had taken her,
that is about 20 meters north-east from the house, and they killed her there. After that, they
returned to the house of Lucija and they fired one shot at Đurđija and one at Lucija.
Proceeding with work to achieve her objective, J. points out that she isn’t aware where
Nebojša and Sretko found Joso , but she knows that they tortured him in various ways and
that they killed him in the yard in front of the house of Mile Čirjak called “Kovač ” in
Korlat.
Since she saw his dead body as well, she noticed that his ears and his nose were cut off and
that his thorax was cut up from the neck to the umbilicus.
J. states that the perpetrators of the above-described incident didn’t conceal it, but, on
the contrary, they stimulated with it other inhabitants of Serbian nationality that every trace
of Croats should be destroyed. She personally heard the same persons saying that.
The note was drawn up by:
MIRKO LUKIĆ 313
ANNEX 490:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF B Š.
STATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECURITY
BENKOVAC
Number:
Benkovac, October 3rd1992
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn up on the occasion of the informative interview conducted with B.Š. of late
M. (a father) and late I. (a mother, nee ILLEGIBLE WORD), born on ...
... in ..., municipality of Benkovac…
The intervie was conducted about circumstances of e death of S.Š., his wife from
Korlat, and in this connection he states the fo:lowi
“ …
nd
On October 2 1992, at around 7,00 p.m., I went to sleep in a pig-sty, which I had made
over for sleeping, and I called my wife S. to come, but she refused and she went to sleep
in a room on the first floor of the house. I didnlly fall asleep when I heard my young
bride N. and the wife of my brother T. calling me to run. I immediately ra
the bedroom to get my wife S., but when I came to the front door of the house, I heard a
powerful detonation and I felt thahe house was crumbling down… At that moment I
heard S. emitting a howl of pain twice, but I didn’t see anything. As I couldn’t do
anything useful, I went right aay to my brother-in-law V.V. with a view to
informing him what had happened…
The next morning at around 06,00 a.m., when I had returned to the house, I happened to
find the corpse of the late S. laid down on the floor of the reception-room. ”
The Note was drawn up by:
STEVAN BUK AR ICA 314
A NNEX 491:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF C. B.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINIST RY OF THE INTERIOR
POLICE ADMINISTRATION IN ZADAR
DEPARTMENT FOR THE OPERATIVE WORK
Number:
th
Date: October 19 1992
OFFICIAL NOTE
C. B ., born on ...., occupation: a housewife, residence: …;
gives the following:
STATEMENT
“I continued living in occupied Korlat together with, at the moment of speaking, my late
husband M ., while my children, as well as the majority of inhabitants of Korlat, escaped
at te very beginning of the armed mutiny against the Republic of Croatia…
As I have already said, I continued living in Korlat with my husband M . who is a
disabled person without his left fist. Namely, on June 5h1991, at around 12,00 p.m.,
members of the so-called “SJB (Station for the Public Security) in Benkovac” killed M .
in the yard of our old house. On that day,. and me were in our house and we were
lunching when members of the police of Krajina, wearing uniforms, showed up. There were
about 10 of them… where they started searching the house, they were even taking down
brick from the roof and, at the same time, they were shattering it into pieces. As they didn’t
find anything, Stevo Macakanja came up to M . an asked him again about weapons.
When M. didn’t say anything else to him but that he didn’t have weapons, the same
person slapped his face 2 or 3 times. Then he hit him twice with a leg in his testes,
whereupon M . screamed out due to pain and he managed to say just: “Run lamb, they
are going to hurt you as well”. He fell down to the ground due to blows, whereupon a
throng created around him and I noticed that one of the policeman that was present took a
shaft of a hay-fork and he started savagely thrashing my husband, who was lying
immovable on the ground, all over his body with it. When I realised that my husband would
be undoubtedly killed due to violent blows, I ran towards the new house and I hid behind
one wall… When they had left, I went to the old house. I happened to find my husband,
who didn’t move and who didn’t show any signs of life, in the yard…
… ”
Authorised official:
ANTE MIKULIĆ 315
ANNEX 492:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M .B.
POLICE ADMINISTRATION IN ZADAR
DEPARTMENT FOR THE OPERATIVE WORK
th
Zadar, April 6 1992
OFFICIAL NOTE
th
Drawn up on April 6 1992 in the official premises of the Police Administration of Zadar in
Zadar, on the basis of the informative interview conducted with M.B., son of
N. (a father) and A. (a moter, nee G.), born on ....the place of
Korlat, municipality of Benkovac…
The interview was conducted about circumstances of his knowledge connected to the last
occurrences in the place Korlat and in this connection he stated the following:
That he came to the place of Korlat on March 281992 at around 1,00 p.m. and that he was
until then serving the military service in the occupying army in Sudulica… When he had
arrived in Korlat, he states that he saw a completely demolished house, destroyed with
explosive, and that the majority of houses, whose owners were Croats, were either blown
up or burned down. He heard later on that houses were looted before that. Mstates
that at thatment he couldn’t find any of his fellow-townsmen of Croatian nationality. He
also points out that he was informed earlier that his parents and his relatives had been
exiled from their houses… M. points out that during his stay in Korlat he avoided
mak ing any kinds of enquiries, however he heard from Serb inhabitants, as well from some
Croats that stayed behind, that several days ago, according to his judgement probably on
March 20 th1992, Kristina Gali ć, daughter of Nikola (a father), had been killed at night in
her house… He states that when he arrived in his place at Korlat and when he saw houses
pulled down and burned, the catholic church of the Assumption levelled to the ground, the
place without almost any person of Croatian nationality, even though Croats had been the
majority in that village until they were exiled, he realised that it was dangerous to move
around the village… ”
The Note was drawn up by:
IVE KARDUM
ANNEX 493:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF G.A.
RD
COMMAND OF THE 3 BATTALION OF THE TERRITORIAL DEFENCE
Pov. No. 28/91
MILITARY SECRET
th
Smilčić, the 12 of December 1991
CLASSIFIED
TO THE COMAND OF THE 3 RD BATTALION OF THE TERRITORIAL DEFENCE
G.S.A. from Smilčić, born onthe ...., soldier of the 2
rd
company of the 3 battalion was brought in by the department of the military police of the
3rdbattalion of the Territorial Defence and he stated:
I was off duty from the 24hof November 1991 and I did not perform the tasks in the unit.
th
Yesterday, on the 11 of December 1991 I consumed larger amounts of alcohol and in that 316
kind of condition, armed with a semi-automatic rifle I went to the house in Smil čić in
which I.B.*, … widower and L. V.* , … widower lived. I went there with the
intention of taking the money or some other valuable things and objects. Since the door
were not opened I fired two shots from the rifle so one of the two women that lived there
opened the door for me so I entered the house armed, threatening them and I searched the
house looking for money and other things but I did not find anything. I was furious and I
ordered them to take off their clothes, then I heard some kind of noise in the house and as I
was scared I fired a shot and when I was coming down the steps to see who was in the
house Jovan Pupovac Rade from Biljani Gornji caught me by surprise and disarmed me.
When I found out that Rade Pupovac was gone and he took my rifle with the ammunition, I
came back to the old ladies and I ordered them to take off their clothes and threatening
them with the knife that I did not have I raped them both.
In the end I took some irrelevant things and I went home to sleep. My conduct was partly
caused by the fact that the old ladies were of Croatian nationality so I could act according to
my own conscience.
Statement was given by
G.S.A..
COMMANDERdeputy
Assistant to the commander for the
security and intelligence activities
Lieutenant Colonel
Jovan Prostran
(signature) 317
A NNEX 494:
W ITNESS TSTEMENT OF I.B.*
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
ZADAR POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT FOR OPERATIVE AFFAIRS
Date: 19 August 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen I.B. was born on ... She is retired. Residence address: …. On 11 August 1992
in … s he g ave an authorized official of the Zadar police administration the following
information:
She lived in the occupied Smil čić until 1 February 1992 when she left the village because
of the terror used against the remaining Croatian civilians and her herself. She left the
village with the help of the Red Cross. She mostly went about the village in the company of
L.V., approximately 70 years old, who often stayed with her overnight, because the
two of tem stayed in their hamlet after all the others left.
From all the events that had happened in the occupied Smil čić. I.B. described when
she and L.V. were raped. I.B. statesin the conversation that G.A. , illegimate child of
S.A., approximately 20 years old,
raped them. She can’t remember the exact date, but she knows that it happened in the
middle of November 1991, around 11:00 p.m. She and L.V. had already fallen
asleep. They had had been sleeping in her house. G.A. woke them up
and called for them: “open the door, state of war, search of the house!”. After he said it for
a few times he fired from his gun, and when she opened the door, he pressed the barrel of a
gun against her chests and pushed her inside the house.
On entering the bedroom he started shouting again, saying that it was a state of war and that
he had to search the house.
After he returned to the room he ordered them to take off their clothes, and threatened them
that he had a knife, although he didn’t show it to them. They begged G. not to do that,
but he was persistent. As they were afraid for their lives they took off their clothes. After
they took off their clothes he approached her and started touching her on the breasts, and
she was just standing helpless, without strength to fight him. She only had the strength to
beg him not to do it. However, he ignored her begging, took off his clothes, put her on the
bed and raped her. After he had raped her he approached L. and ordered her to lie down
so he could rape her too. She points out that because they were scared to death and because
of their age they didn’t dare to fight him as they believed he could kill them.
In the morning she went to dr. Novak who sent them to Benkovac to be gynaecologically
examined. In Benkovac a female doctor examined them, but she didn’t give them any
medical reports, but told them that they didn’t have any injuries nor consequences of the
committed rape.
Record was made by:
Ante Mikulić
(signature) 318
ANNEX 495:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF B.A.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE IN TERIOR
ZADAR POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT FOR THE OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
(organizational unit of the Ministry)
Number:
Date: the 25hof May 1993
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen – B.A., occupation – agriculturist, born on the ....
th
, residence – permanent address … on the 27 of August 1992 in the offices of the
ZADAR POLICE ADMINISTRATION gave to the authorized person of the Zadar Police
Administration (name of the organ of the Interior) the following information:
“I lived in the village of Smilčić till the 3bruary 1992 when I left the village because
I could not live under the occupation.
Since the first barricades appeared in the Republic of Croatia, the villagers očić of
Serbian nationality were among the ones who started to put up barricades first. They were
armed by the JNA so in May of 1991 the police station was formed and it consisted of the
villagers of Smilčić. The following person was the policeman of the “SAO Krajina” since it
was formed:
MLADEN RADMANOVIĆ, son of the late Sava, he worked in the police in Zadar before.
He mistreated the Croatians and he forced us to move out because Smilčić was Serbia, etc.
I personally had most of the problems with Saša Bubalo, Zoran Zorć and Žarko Ardali ć.
The three of them would come to search my house every now and then, they would look for
money, broke almost everything in my house. Žarko Ardali ć broke the screen on my TV
set, killed my dog in front of the house, hit my son I. in the head with the barrel of a
machine-gun. Then my son lost consciousness and he told him that he would fire a bullet in
st
his forehead and that happened on the 1 of November 1991. Žarko Ardali ć made holes
with the machine-gun all over the barrel of wine owned by Ana Milkovi ć, of late Mile.
Those three made a lot of trouble to the late M.A. and his wife, as well as me. I
suppose that they were involved in their murder.
The late M. was my cousin and he often complained that those three abused him, beat
him, took their food, threatened him as well as the all other Croatians to kill them etc.
After M. and L. were killed I decided to leave my house and so I did.”
AUT HORIZ ED OFFICIAL:
Ante Mikulić
(signature) 319
A NNEX 496:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF T.D.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF TH E INTERIOR
Zadarsko-kninska Police Department
Crimnalith Police Section
Zadar, 4 September 1995
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
Made at Zadarsko-kninska Police Department concerning the interview with T.D, son of
Š.; born ....in Bila Vlaka, municipality Stankovci, Croat
The interview was held concerning the circumstances of his knowledge about the
disappearance of his neighbour M.D. , from Lišani Ostrovi čki, and he gave the
folowing information:
th
M.D. was last with him in Bila Vlaka on 27 September 1991, and he came
together with the other people withdrawing from Lišani Ostrovčki before the Chetniks.
The second day, that is, 28September 1991, in the evening hours, he decided to go back
to the village to feed the cattle, with him were Anica and Živko Nimac also to feed the
cattle. Anica and Živko Nimac returned to Bila Vlaka before the night without M…
(…)
Since then until 10October 1992 nobody knew anything about him, and on 10 thOctober
1992 Ivica Kalcina and Ante Mami ć, members of 134 tbattalion of the Croatian Army,
patrolled through the village Lišani Ostrovički and on that occasion they found the body of
M.D, north-east from the house of Anđelija Kalcin. He was murdered by fire arms.
(…)
Memorandum was made by:
Mirko Lukić
A NNEX 497:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M.Š.
ZADAR POLICE ADMINISTRATION
Zadar, the 29hof March 1993
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made in the offices of the Zadar Police Administration as a result of the conducted
informative conversation with M.Š., born P., daughter of B. and I., born
on the ..... Rodaljice, Benkovac municipality, Croatian.
The conversation was led in connection with the circumstances of the murders of the 4
villagers in the village of Rodaljice, on the occupied territory of the Benkovac municipality.
“I do not remember the date, but I know well that I was hoeing up the potatoes, it happened
in May. That day, near my house, through the fence, I saw three of them coming up to my
house. 320
They wore camouflage uniforms. Those two that had the rifles pointed at me forced me into
the house and asked me what I packed for Zadar and where my husband was. They
searched my house and took 10 kg of meat and the kitchen knife.
They stayed for a while and then they left.
On the 11 thof June 1992, around 6 p.m. two men, unknown to me, came in front of my
house. They were dressed in civilian clothes, one had a dark tracksuit, and the other one had
dark jeans.
The one in short trousers went to the yard of Luka Šuni ć, son of Mate, about 56 years old.
Luka’s wife, Grgica, born Ninč ević, daughter of Grga and Manda, born Kruneš, about 80
years old, came out of the house. Manda called Mate who was in the attic of the other
house. At that moment I was already in the house and I heard two shots. When I reached
the door I saw that Luka Šunić and his wife Grgica were lying on the ground. The person in
the short trousers was standing beside them but I do not know if he shot. He yelled at me,
telling me to get out of the house, he cursed my Ustasha mother, telling me that he would
kill me.
A little later the one in short trousers asked me where I was from and I lied that I was from
Medviđa and then he asked me whose I was and since I did not answer he put a gun on the
back of my head saying ”you still haven’t remembered”.
I was forced in the house with a gun and they asked me where were the German Marks and
where was my husband. Then the third person that wore the civilian clothes joined them.
They took me down the street, towards the church and the road. The bearded man was
holding a gun, forcing me to walk in front of him and the other two went behind us. When
we reached the intersection I turned towards the village, then the bearded man hit me and I
fell. I could not go any further, so the one in short trousers said “cut her throat”, and he said
that he did not have a knife, that he had thrown it. I heard that the gun was loaded and then
I heard a shot. When I came to my senses I saw that I was wounded and I felt blood in the
area of my head. They were gone and I came back to the village to Petar Mijić’s house.
Before that incident, on that same day, I found out that the following women were killed in
the neighboring hamlet: Mila Grgas, wife of Ivan, daughter of Šime Žutelija, 55 years old
and Marija Šunić, wife of Jakov, daughter of Joso Kamber, about 60 years old.
Record made by:
Marijan Brkić
(signature) 321
ANNEX 498:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF T.Š.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF TH E INTERIOR
ZADAR POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT FOR THE OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
(organizational unit of the Ministry)
Number:
Date: the 20hof April 1993
OFFICIAL RECORD
Citizen – T.Š., occupation – worker, born on – the ....,
residence – permanent address –…
“I lived in Benkovac for a long time and I built a family house there and I was in the
catering business. Because of the constant threats and abuse I had to move out of Benkovac
in the June of 1992 and I moved to my estate in the village of Rodaljice. However, they did
not leave me alone there either, I was threatened so I had to hide daily and nightly in my
house, often in the woods.
On the 11thof June 1992, around 6 p.m. I was not far away from my house when I noticed
three young men, unknown to me, coming to my house. I immediately ran away and I hid
in the woods close to my house and I watched from there. My wife stayed in the house and
those three men asked her something and then they went to the house of Mate Šuni ć. Out of
his family, besides Mate Šunić, his wife Manda, his son Luka and Luka’s wife Grgica were
also in the house. I heard two shots, from a gun I think, a couple of minutes after those men
entered the house. Then I noticed that my wife went into the house of our neighbor, Mate
Šunić and I saw Mate Šunić on the upper floor of his house. A minute later I saw that those
three men took out my wife out of the house and they took her towards the road for
Benkovac.
While I was hiding in the woods not far away from my house I heard a shot and I was sure
that they had killed my wife.
An hour later I heard my wife who came back to the house crying for help. I could not bear
that any longer so I came into the house and I saw my wife wounded in the head.
Among the policemen from Benkovac who arrived in the village I recognized the head of
the police, SLOBODAN VUJKO, commander ĐURO BABI Ć and GOJKO KREŠOVI Ć
and about 50 of them came. The investigative judge, unknown to me, came at the
inspection. After the inspection was finished I insisted on the police checking what
happened to Milka Grgas and Marija Šuni ć who lived at the end of the village, because we
did not see them for a couple of days. They accepted my proposition so I and Janko
Ninčević (he is still in Rodaljice) went with them. We found Marija Šunić dead in the
house of Milka Grgas and she was in the kitchen, sitting and she had a shot wound in the
forehead. We found Milka Grgas dead in the neighborhood, in the house of Marko Žutelija
Marko, in the kitchen on the floor, and a big pool of blood was noticed under her head. I
could not manage to see where she was hit but I suppose she was hit in the head.
(…)
Authorized official person
Ante Mikulić (signature) 322
A NNEX 499:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J.Ž.
ZADAR POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DEPART MENT FOR THE OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Zadar, the 14hof April 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made in the Zadar Police Administration as a result of the conducted informative
conversation with J.Ž., daughter of late L., mother M., born Z. , born
inPopović, on the ....permanent address – …
th
“On the 27 of March 1992 I came from Podgradje with the help of the Red Cross as well
as the other persons who came from the occupied territories to Zadar. While I was in
Podgradje, we, as family, were threatened all the time, abused, mistreated by the members
of the enemy formations.
st
On the 1 of March 1992, I remember it was Saturday, around 9:10 p.m. my husband,
N.Ž. was killed in our yard, in front of the house.
It is worh mentioning that in all the houses from which the Croatians moved out, the
villagers of the Serbian nationality moved in so on the day when I left the village some
family from Krupa moved into my house.
Authorized official:
Vlado Đapić
(signature) 323
ANNEX 500:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A.Š.*
OFFICIAL RECORD
...
A.Š., daughter of …, born in the … in Lisi čić, Ben kovac municipality, …
widow er, permanent address…
She lived alone in the family house in Lisi čić – Pešut hamlet where she had all together 15
houses in which 5 villagers remained to live after the aggression of the Chetniks.
In August 1992 the armed and uniformed Chetniks came to her house and took 2 500
German Marks, 8 000 Dinars, a chest box, TV set and the furniture and they threatened her
not to tell anyone about them robbing her house.
In the beginning of March of this year, 4 Chetniks wearing camouflage uniforms, armed
with long automatic arms came to her house. They were all about 20 years old. They asked
her where her sons were and then they beat her with fists and legs. They asked her how old
she was and then they forcedly took her clothes off so she had only her socks and they
forced her to walk naked around the yard. One of the Chetniks told her that he was 19 years
old and that he butchered MAŠA KUTIJA and that he would butcher her and then they
ordered her to lock herself in the house and then they left.
Further on, she gave the information that 5 to 6 Chetniks rapedB.* from the
same hamlet and that she is now in …, at her son, …, telephone number: ...
AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL
Zdravko Pavličić
(signature) 324
A NNEX 501:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF K.V. (1)
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
POLICE ADMINISTRATION IN ZADAR
DEPARTMENT FOR THE OPERATIVE WORK
Number: th
Date: December 30 1992
OFFICIAL NOTE
K.V., born on ...., occupation: an electronic engineer, residence
in …, gives the following:
STATEMENT
th
On December 18 1992, K. V. came, uninvited, to the premises of the Police
Administration in Zadar and he reported that he had lived in the occupied Šopot until
th
December 16 1992 when he left the same with help of employees of the UNPROFOR…
We conducted the informative interview with the same about his knowledge of crimes
committed in Šopot…
“ I remember that the first victim of the crime was Ivica Knez called “Lujo”, native of
Šopot, lived in Benkovac. The same was killed in the middle of June of 1991…
…
The second victim of the crime was Milica Savkovi ć from Šopot. I remember that she was
killed in her house, with a firearm, sometime in January of 1992…
The next victim, I remember that it was Branko Zć, son of Niko (a father), who was
killed early in February of 1992 in Benkovac where he lived…
A couple of months after the murder of Branko Zrili ć, Božo Marinović was killed in Šopot,
while his wife Mileva sustained many serious lesions on her body on that occasion. I think
that Gojko Uzelac from Lišani Tinjski, who has a house in Zadar and who moved away
from Zadar at the beginning of the war, could be connected with this murder. I know that
Gojko Uzelac came to the house of the late Božo several times demanding that they
exchange houses, which Božo repeatedly refused to do. So, he also came with the same
reason at Božo’s on the day of his murder and he left his house when night started falling.
About 15 minutes after he had left, two men came to the house of the murdered Božo and
his wife Mileva told me that she didn’t manage to see them well, that they demanded
money of them and that it was already night at that time. After they had responded that they
didn’t have any money, the same started hitting them with legs, fists and but-ends of rifles
and that Mileva swooned due to blows. The same told me that she regained consciousness
as late as the morning, when she noticed her dead husband Božo in a hallway next to her.
The same told me that Božo was crushed due to blows until he was shot at…
…
Authorised official:
ANTE MIKULIĆ 325
A NNEX 502:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF K.V. (2)
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
POLICE ADMINISTRATION IN ZADAR
DEPARTMENT FOR THE OPERATIVE WORK
Number: 511-17-02-KU-100/92 A.M.
Date: December 29 1992
OFFICIAL NOTE
K.V., born on ...., occupation: an electronics engineer,
residence in …, gives the following:
STATEMENT
th
On December 18 1992, K.V. came, uninvited, to this Police Administration and
he informed us that on December 16t1992, he, helped by the UNPROFOR, came to Zadar
from the occupied place Šopot, municipality of Benkovac, where he lived together with his
family. He reported that he left his home because persons unknown to him threatened him
and his entire family with death and that he was threatened with death immediately after the
murder of Luka, Stipe, Vukosava and Zorka Marinović …
… In connection with murdered Luka, Stipe, Vukosava and Zorka Marinovi ć, he set forth
the following:
nd rd
“ I am aware of that the same were killed on December 2 /3 1992 during the night. On
December 3 rd1992 at around 10,00 a.m., M.M. came to my house and informed
me about the committed murder. On that occasion, M. told me that D.M.
found the murdered persons at around 7,00 a.m. and that she notified him as well about the
committed crime. He told me that he went, together with D., to the house of the killed
persons and that he noticed dead Vukosava Marinovi ć, whose body was lying on her
stomach with a skirt rolled up over the head so that the lower part of her body was naked,
even without panties, in front of the entrance door of the house… Gordana was also found
in front of the house, 5-6 meters away from her mother-in-law Vukosava, dead as well, and
she had two wounds on the region of an eye and of a nose where bullets went right through.
They found Luka slaughtered in the kitchen beside the cooking stove, while his son Stipe
was found on a terrace on the 1stfloor of the house. He was found dead, wearing only
panties. They noticed several wounds on his body where bullets went right through, as well
as a stab wound inflicted with a knife…
…
As I told you at the beginning of the interview, that my entire family and me were
threatened with death, I became frightened… Mile Drač a threatened me by telephone a
couple of days after the crime on Marinovićs’ had been committed…
Besides, three months ago at a meeting of the SDS in Šopot, Mile Drač a said that us, Croats
had to be slaughtered off in succession to the last one or exiled, because we had no business
being in the Serbian state.
…
At the end of the interview, I would like to look back at the behaviour of Gojko Šekuljica
ojko towards the citizens of Croatian nationality in the place of Sopot. The person 326
concerned, Sekuljica, held V.K., about 65 years old, M. K., about 65 years
old, I.K.called “P.” (65 years old), M.M. (about 60 years old) and
D.M. (about 60 years old) as his slaves, in the real sense of the word. Namely,
on his arrival in Šopot, the same took possession of their land forcing them to work on the
farm for satisfying his needs and according to his need and they weren’t entitled to a
compensation. The same had to cook and prepare food for him, even when he wanted to
barbecue a lamb, to bring wine that he desired – simply, he treated them as his slaves. ”
Authorised official:
ANTE MIKULIĆ
ANNEX 503:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF N.B.
OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE INFORMATIVE INTERVIEW
On 4 Ma y 1998, in the official rooms of the IV section of the Central Informative Service
(SIS) Ploče the members of the III section of SIS Zadar conducted an informative interview
with N.B. from Makarska in connection to his participation in the JNA units that
attacked the vllage of Škabrnja on 18 November 1991.
1. To our question about explaining the command structure and the chain of command in
the formations of the JNA in which he was, N.B.answered:
“Ica me to my regular military service in March 1991 to Mali Lošinj, but several
days later I was transferred to Benkovac where I stayed until 13 December 1991
when I managed to escape. The commander of the barracks in Benkovac was
Tripko Čečović, and the formation was called ‘180 tMotorized Brigade of the
JNA’. The Brigade had one battaliostof conscript soldiers and two reserve officer
battalions. The commander of the 1 Armored Brigade was Major Milošević, I do
not know his first name, the brigade had three companies, one tank company,
st
whose commander was Captain 1 Class Jankovi ć, and two “mechanized”
brigades of armored transporters, every company had 12 transporters. The
commander of my company was First Lieutenant Miroslav Stefanovi ć. The
platoon commanders were the First Lieutenants: Dušan Tadi ć, Toni Nikolovski
and Muhidin Džambi ć. I was appointed a clerk and had the assignment to write
the “daily order” for my company, and Lieutenant Stefanovi ć would sign it. I
never wrote or received a written order for combat action. Such orders came
directly before the attack in a yellow envelope, with three seals, and a courier
from Benkovac would bring them and hand them over directly to Lieutenant
Stefanović, after the Lieutenant had read the order, he would put it into his bag.
Sometimes the orders for combat action would come by radio.”
2. To our question what he knew about the attack on the village of Škabrnja on 18
November 1991, B. answered:
“M y battalion participated in the attack on the village of Škabrnja. Three T-55
tanks and three armored transporters were in my line of attack. Lieutenant
Stefotić was in charge of the transporters. We were stationed in the village of
Smilčić in those days. Around 4:00 a.m. on 18 November 1991 we received our
order to move. We gathered at a crossing and from there went into the attack. The 327
mentioned armored vehicles and three infantry platoons were stationed at this
crossing. One platoon was “The White Eagles”, and the other two were the
“Kninđa” Platoons. Goran Opa čić and a certain Draži ć wereincommand ofthe
“Kninđa” Platoon. Those “specialists” were around 50-100 meters in front of us
and we were following them. In the beginning a certain Captain came to us, who I
had never seen before, and asked us who had the highest rank among us. Since I
was a Corporal, I came forward.
The captain said that First Lieutenant Stefanovi ć was lightly injured and that I
should take over the command over the transporters. I called the command of the
battalion (Milošević) and told him that I would not go any further before the
arrival of the active senior officer. They notified me that the senior officer was on
his way. I sent the transporters to their original positions and waited. When the
tanks noticed that the transporters were not following them, they also returned.
After this, the “Knin đa” and the “White Eagles” also came back. A big
commotion and noise started. Goran Opa čić was shouting at the captain, and the
captain at me. I did not want to leave until the senior officer had arrived. With
this move, the attack was stopped at approximately two o’clock, and I believe that
it was owing to my efforts. After approximately two hours, Lieutenant Dušan
Tadić arrived and took over the command over the transporters. The attack
continued. I heard shooting coming from everywhere. Soon we came to the first
houses. We went through the village and took positions near the church. I saw
such horrors there that I cannot even talk - it is very difficult for me to talk about
them. There were dead people lying around everywhere, houses were on fire and
it was horrible.
I was not shooting and did not see any of the young soldiers shoot either. I saw
tanks firing at houses and an armored vehicle with a multi-barreled “Erlikon”.
This vehicle was not part of my battalion; I believe that it came from the air base.
One specialist wanted to shoot a woman and two children who came out of the
basement, I pulled down his rifle’s barrel three times and asked him not to fire.
He did not shoot after this and the woman and children were taken away together
with the other prisoners in a bus to Benkovac. We stayed in the transporters near
the church that night, and the following morning we continued to shoot towards
the other end of the village. Since there was no resistance, anymore we continued
via Nadin towards Benkovac.”
During this statement, B. was evidently excited and he had difficulty in speaking.
3. N.B. can be used as a witness according to our estimation, not only in this case
but also in all other events in the Zadar area during April-December 1991. Being asked if
he would be willing to be a potential witness the witness answered positively.
4. B. gave his first statement after returning from the JNA to Siniša Suman, an
inspector of the Police Department in Split; and besides Suman, B. said that the
me mb ers of the Cthtral Information Service (SIS) within the Croatian Army (HV) in which
he was (the 156 Home-Guard Regiment Makarska) and the investigation judge of the
District Court in Split also interviewed him.
Since N.B. is willing to constructively collaborate, and due to the time distance of
seven years and not knowing the area of Zadar, we suggest: 328
- to bring the witness to Zadar and make a reconstruction of the events in the
area
- to make detailed interviews in connection to the other events, that the witness
is familiar with an also participated in them.
We ask for your opinion and an answer in connection to the further proceedings.
Statement given to the members of the III section of Central Informative Service from
Zadar
ANNEX 504:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S.M. (1)
Kio. 210/92
S.M. nd
the 2 October 1992
Zadar District Court
Vladimir Mikolčević, Goran Opačić and other
Dušanka Tauz
Act 142 from the valid Criminal Law 12
OJ informed
S.M., daughter of the late J.
worker, … , 28 years old,
no relationship with the accused party
The witness is warned according to Act 231 of the Criminal Law Proceedings, so she states:
th
That day, on the 18 of November 1991, the first shell fell on Škabrnja, about 7:30 a.m.
After that I went with my family to the basement of P. – P. P.’s house which
was about 200 m away from our house. My husband who was engaged in the village
defence did not go with us. There were about 55 persons in the basement during the cannon
and later on infantry attack. Around 9 a.m. the enemy infantry broke into the village and
around noon they reached the house where we were hiding.
When the shooting from the infantry arms started P. P. and his son M. ,together
with some other younger people shot from the second floor and the house roof at the
attackers in order to defend us, but as they saw that they could shot at us from the tanks and
that there were many of them they left their weapons and they came down in front of the
house. P. took a kind of rag and he waved it at them and shouted not to shoot, because
only the women, children and old people were there. I heard that clearly and I saw him
waving a kind of towel of white color mostly.
Then those armed and uniformed Chetniks with blackened faces, some of them had black
stockings over their faces, came in front of the basement and started shouting at us to come
outside and that they would fuck our Ustasha mothers.
After that we started to get out of the basement slowly, one by one, with our hands up in the
air. Those Chetniks were standing beside and when a man would come out, even the oldest
old man they would immediately shoot him, and when I was coming out I saw that they
were shot with a machine gun. 329
I saw that Vice Šegarić who came out before me was shot with a machine-gun burst. I saw
Rade already dead and Soka came out behind me with her hands raised up in the air and she
said “come on neighbors, we did nothing wrong to you” and after that some of them
approached her and told her that they were not neighbors of hers and hitting her with rifles
they knocked her on the floor and then one of them killed her with a machine-gun burst so
she was lying right in front of the tank that was parked there and only later that same tank
ran her over because nobody wanted to move her.
When we all lined up in front of the wall the Chetnik from the tank turned the tank heavy
machine gun towards us and he shouted “I fuck your Ustasha mother and I will shoot you
all ” and then one officer in a shirt came running and started to shout at him not to shoot at
women and children, and the Chetnik told him “why did I come here if I won’t kill” so the
officer said “enough” and the Chetnik kept quiet.
When I was coming out of the basement I saw close nearby M.P. dead on the
ground, with his head shot and I saw his father P. – P. who was showing some signs
of life and I.Š. who was still alive but wounded.
Whi le I was standing beside the wall I recognized Damir Kova čević from Zemunik Gornji
near “Geleš” whom I used to see in Škabrnja before and now he had three black lines drawn
on both of his cheeks, but I recognized him with certainty, he was wearing that kind of
dappled uniform and he had a machine gun, but I did not see him shooting at anybody.
After they took us on the road towards the intersection with the road for Benkovac I
recognized Slavko Dra ča from Zemunik Gornji who was not hiding his face at all and he
was also wearing a dappled uniform and he also carried a machine gun and I saw him while
I was passing by because we were followed by the army that had those greenish uniforms
and they protected us from the Chetniks that wore the dappled uniforms.
While we were going towards that intersection we passed Slavko Šegari ć’s house. A large
number of villagers, that is four of them and three children and also my father-in-law, J.M.
were in his basement. My dead father-in-law’s body and the body of Stane
Vicković were in front of that basement and later on I found out that besides them Krsto
and Luca Šegari ć were killed and they were also in that basement and one child was
wounded. I could not see how they were killed.
Beside the yard of that house where my father-in-law was killed I saw Zorana Babi ć who
was a nurse in the clinic in Zemunik Donji, she was also wearing a dappled uniform and
she carried a machine gun and she was standing at the gates of that house’s yard, together
with two more female individuals who were also uniformed and armed and later on I found
out that one of them was Nada Pupovac.
I also heard that some Chetniks were calling themselves by the surname “Suboti ć” so the
Chetnik that they called shouted at them because they called him by his surname. Usually
they addressed themselves as “brothers”, they did not use names and most of them had
masked faces while the soldiers did not.
While we were standing gathered at that intersection and before they took us in a truck to
Benkovac a younger man in a dappled uniform and armed with a machine gun approached
us and asked “do you know Mlinar who was wounded in Benkovac, that is me, the
Ustashas did it and now I am taking my revenge.”
The questioned witness states: “He did not tell us anything else and he did not say that he
had cut himself with a knife, like you asked me.” 330
We, the younger women and children were transported immediately after 1 p.m. to
Benkovac into the “Kasarna” (barracks) and the older women were transported not earlier
than in the evening, around 9 p.m. Only one man was brought and that was M.Š. .
Then they transferred us to the Kindergarten and the army gave tea and milk to the children,
and later on they turned on the TV and TV Belgrade showed our village Škabrnja and they
said that Ustashas committed a massacre in that Serbian village and one Serbian soldier
holding a machine gun pointed at us asked if we could see what Ustashas were doing to the
Serbs. The next day after 10 a.m. they drove us towards Pristeg and left us somewhere and
we had to walk from there towards Dobra Voda where our army took us and drove us to
Biograd and then to Zadar.
My husband died in Škabrnja defending the first front line position.
I have nothing else to add.
I will not read the record because I heard the dictation.
Finished at 12:50 p.m.
Recording secretary: Witness: Investigative judge:
ANNEX 505:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A.G.
SURNAME: G.
NAME, FAT HER'S NAME: A., P.
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: .... Škabrnja, Zadar county, Croatia
RESIDENCE: (…), Croatia
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE: (…), Croatia
EDUCATION: high school
PROFESSION: locksmith
EMPLOYMENT:
MARITAL STATUS:
CITIZENSHIP: Republic of Croatia
NATIONALITY: Croatian
I give the following
STATEMENT
On November 18, 1991, in the morning around 7:40 am, grenades began to fall on the
ethnically pure Croatian village of Škabrnja. We inspected the damage at 8:00 am. Tanks
were moving towards the village from the direction of Gornji Zemunik and from the
direction of the fields. Our boys destroyed two tanks, a transporter and a munition's truck.
An unbelievable number of grenades and projectiles of every calibre fell upon the village.
Our resistance lasted only a short while and then the JNA infantry and tanks entered the
village, firing at the houses. Women, children and the elderly sought refuge in their
basements. The army which entered the village wore JNA military dress and decoration.
There were regular soldiers and local Serbs, some were masked. An old man recognized
Ivanež - that is how they called him. We sought refuge in the basement, we were in civilian
dress. Threats followed: "Come out or else we will blow you up!" They repeated this three
times. We had to leave, one by one. They captured us, insulted us. I heard one say: "They
should all be killed immediately". In the next two basements, they killed six or seven 331
people. Some were captured and taken to Smil čić, where they were probably killed. They
gathered us together and took us to one end of the village, where they put us into a
basement. They took us inside under threat, and later returned us outside. Later, they
shoved us into a bus and began beating us. They beat us with their fists, feet, guns and the
like. Later they took us to Benkovac, where they continued to beat us, and forced us to
kneel with our "heads down". With me were M. G., P.G. - my father,
N.K., M.J . and M.R.. They beat us all night in Benkovac. They
ordered us to sit with our legs facing the wall, and then they beat us the entire night. The
next day at around noon we went to Knin in an armored vehicle. Our arms were tied behind
our backs and our two guards were soldiers. They did not allow us to sit on the seats, but
rather we had to sit on the floor. Here they beat us once again - with clubs, feet - all the way
to Knin. In Knin, when we were leaving the car, they pushed us into a basement. Several of
their soldiers gathered here and mocked us. Then they took us for questioning. Before they
took us for questioning, they beat us, forced us to lick the wall, and kicked people in the
head. Twenty-five of us spent the winter in a three by five square meters room. For the first
day and a half, they did not give us any food - the guards threw it to us in such a way so
that we would not get it. When there was fighting at Kupres, they brought people from
above and transferred us to the sports complex, so they could torture the newly arrived
captives. They put us "to work". We unloaded coal, sawed wood, cleaned. Everything that
they looted, we stored in a warehouse. Later one group went to a prisoner exchange. There
we met Mr. Mladić, later proclaimed a war criminal. The Serbian police, now guards in the
camp, were predominantly former railroad workers. They were recognized by Nediljko
Kardum and Stanko Glavi ć because they worked together. These police officers would
allow soldiers returning from the front to abuse us or maltreat us. They intensively beat
members of the Croatian National Guard. The commander of the prison was the first class
sergeant, Sinobad, but his replacement Jovo, is now in a prison in Šibenik. This Jovo
vehemently beat us when we arrived in Knin, and conducted interrogations. They especially
beat captives from Herzegovina, and members of HOS (Croatian Defence Forces). We
were in the South Camp military base.
When the UNPROFOR arrived in mid-March, we were transferred to the civilian prison,
called Martić's prison. Here, two police officers, Grubi ć and Đuro, beat us the whole time.
When they changed shifts, we received beatings. This torture was intensified when they
found out about the prisoner exchange. Young men, around 18 years old, sons of some
generals, beat us. The day before the prisoner exchange, they read out the names and after
193 days we were exchanged/released in Žitni ć. They constantly told us that our people
would not take us, the people we were fighting for.
Zadar, January 5, 1993
Statement given by: Statement taken by:
A.G. Miljenko Buljan 332
ANNEX 506:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF D.I.
LAST NAME: I.
FIRST NAME, FA THER’S NAME D.
DATE OF BIRTH:
PLACE OF BIRTH:
RESIDENCE …
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE: …
QUALIFICATION:
PROFESSION:
EMPLOYMENT:
MARITAL STATUS:
CITIZENSHIP Republic of Croatia
NATIONALITY Croat
18 November 1991, Škabrnja
I am giving the following
STATEMENT
As a resident of my village, me and all the other capable residents organized a defence of
our village. We were aware of the true situation and the reality around us, so we expected
every possible attack, but we could not have dreamt of such an attack that really happened.
In our village, there were never any kinds of military units. In some places in the village,
we stood guard, and by the way, we performed our daily work in the fields.
I was sleeping in my bed when, around 7.00 a.m., I heard shooting. I jumped from my bed
and woke the rest of my family. We tried to reach the basement, where we had hidden
before, during the mortar attacks. As there were very few basements in the whole village,
there was too many of us in the basements.
Then we tried to see what was going on. We took the few hunting guns and a few infantry
guns we had. We tried to establish contact and organize an acceptable defence. But it was
all too late. Thousands of shells started to fall, roars of tanks and armored vehicles could be
heard. At that time, houses and barns started to burn, even the ground was burning.
Everybody ran for his life. I personally tried to get to the neighboring shelter, which was
about 700 m away. I walked the 700 m….. I saw the most terrible things that can be seen
only in horror movies.
Around 100 m away from me, I saw tanks firing at the church from a distance of 20 m and
at a house near the church, which had a basement, and I supposed that there were
inhabitants of the village in it, especially women, old people, and children. I heard
terrifying screams, cries, and shots from weapons unknown to me. I got up from the ground
to be able to see better what was going on. I saw many tanks, burned houses, a mass of
uniformed man; there were around 500 so-called soldiers. Petrified and helpless, I kept
watching until I saw how a old man, I think it was L.B., 95 years old, was brought
in front of a tank by two of the soldiers, and then pushed towards the tank. I suppose that at
that time I fell, too. After a while, I got up. I saw a great number of women and children
among the soldiers. I ran under a rain of shells towards the basement, where my family
was. I took my brother’s children, the one 1 and the other 3 years old. The others were
terrified and asked me: “What is going on?” I guess I told them to run away. The last thing 333
I remember was arriving at Raštane at 2.30 a.m. I cannot remember anything else, except
that I saw slaughtered and hung people before my eyes.
In Zadar, 20 November 1991.
A NNEX 507:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF Ž.Š.
Kio-210/92
the 1stof December 1992
Zadar District Court
Act 142 of the Criminal Law of the Republic of Croatia
at 1 p.m.
Ž.Š., son of M.,
finished the last grade of the elementary school,…, 15 years old
no relationship with the accused party
The witness is warned according to the act 231, 2 ndsubsection of the valid Criminal
Proceedings Law so he states:
During the attack on Škabrnja the following persons were with me in the basement of
S.Š.’s house: I.B., 15 years old, N. Š., 11 years old, K. and
Luca Šegarić, J.M. and S.V..
Firstthe soldiers of the so-called Yugoslav Army came in front of the basement and when
they saw that the children, women and old people were in the basement they said that they
would not hurt us because they were the JNA and they left.
They also asked us “where are the black-shirts, Đuro’s specialists that spent the last night
with us in the basement”, although nobody slept there then.
Then the Chetniks in dappled uniforms came, they started swearing and shouting “get out,
fuck your Ustasha mothers”.
Then Zorana Banić and Špiro Bjelanović, whom I knew before by sight because he used to
come to our village before, came into the basement. I recognized him although he had
blackened his face a lot and he had a kind of cap with feathers and with a Chetnik cockade.
Then the two of them took us out of the basement and Zorana Bani ć lined us up against the
wall. Before we got out Špiro Bjelanović killed Luca Šegarić with a silencer-equipped rifle
just as she started to get up in order to come out with the rest of us. When we were lined up
against the wall Zorana told my uncle K. to go home and to get some hunting rifles, his
and his son M.’s rifle so he went towards home and he reached the cistern and Zorana ran
tow ard him and she stabbed him in his back with a knife, he fell on the cistern and she
raised her hand, holding this big knife with a long cutting edge and blood was dripping
from it and Špiro said “let me have that blood so I can lick it”. I saw that several Chetniks
came up to K. but I do not remember that someone of them shot. I recognized among
them Đuro Kosović who used to put tiles on for my cousin Stipe Šegarić and he came to the
cistern and he shouted at K. “where are Stipe and Gare, the butchers, fuck their Ustasha
mothers, they brought so many weapons in Zadar” and those were K’s sons. I saw him
shooting from a machine gun a bit later just beside the house, at the village defenders that 334
were retreating but I did not see him shooting at K.. I think that K. died from that
knife stab.
The rest of us were standing beside the wall and then Špiro Bjelanovi ć came back, he
loaded his gun and said “let’s see the army of Ante Paveli ć, now we will see this Škabrnja
Ustasha army of Ante Paveli ć that used to line up at Glavica in Škabrnja together with the
Germans during the Second World War, now will butcher them”. Then he told Joso
Miljanić “Joso, that’s enough, fuck your Ustasha mother, where is your Marko” and he hit
him with a rifle butt in his face. Joso fell and Špiro told him to get up and when he got up
he shot a couple of bullets in the back of his head. Then one soldier said: “Špiro, did we not
make a deal yesterday that we will not kill the Ustasha children” and Špiro said “they are
all butchers”. Then he told Stana to put her hands in the air and he killed her, shooting a
bullet in her forehead and he said “come on, fuck them all, we will take these children and
line them in Biljani so we can question them”.
Then Zorana Banić after she found two hunting rifles and a gun in the basement told us to
go to the basement and to move Luca who was killed there because there were two heavy
machine guns underneath her. Then three of us went to the basement and we took Luca out,
her hands were full of her own blood and Zorana was standing with her rifle pointed at us
and the bullet was in the barrel and she shouted at us to carry Luca.
There were two more women with Zorana and I know that one of them was called Nada
Subotić and the other one was from Biljani, Donja Trljuga, I do not know her name but she
was black-haired and strong.
They took the three of us towards the intersection and I was the last one, I turned around
and I saw that Zorana was shooting at dead people and that she bent and waved her knife in
front of them, I guess she wanted to butcher them dead or whatever.
I recognized Jovo Subotić and his two sons, whom I knew by sight, among these Chetniks
but I do not know their names, they are from Zemunik Gornji and I heard that Jovo said
“let’s go to P.P. ’s basement to butcher the Ustasha army, there is a basement full
of them”. My father M., my mother, sister and my grandmother E., that is the wife of
my g randfather’s brother were in that basement and E. later told me that she also
recognized that Jovo Suboti ć and his sons who killed her son V. and her husband V.
(her son’s real name is I.). She knows the Suboti ćs becaus e 3 months ago they
transported her hay and ate her smoked ham. My father survived then and he recognized a
lot of them and he will tell you that himself.
Before a big group of Chetniks went to P. P.’s basement and before they took the
three of us to th e intersection they gathered beside us and I recognized Iso Bjelanovi ć and
Miljenko Bjelanović, the sons of Špiro Bjelanovi ć. I also recognized Željko Mari čić, the
son of the late Špiro Mari čić who drove a tank toward P. ’s house and he was also in
Ch etnik uniform with a cockade. He was some kind of my mother’s relative because her
sister married a Serb.
When they brought us to Smil čić in their centre I recognized Radmanovi ć who worked in
the “Danilo printing-house” and who said that he would get even with Bude Šegari ć
because this one had hit him in the company before and I saw that Bude was hanging with
his legs tied to some kind of tube and his head was hanging towards the ground and Šime
Šegarić and Petar Rogi ć were beside him. Radmanovi ć said that he was going to turn on
some kind of a machine and I heard that he turned it on so they pulled those three persons
with that machine and that three individuals were shouting, shouting for 2 minutes and then 335
they died and it was all over. After that their black police van arrived and I guess they put
the bodies in it, I did not see it.
I have nothing more to add.
I will not read the record because I heard the dictation.
Finished at 1:30 p.m.
Recording secretary: Witness: Investigative judge:
A NNEX 508:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF N.P.
From the court hall the witness N.P. is called.
The witness N.P., with her record on the paper 167/, warned according to
the act 314, 1 subsection of the Criminal Law Proceedings – she states:
- that her statement is the same as in the investigation, on the paper 147/ and
she explains the following:
th
You ask me if I remember the 18 of November 1991 and the crimes in Škabrnja. I
remember those scenes and I will never forget them.
I was hiding somewhere with my children, my daughters, one was 3 and half years old and
the other one was not even 2 years old, in a basement. Many people, civilians, my
neighbors were hiding in that basement when the Chetniks entered and broke into Škabrnja.
My first impression of that enemy army was terrible, I saw the persons with Chetnik
cockades, wearing camouflage uniforms, the individuals wearing olive-drab colored JNA
uniforms and even those who wore mixed uniformed, to keep it short, I saw all kinds of
uniforms. As I saw then and even later there were no civilians among the enemy soldiers or
Chetniks.
There were about 40 persons in my basement and I did not come out first or the last, I came
out in some period in-between.
I know that my husband and my father-in-law were killed some time after we got out of the
basement and after we came out of the yard. I saw when we were coming out of the
basement in the yard and out of the yard to the road that the civilians, villagers of Škabrnja
were also killed. I cannot tell who killed them, I know that those people were wearing
camouflage and olive-drab colored uniforms and that they shot and killed in front of us the
following people: KATA ROGIĆ, IVAN RAŽOV, RADE ŠEGARIĆ and JOSO BRKIĆ.
I remember what I said in front of the court during the investigative procedure, I said then
and I repeat that I recognized NEBOJŠA GAJI Ć from Islam, whom I knew before the war.
I am certain that this Gagi ć was among the criminals in Škabrnja. That day I saw DRA ČA
from Zemunik but since we were transferred from Škabrnja to Benkovac, I do not
remember seeing this DRAČA among the enemy soldiers in Škabrnja before.
I did not recognize some other individuals among the enemy soldiers by their names or
surnames and I personally do not know their names. I heard from my neighbors about a
great number of names of the individuals that were among the Škabrnja criminals but I ask 336
you to ask them that, I would not like to talk about something that I heard because the
names of those persons do not mean anything to me personally.
When the Council president asked – if she saw on the 18 thof November 1991 the accused
(Jovan Badžoka) among the enemy soldiers the witness, after she turned towards the
accused who was there, stated:
It is true, I saw him that day in Škabrnja. I saw him on the road while they were taking us
out of the basement and the yard where we were hiding towards the place where they
gathered all of us. I remember that he wore a gray-olive-green military uniform and he was
armed. I did not see this person in Škabrnja since the 18 thof November 1991 till after the
Croatian Forces action “Oluja” (Storm) when I heard that there were some individuals in
the prisoners’ assembling centre – the “Mocire” Centre in Zadar who were supposed to
have taken part in the crimes in Škabrnja. I came to this assembling centre all by myself, of
my own initiative and I asked the police officers to let me take a look at the persons who
were suspected to have been in Škabrnja at that time.
They showed me a room with about 10 persons, they were not lined up in a row or against
the wall, they were either sitting or lying on mats. When I saw the person who is behind me
in the courtroom today, I had no second thoughts and I do not have them today when I am
telling you that he is one of the persons I saw in Škabrnja. It is true that that day in the
assembling centre he looked more “like himself”, that is like the person I saw in Škabrnja
because he looked more slovenly and untidy.
I had never seen this person – the accused before the war, that is before the crimes in
Škabrnja and I did not, even during the recognition at the assembling centre in Zadar know
his name.
You asked me by what detail and when did I remember the figure of the accused. I
remember it, because it is not possible to forget it and I will never forget it, his face and the
faces of the two more individuals that I met after we were taken out of the yard towards the
gathering place, after we got out of the basement.
That is to say, this person – the accused was next to and accompanied by the two persons,
one man and one woman. I remember that the other man, not the accused, had a knife in his
hand and as he saw me and my two little girls passing by him, he said that he would enjoy
slaughtering me and my children, my girls. I looked then at those two men and a woman,
the one that was holding a knife said it with pleasure. All three of them were armed and
they wore uniforms. The man who said those words was a fair-haired, freckled man, rather
tall, he had a strong physical constitution. The knife he held in his hand was big, I think it
was a military knife.
I also saw the accused who did not comment what the “fair-haired” said, he was just
watching and you could see that he was satisfied with the conduct and the words of the
person beside him.
The female person that was beside them had a long blond hair, freckles, she was tall,
dressed the same as the accused in an olive-drab colored uniform, she had a knife and a gun
on her belt and a medical aid kit and also a military rucksack with the Red Cross insignia.
That woman did not react but I noticed a smile on her face and a pleasure as a result of the
words of the “fair-haired” that were spoken to me.
These three persons among which the accused was present too, did not escort me or the rest
of the villagers towards the place where we were assembled, at least I did not see it, I did
not see the accused later. 337
You asked me – how I would describe the accused without looking at him, that is, how I
would have described him before I saw him in the assembling centre. This is person that is
short, light-brown hair, but believe me when I say that I remember his face well, it is hard
to describe the facial details, but I am sure that I could not have made a mistake. It is true
that he was more slovenly and untidy – that goes especially for his hair.
I am sure that I would also recognize that man and woman that were together with the
accused if I saw them and I remembered their faces well, I will not forget them.
I repeat that this encounter with the three of them including the accused happened after we
got out of the basement and the yard of the house where we were hiding, it happened
somewhere behind the house where Šegarićs were killed.
There must have been more people, my villagers, around me at that moment, but I really do
not know if anybody saw this detail of the incident that I am describing.
That day in Škabrnja, besides my husband, my mother, father, grandfather and father-in-
law died, and also some other relatives.
The council president establishes the fact that the witness answers all the given questions
quietly, slowly, with a difficulty and obviously with an effort.
When asked a special question she answers:
I remember that the person who threatened me had a cockade on his cap, I do not know
what kind of insignias the accused and that woman had and if they had caps at all.
When asked a question by the lawyer Ivanić, she states:
The name of JOVAN BRANKOVI Ć from Biljani Donji does not mean a thing to me, I
have never heard about that person.
There are no further questions for the witness and the accused objects and states:
It is not true that I was on that day in Škabrnja so this witness could not see me or recognize
me there. I have never met the persons that would fit the descriptions of the man and
woman that witness describes as being in company with me. The description that the
witness gave about the man who was in my company reminds me of M.M. with
wh om I was in the unit in the March of 1993 in Škabrnja, because this M. was
freckle, medium height. I repeat that during the period that is charged upon me I was
either at my home in Biljani or in Islam, I do not know exactly.
The witness is excused.
The council president establishes that all the planned evidences are used so the trial is
adjourned for an unspecified period, and the parties will be informed about the date of the
new trial by letter. The defence attorney of the accused Badžoka suggests that DOJČ ILA
BADŽOKA should be heard in the evidence procedure. DOJ ČILA BADŽOKA, now in
custody in the District prison in Zadar, the villager and the relative of the accused, will give
the evidence related to the circumstances of the accused whereabouts in the period of the
mentioned incidents.
The court reaches a solution
The defence preposition is sustained.
Finished.
Record secretary:
The council president: 338
A NNEX 509:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF S.M. (2)
HEARING EVIDENCE
S.M. will be heard as witness.
Th e witness S.M. warned according to the data on the 55 list, act 315,
Crim inal Law Proceedings, the questioned witness states:
The witness statement is completely identical to her statement given during the
investigation, she specifically explains the following:
thof
Although the tragedy in Škabrnja happened a long time ago, I remember well the 18
November, I remember it all, although it is hard and painful.
Around 7 or 7.30 a.m., the attack on Škabrnja started – first shells. Around noon the
Chetniks and the JNA entered the village.
I was in a basement together with at least 60 persons and the late PETAR PAVI ČIĆ and his
son guarded the basement. Both of them were keeping watch around the house, but of
course they could not defend the basement, they could only inform us on what was going
on.
After 12 o’clock the JNA entered the village and the Chetniks obviously entered it with
them, and soon afterwards the Chetniks and the members of the JNA entered the village on
a massive scale, I can not tell their exact number. They barged into the basement where we
were situated. When I say that I saw the Chetniks and the soldiers, it means that I can tell
the difference between them. The members of the JNA wore the green military uniforms,
and the people I call the Chetniks wore camouflage uniforms and they had black caps on
their heads, their faces were dappled, they wore insignias – 4 “S” on the shoulders or the
insignias of the Serbian army.
When the Chetniks barged into the basement there were at least 60, mostly elderly persons
in it. They were about 50 to 70 years old and some children were there. There was not a
single member of the Croatian army or a member of the National Guard in the basement.
After this “army” barged into the basement, they behaved terribly, it is hard to describe it,
they swore, they insulted us, mistreated us and threatened us. They cursed our mothers
saying they were “Ustasha mothers”, they were shouting that they would kill us, butcher us,
shoot us.
We were immediately forced out of the basement on to the road, and the first thing I saw
were the tanks, I can not tell their number, but there were a lot of them, there were military
transporters, it was interesting to see that during the whole period of our lining up the tanks
had their barrels pointed at us, the old people and the children.
It was hard to figure out, out of the behavior of the Chetniks and the army, who was the
leader of this action and who was in charge, I am positive that besides the persons in
military and camouflage uniforms and the soldiers of the enemy army I did not see any
civilian who would attack us.
Their civilians were no there.
I remember the detail when one JNA officer shouted on a Chetnik on the tank, saying to
him - enough of butchering, you killed enough. It was the officer’s reaction to Chetnik’s 339
words that he was going to kill and butcher us all. I remember that the Chetnik answered
back – they came here to kill.
During the whole period the shooting could be heard in the village, I presume that it was a
bit further away, nearer the village centre.
I saw many of my villagers dead, after I got out of the basement I saw SOKA ROGI Ć, the
ŠEGARIĆ couple, PETAR and NINA PAVI ČIĆ, IVAN RAŽOV and others. They were
lying dead around our basement and even further. They were all older people, they were all
civilians.
I conclude, according to what I saw, that the most of my villagers got killed and murdered
in the same order as they were getting out of the basement or their shelters.
I saw them killing SOKA ROGIĆ and IVICA ŠEGARIĆ.
SOKA came out of our basement all in tears, she begged them not to kill us, and one
Chetnik hit her with a butt-end of a rifle in the head, she fell, the same Chetnik did the same
thing to IVICA ŠEGARI Ć, he pushed him and then shot a whole machine-gun burst at
SOKA and IVICA while they were lying on the floor.
I did not recognize the person I am describing as a Chetnik and that shot at Soka and Ivica,
I never even saw him.
However, among the persons in the military uniforms I recognized the people whom I knew
before. I recognized them while we were standing lined beside the wall or while we were
on the road, going towards the intersection where they gathered us.
I recognized SLAVKO DRA ČA and DAMIR KOVA ČEVIĆ, I knew them both before,
because they used to come at my neighbor, ANTE ROGIĆ’s place to have their car fixed.
Taken from Court record 340
A NNEX 510:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J.K.
OFFICIAL RECORD
Thro ugh an operative wth we obtained the new information connected with the incidents
that happened on the 18 of November 1991 in the village of Škabrnja. By making certain
circumstances clear and by making the present knowledge concrete we contacted the
persons who were the witnesses of these incidents. On the 21 stof February 1992 the two
members of the Croatian army managed to bring J.K. , born in ..., out of
the Škabrn ja. She was kept in custody there all the time. According to her statement -
Škabrnja was set on fire and destroyed. Everything was taken out of the houses, and the hay
is being taken out for some time now. There are a lot of dead cattle around the village. She
heard that in one house in the hamlet of Ivkovi ći the bodies of her killed brother and his
wife are still there. As she managed to hear from some soldiers all together about 130
persons from Škabrnja were killed. They treated her kindly and they brought her some
food. A soldier with a white belt came to her house for the last two days and he threatened
her to kill her if he found her there one more time and he told her it would be better for her
to go towards Prkos (the whole area was mined). She recognized the following persons who
used to go around her house:
- MLADEN CUPAĆ, the son of Đuro, from Biljane Donje
- MLADEN ŠKORIĆ, the son of Đ uro, born in 1956, from Biljane Donje (he
probably worked in Zadar municipality)
th
- VOJIN LAKIĆ, the son of Petar, born on the 7 of June 1928, from Trljuga –
Biljane Donje
She did not recognize the rest of the persons in uniforms and according to her statement
only Chetniks and reservists are now in Škabrnja. 341
A NNEX 511:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J.B.
ZADAR – KNIN POLICE ADMINISTRATION
CRIMI NAL POLICE DEPARTMENT
Zadar, the 11hof August 1995
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made in the offices of the Zadar – “Mocire” Reception centre for the prisoners of war on
the occasion of the conducted informative conversation with J.B. , the son
of the lateL. and V. (born Č.), born on the ...... Biljane
Gornje, permanent address – …, married, father of two children, Serb, the citizen of the
Republic of Croatia, served his time in the army during 1982/1983.
The conversation was led on the 11tof August 1995 and refers to the circumstances of the
engagement in the armed insurrection against the Republic of Croatia as well as to the
circumstances of the criminal offence of the war crimes and terrorism.
In the repeated conversation after it was established that Magneza Pačić from Škabrnja
was seen on the 18thof November 1991 in Škabrnja with another fair-haired, freckled faced
man and wsth a tall strong woman, the mentioned Pavi čić stated that he came to Škabrnja
on the 31 of December and that he was on the position Ražovljeva glavica.
Further on he states that he did not find any of the Croatians in Škabrnja, but that he knows,
that is, he personally saw in the field near the school 32 graves where the killed Croatians
were buried.
The mentioned Pavičić also states that he could not have been recognized by anybody and
he confirms the fact that he was in the company of a fair-haired, freckled man and that that
freckled, blond-haired man is MIRKO TINTOR from Biljane Gornje who is 40 years old.
As far as the fact that he was in company of the certain strong woman is concerned, Pavi čić
denied it. He states that Badžok was mostly in the company of MIRKO TINTOR and
JOVICA VRANKOVIĆ, both from Biljane Gornje.
He further on states that he knows that VRANKOVI Ć’s and TINTOR’s brother died in
Škabrnja, and he thinks it was when they were robbing the Croatian houses. They
supposedly died when they were ambushed and killed with an automatic weapon.
AUTHORIZED OFFICIALS:
Zoran Nonković
Šimun Bozov 342
A NNEX 512:
W ITNESS SATEMENTS OF M.V., Š.V.
POLICE ADMINISTRATION ZADAR
OPERAT IONS SECTION
Zadar, 13 April 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
Drafted on 13 April 1992, at the Police Administration Zadar, based on the informative
interview with M.V. and his wife Š. from Zemunik Gornji, Zadar
mu nicipality.
The interview is in reference to the circumstances of the last events in the village of
Zemunik Gornji. Special attention was paid to their knowledge of the murders of Mrs.
Draginja Stura and her son Božo Stura. They stated the following:
“In the night of 17/18 March 1992, they left their village Zemunik Gornji due to daily
maltreatment, unbearable conditions and fear for their own lives… They further stated that
they had to leave their homes, because of inhuman behavior, maltreatment, and frequent
searches of their houses by the members of the illegal formations of the “SAO Krajina”…
They are familiar with the fact that unknown perpetrators on 11 March 1992 around 6 p.m.,
killed Draginja Stura (age 75) and her son Božo Stura (age 55) in the kitchen of their own
home…
They state that unknown persons came to the village daily, with tractor trailers, rotary hoes,
personal and cargo vehicles, and used those to steal items from houses of Croatian
residents… M. and Š. stated during the interview that ore Guša, son of Jovo and
born in 1967, and a young man by the last name of Dra ča, son of Milica and Božo Dra ča,
came to their house and without exchanging any words removed the television set from
their house. From their neighbor’s Šime Vlasnovi ć, they removed in the same manner a
wood-burning stove…
Record drafted by
Ive Kardum
(signature) 343
A NNEX 513:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF I.B.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF TH E INTERIOR
POLICE ADMINISTRATION SPLIT
POLICE STATION SINJ
No: KU-30/93
Date: 11 February 1993
STATEMENT PROTOCOL
Recorded in the name of the Police station Sinj on 11 February 1993, on the premises of the
Police station Sinj, during the procedure pursuant to Article 151 of the Criminal
Proceedings Act due to reasonable doubt that the following criminal act has been done:
War crime against civilians, Article 142 of the Basic Penal Code of the Republic of Croatia.
Present:
Authorised official: Nenad Sesardić
Recording clerk: the same
Started at: 13h30
Citizen I.B., son of P., occupation: member of home guardsmen, residing in …,
born on .... in …, gave the following statement:
"On 28 February 1993, within the composition of my unit, I was advancing in the morning
hours from the direction of the village of Bitelić towards the dam of the Peru ča
hydroelectric power plant. About 10:00h , I came to about 20 meters from a large curve
near the holiday centre of the company “Dalmatinka”, Sinj. Through the optical sight, I
could see that there was a corpse on the macadam road leading to the shore of the lake, a
few meters from the asphalt road. I assumed that it was Ante or Ivica Buljan, one of my
neighbours and fellow fighters, who went on a mission in this area the night before. I
waited at the place where I was standing about 30 minutes, as I thought that it would be
unwise to advance towards the dam, considering that I was not sure whether there were any
Chetniks at the dam and in the surrounding area.
At one moment, I heard a large explosion from the direction of the dam, I looked in the
direction of the dam of the Peru ča hydroelectric power plant and saw a large flame along
the dam and then a large quantity of smoke. Rocks, earth and base-course from the road
leading over the dam were falling down on the surrounding field some ten meters away
from me. The ground where I was standing was shaking. I looked at the water of the lake
where a wave appeared, the water vibrated for a few minutes and I waited for the water of
the lake to flood the rest of the dam and to rush downwards. 344
The water stilled, and in the silence, I listened the infantry shooting reaching to the other
side of the dam. Detonations stilled and I went to the place where I saw a corpse. When I
came closer, I recognised it; it was my neighbour and fellow-fighter A. B. called
T.. I noticed a shotgun wound on his left hip. His head was blue on his forehead, face and
nose, with a little cut on his lips. I suppose that my friend A. was first shot and that
bruises were caused afterwards, by being beaten on the head with feet by Chetniks. A.P.
from Dicmo was with me, and while I stayed by the corpse, he went to the village
of Jukići to fetch his vehicle. When he came back with the vehicle, we placed the corpse on
the back seat of the vehicle and P.went to the village of Bitulićwith the corpse. I
stayed by the den.
Completed at 16h00.
The citizen read the contents of this record and had no observations, and signed it as his
statement.
Authorised official: Record clerk: Citizen:
Nenad Sesardić the same I.B.
A NNEX 514:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A.B.
A.B., the daughter of J.. I was born on .... in Puljane, Drniš
municipality, where I married and lived. I am a housewife. A Croatian woman. I am
temporarily living in Zagreb, …. I give the following:
STATEMENT
Until the fall of Maslenica, Chetniks used to come to Puljane every day and robbed the
houses of the people who had already fled. On 02 February drunk Chetniks from Ne čven
came to Puljan in the evening. I heard them coming in a tractor. They came to my house
around 03:00 p.m. Around ten of them came to my house. They entered the house and one
of them said: “Give me a rope so I could hang you”. They asked from me German Marks
and I had to give them everything I had. Almost all of the time I was alone in the house and
I slept alone. The following day, after Chetniks were in my house, a neighbour came and
said: ”Your M. is gone, Chetniks killed her, and they also killed MI ĆO PARAĆ”. That
is, they killed my relative M.B. . A few of us gathered and since we saw that
something wasn’t right, we decided to hide.
While we were at the exit of the village we met two “Marti ćevci” and when they asked us
where we were going we answered that in the village there were two people killed and that
we were afraid to be killed. They said that there weren’t only two people killed but eight,
and if we planned to go somewhere we should better go straight ahead, that is, via Miljevci.
So we walked from the morning until the afternoon when we came across our Croatian
soldiers who saw us through binoculars and waited for us. When I came to a free territory I
wasn’t aware because I was very afraid of everything I went through. I spent a year and a
half under the Chetniks’ terror, watched them robbing my belongings anndshooting at the
pictures of my grandchildren. I was the most desperate when they, on 2 February 1993,
took the ring off my hand, the gift of my late husband and took it away with them.
When I wanted to go working in the vineyard I couldn’t do it because Chetniks would start
shooting. “Martićevci” (blue) and “Eagles” (camouflage) used to come to Puljane. After, on 345
2 February 1993, the camouflage ones molested me, “Marti ćevci” came and asked me if I
wanted to leave Puljane because they were willing to organize the leaving for us. I said I
sure wanted to leave Puljane because the camouflaged ones were unbearable. However, I
didn’t wait for the police from Knin to move us out, but, as a already said, I had to run
away from the knife. In Šibenik I heard who were the rest 6 of the butchered: KAJA
PARAĆ, IVICA and ANA BRAČIĆ, PAVO and ANA PARAĆ, and KRSTO BRAČIĆ.
Zagreb, 17 November 1993.
A NNEX 515:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A.B.
ŠIBENIK POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DRNIŠ POLI CE STATION III
Number: 511-13-30- /97.
Date: Drniš, 08 July 1997
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made At the accommodation of the Drniš police station III after the informative
conversation conducted with A.B., the son of P., born on .... in
Žitnić,Drniš municipality. Permanent address: ......, Drniš municipality. A Croat.
Retired.
He stated that before the war and the aggresion on the Republic of Croatia, he lived in his
family house in the village of Žitnić , Drniš municipality, and that he was, almost daily,
molested by Chetniks, so, on 25 January 1994, he was beaten by Chetniks, and wounded in
the left arm, in the area of the fist, from an automatic rifle fired by two “NN” Chetniks. As
a consequence he has a 50% of invalidity.
Further on, A.B. states that the remaining Croatian villagers were molested in
different ways almost daily. So he states that a group of approximately 10 people set the
houses of the following people on fire: Ivan Barišć, the son of the late Ivan, and Josip
Barišić, the son of the late Josip. Before they burnt the houses they had stolen everything
that could be removed from the houses. After that the same group burnt the house of
Zvonko Barišić, the son of the late Ivan, and the house of Velka Bariši ć, the wife of the late
Mile, as well as a farming object of Ivan Barišć, the son of the late Ivan. A.B. ,
further on, states that Ante Mujan is the son of Ante, born on 01 April 1943 in Žitni ć, Drniš
municipality, where he lived. He is a Croat who was taken away from his family house in
Žinić, and was locked up in a hospital in Knin, and after daily molesting and physical
torturing he died in the prison in Knin.
Authorized official:
Dinko Strunje
(signature) 346
A NNEX 516:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF J.B.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF TH E INTERIOR
…
Date: Šibenik, 14 April 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
On 13 April 1992 an informative conversation was conducted with J. B., called
“I.”. He is a garage mechanic, and he worked in the “B. Žunić” bn Knin as a civil
officil.
J. states that the engineer corps and other war mechanization which came from Sinj to
Knin was transferred to Bosansko Grahovo near saw-mill, and the war technique which
came to Knin from Zadar and Šibenik was transferred to Drvar. He states that at the time he
worked there the barracks “B. Žuni ć” had twenty-four T-35 tanks, 25 vehicles (cranes and
cab units), and 18 personnel carriers. Since the most of it were out of order a group of
mechanics from Čačak came to fix it.
PETAR GAMBIROŽA called “Željko” organized numerous robberies in the village of
Vrpolje, SO Knin.
MILE VUČKOVIĆ called “Čarapan” would bring Chetniks to Vrpolje and show them the
houses of those Croats whome they planed to rob and those whom they planed to force out
of the village.
DRAGO KUKOLJ and VELIMIR BIBI Ć called “Vele” robbed numerous Croatian houses
in the Drniš area after the occupation of that territory by the JNA.
Operative official:
Siniša Jurić 347
A NNEX 517:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF K.S.*
K.S., daughter of … (a father), born in Medvi đa, 30 years ol d, occupation: a
housewi fe, a resident of …, gives the following:
STATEMENT
I remember the day when the late I.M. was killed. I was baking bread at around 6pm
inthe old house – a dry kiln - and a mother of my husband … - M. M. was in the
other house – the house that we lived in – together with my four children. At one moment
four chetniks, wearing mottled military uniforms, armed with automatic guns and having
their heads and faces covered with caps and kerchiefs so I wouldn’t recognize them, entered
that dry kiln. Despite that I recognized Duje Škorić, Božo Milanko, Bora Milanko and
Siniša Bogunović, because they were all from my village. I went to the school at the same
time as Božo Milanko. When they entered the house, they closed the door behind them and
they asked me where my husband was and where weapons were hidden. I told them that my
husband left and that I didn’t know his whereabouts, as for the weapons I told them that I
didn’t have any. Then they started battering me, pushing me, they threatened to kill me, to
broil me alive on the fire and to rape me. They started pushing me and touching me, and in
one moment they threw me on the ground in order to rape me, but I defended myself and
resisted them. Božo Milanko was the most persistent one during that molestation and the
attempting of a rape. It has to be said that I saw only those four men that I have already
mentioned and that one or two would come out by turns from the house where they locked
me up and some of them would stay inside. As I was resisting and shouting, Duje Škori ć
together someone else (whom I didn’t recognize ) entered that house at some point and they
told Božo to let me go. They also said to me that they would take me to their house, that I
would be better of with them than with some Croat and so on. This maltreatment was going
on for about 1 hour. They locked me up there and then they left. A short time after they
were gone ( maybe 2 or 3 minutes ), I heard two machine-gun bursts and I later saw that
I.M. was killed on the street.
My ho use and I.’s house are placed near by a road. My house is on a one side and I. ’s
house is on the other side of the road. When you ask me how it was possible that those
shots were fired 2 or 3 minutes after those chetniks left my house, I can say that they were
going in and out by turns and that those who went out from my house stopped Ivan on the
road. At the same time the others stayed with me and they maltreated me. Siniša Bogunovi ć
and Bora Milanko stayed in the house and the others (above mentioned) were outside and
they were the only ones who could stop the late I.. After Siniša Bogunovi ć and B ora
Milank o had left the house, I heard gunshots 2 or 3 minutes later.
All of that happened on February 3rd1993. Inhabitants stayed in our village for 17 days and
after that we decided to leave the village because of fear and constant maltreatement.Their
police placed us in a school at Vrpolje near Knin. On one occasion they summoned us to
the court and told us that we had nothing to fear and that we had to tell them who had killed
I.M.. Me, my husband … and a wife of the late I.M. were also summoned. We
told them what I am telling you now. Legal proceedings concerning the murder of I.M.
against Duje Škorić and Boško Milanko were instituted in the court in Knin. 348
About other criminal offences that you show me, from the decision concerning the carrying
out an investigation, I know that those criminal offences were committed, but I don’t know
who participated in them.
I have nothing else to state.
I will not read minutes because I listened to a dictation. “
Completed at 10,30am.
ANNEX 518:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF D.R.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
Šibenik Police Departmen
Operative jobs section
NothKU-1158/92.DJ/BJ
16 October 1992
MINUTES ON TAKING THE STATEMENT
th
Made in behalf of Šibenik Police Department on 16ober 1992 at the Section.
Began at 11.30 hrs.
D.(M.)R.
Occupation: policeman
Address: ...
Born on .... Slunj
…
On 15 tOctober 1991, I got a task from Chief of Slunj Police Department Ivanć, to
search the territory in the village Vaganac, municipality of Titova Korenica, and, together
with two priests and two nuns, and in arrangement with the members of the ex-Yugoslav
Army, go through the village to find the dead older female persons who were supposed to
be buried at the local cemetery.
…
… after that we went towards Slunj, but on a pass we were stopped by the members of the
police of the “SAO Krajina”, who searched the cars and us and after that we were all taken
to the Police Station in Korenica. In front of the Police station, we were physically
molested by civilians, and M.L. and N.N. wbeaten a lot.
…
I had to, under a death threat, kiss the boots of a policeman of “SAO Krajina” police (I did
not remember his name). I spent six months in the prison in Korenica, without any
resolution on keeping or being in custody, but I was physically and psychologically
molested.
… 349
Since I was giving food to the prisoners, and under them I mean those of the Serbian
nationality, I know that certain Travica and Slobodan Kovač ević were captured because of
the murder of Croats, that is, a married couple and two children, and they were released in
September 1992.
…
Done at 12.30 hrs.
Authorized official person: Damir Juričev
Recording secretary: Jadranka Baraka
Statement was given by: D.R.
ANNEX 519:
W ITNESS SATEMENTS OF A.B., M.B.
KU- /92
th
Šibenik, the 4of September 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on the 26 tof May 1992 on the occasion of the conducted informative conversation
with A.B., wife of P., born on the ..... in Širitovci,
w here she lves and with M.B. , wife of M., born in .... in Širitovci,
wh ere se lives and connected with the circumstances of the incidents in Širitovci.
They state in the informative conversation that after the fall of Drniš, the Chetniks and the
army occupied Širitovci.
As the time went by, the abuse and the threats intensified and so they were forced to ran
away from the houses and to sleep in the woods, while the Chetniks stole the property
around the village and they took everything they liked and they burnt the rest of the things.
After they came, the Chetniks threatened to kill them all and in that way they forced them
out of the village and they would take and beat heavily the ones who opposed them.
Authorized official:
Ivan Perišić
(signature)
Slavko Miličić 350
ANNEX 520:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF G.B.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF TH E INTERIOR
SPLIT POLICE ADMINISTRATION
TROGIR POLICE STATION
Number: KU- /92
Date: Trogir, 5 June 1992
RECORD OF A STATEMENT TAKING
Made on the behalf of the Trogir police station on 5 June 1992 at the accommodation of the
Trogir police station.
Authorized official: Branimir Topić
Recording secretary: Divna Mamić
Beginning at 9:50 a.m.
Citizen G.B., the son of P., was born on .... i. He is an
economist-high school education. Lives in …
On 20 November 1991, in the morning, around 8:00 a.m., army burst into the village.
Shortly after they arrested me, my brother, and 13 more villagers (men), because, as they
said, they had to take us for a conversation. On the same day, around 1:00 p.m., we were
brought to Knin, and placed in the “Božo Žunić” military barracks, later on renamed “South
camp”.
For the first three days we were lying on concrete, that is, on an old wet carpet and
tarpaulin of a truck, which was also mouldy and wet. At the beginning they would burst
into the room, threatened with weapons, shooting, provoked and beat even an old man, 85
years old. They psychologically molested people so that they even forced a Croat to beat
another Croat. During a month, as we stayed in there, the food was bad, and there wasn’t
enough of it (2 to 3 spoons), and they put too much salt in it. Whether they would give us
some water depended on the mood of a guard. Once we didn’t get any water for a full two
days.
Anybody, whenever he wanted, any time of a day or night, could enter our room and beat
us however he wanted. The things were like that for two or three months. That could even
be a civilian. While we were in the military barracks 5 civilians died of collapse, bad living
conditions, and the lack of medical help. A civilian called Ante Mujan, from the village of
Žitnić, 45 years old, died there of consequences of beating. Quite often there were the cases
of mutilation. Once, for example, they cut off the ear of a man callafter a failed
exchange. They beat us with everything-chains, broomsticks, bags full with sand, batons,
sticks, and other different objects.
Finished at 10:35 a.m.
Authorized official: Recording secretary: Citizen
Branimir Topić amiivna ć G. B.
(signatre) (signature) (signature) 351
ANNEX 521:
W ITNESSSTATEMENT OF M.M.*
ŠIBENIK-KNIN POLICE STATION
RD
3 POLICE STATION DRNIŠ
No: 511-13-30
Drniš, 20 April 1998 OFFICIAL RECORD
The record was composed in the offices of the 3ice station Drniš after the interview
with M.M., maiden name …, born on … in Otavice, Ruži ć muniality, resides
in …, a Croat by nationality, a Croatian citizen. She was interviewed in the connection with
physical maltreatment of her husband, M.M.*, son of …, born …
…M. states that her entire family underwent terrible physical and psychological
maltreatments every day. As an example she stated that on 23 December 1991, 6 or 7
Chetniks carrying automatic rifles came to her family house and brutally beat her husband
M. with gunstocks, legs, fists, and the other objects they could find at hand. Her husband
was all covered with blood. While he was beaten, one Chetnik kept a rifle pointed at his
belly and said that he would kill him, slaughter him, if M. moved.
…M.M. stated that that night, her husband suffered severe physical injuries,
suffusions all over the body, as well as the fracture of the right arm…
…M.M. stated that the same night when her husband M. was beaten, she also
was physically assaulted (beaten) and later raped...
Authorized official
Dinko Strunje
ANNEX 522:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF A.M.
Statement code: milj 59
SECOND NAME: M.
FIRST NAME, FATHER’S NAME: A., J.
DATE OF BIRTH: .....
RESIDENCE: Mratovo-Oklaj
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE: …
QUALIFICATION:
PROFESSION: miner
EMPLOYMENT:
MARITAL STATUS: married
CITIZENSHIP: Republic of Croatia
NATIONALITY: Croat
I am giving the following STATEMENT:
They invaded the village on 22 January 1993. They were there all the time driving through
the village. We were under seizure. There were many Croats before that in the village.
They conducted massacres in the village of Razvo đe, and later, in Puljane, 10 or 11 people
were killed. In Mratovo they killed 2 people. They were all civilians. They were killed
because they thought civilians were not worth living. I went to Miljevci to a doctor of the 352
Croatian Army. There, I saw Šešelj’s people. They entered houses and plundered. They
went into the house and then in the cellar. There was around 200 kg of corn. There was also
one smoked ham, which they did not see, but it hung there. I could not leave the house,
because they would have destroyed everything. When they saw the ham, one of them
asked: “Old man, what do you need this for?” and waved his hand. Then another one asked:
“Shall we eat it?” I said: “I cannot say, but you better do not”. They took it down and I sat
by the window. They put down their guns and sat down to eat. Then one of them said:” Old
man, we know what you think of us”. I said: “Me, I have nothing to think of you. It would
be nice if you came next year again, but without your guns. So we can live as we lived
before, like humans”. The one said: “You are right, old man”. When I went out, he asked
me: “How do you cross yourself?” I said: “You want me to tell you how I cross myself? If
it counts this way, it also counts the other way”. Two of them sat by the window and ate.
One of them asked me again:” Old man, how are you doing?” and I said: “It goes the way it
goes. We are all rather miserable. There are humans and non-humans on both sides. “
They did not beat me, but Šešelj’s people threatened that they would kill me. We had a
garage across the street with two or three cars in it. They plundered there, took off all the
car pieces, and took it away. While they were doing so, we were not allowed to come close
to the garage. They took my neighbor D.M.’s car.
The three of us were sitting and watching them. A moment later I said: “Let’s go into the
house, they could take their guns and start firing. What then?” So, we went into the house,
and they plundered in the village. They took everything out of my garage, but they did not
touch the rest while I was there. They did not plunder those houses where somebody was
still in.
In my neighborhood only one house and the garage next to it was burned. It was Šime
Džapo’s house. We could not leave the houses, because if we left, they would plunder
them. Later they killed two men and two women. It was 22 or 23 January 1993, and they
were thrown into a well.
The Vučić family went to bury their grandfather. When they returned home, they found
their house plundered. They kept saying: “Who stays in their house, his house will not be
plundered”.
Not far from my house, they slaughtered Petar Džaja. He chased back his cattle from the
pasture. The animals saw that somebody was in the yard and ran off. Petar could not see it
because he was blind.
If there had not been two men from Knin, I do not know how else I would have gotten out.
The night we were supposed to go out, all became complicated, so I could go nowhere.
They said: “We did not use any bullet for the one last night, so we won’t use it on you
either. Out of four kills, you will be one of them.” He sat there and drank wine. Later he
said: “I have been in Petrovo Polje for seven months. I will not let this go, because it is
Serbian territory. I come from the area around Knin. I asked him: “Which place?” He said:
”From Oton”. Then I asked: “Is the church in Knin still standing?” He said: “Yes, it is. I
used to sit in front of it”.
When our people left, there was everything in the village, because the people were working.
Later they took everything out of the houses. The one who wanted to kill me had no family;
so one could not condemn him. 353
Before we left, soldiers came to the house and said:” If you want to, you can go to Knin to
our place”. They did not force us, but simply said: “If you want to go beyond Miljevci, you
can go this and this way”. And so, we took off.
In Zagreb, 28 February 1994
A NNEX 523:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF Z.B.
ŠIBENIK POLICE DEPARTMENT
Criminalist police Section
Šibenik, 05tAugust 1995
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM
th
made on 5 August 1995, on the occasion of the interview held with Z.B. , maiden
name B., daughter of late D. and late V. , maiden name K. ; born
on ....n Zažvić, address: Čista Mala
(…)
The interview was held about the circumstances of her knowledge about the then occupied
area of Čista Mala and the surroundings.
(…)
After the ex-Yugo Army and the local reserve, who came with the army, came, the people
of Čista Mala and the surroundings, where the people of Croatian nationality lived, ran
away from fear, while at the same time the mentioned started to destroy the property of the
Croats. She states that she knows about the story that went through the village that Nikola
Škarić was killed and then burned together with his house in Čista Velika, and then he was
buried at the cemetery of Čista Velika by a man she knew. Furthermore, as far as she can
remember, at the same time a woman was killed, slaughtered in Čista Velika, but she is not
sure about her name.
The members of the reserve of the former Yugoslav Army from Bosnia and Herzegovina
and Bukovica, continued to destroy the property of Croats, and before that they would take
everything, that is rob everything that could be taken and taking it in the direction of
Bukovica.
(…)
Furthermore she states that she has forgotten to mention that St. Ana’s Church inČista
Velika was completely burnt and destroyed, and which was done at the very beginning of
the armed clashes.
Authorized person:
Ivan Perišić 354
ANNEX 524:
W ITNESS SATEMENTS OF F.Đ., V.R.
POLICE DEPARTMENT DUBROVNIK
511-03-02- No:________/92
Dubrovnik, 19 March 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
On 19 March 1992, an informative interview was conducted with V.R. , son of
the ate L., born on .... in Mr čevo, where he also lives, who was captured
by the aggressor army on 7 November in Mr čevo and taken to the camp in Bile ća on 25
December 1991.
On 7 November 1991, V.R. set out together with F.Đ. from Orašac to
Mrčevo in order to look up my farming estate. At the bus station in Mrč evo, they met the
aggressor soldiers, who forced them into a car and covered them with a poncho so they
could not see where they were driving. (...) They brought them to the village Zavala, and
when they were coming out of the car, they started beating them with police sticks and feet.
The same night, they locked them into a barn. Also locked in the barn were M. and I.
from Kijev Dol and the sister and wife of I.D. . When they brought them to the barn,
they took R. to an officer who started interrogating him, physically abusing him. After
the inerrogation, several guards started beating, throwing him on the floor and beating him
with a gunstock. One of the guards hit him with a pistol into his kidneys and he started
bleeding, and according to the medical report his kidney was damaged.
On 8 November 1991, they were taken to Bile ća in a truck. Captain Dragan was driving,
who stopped the truck every 10 minutes and beat all seven of them who were in the truck
with a police stick. In Bile ća, Captain Dragan handed them over to the military police
saying: "Here are the Ustasha butchers, keep them in the investigation prison for eight
days." They were at the investigation prison for seven days and nights and their hands were
tied with chains to the legs of the bed all the time. The guards came every 2 to 3 hours and
beat them with police sticks all over the bodies. They forced them to sing Chetnik songs.
One of the guards burned R.’s mustache with a lighter.
(...)
All te time spent in the prison, the captives were physically abused in the most brutal way.
They were forced to sing Chetnik songs. Many of them suffered permanent injuries due to
beating. V.R. possesses medical documentation saying that he has permanent
injuries de to beating.
OFFICIAL:
Damir Poljanić
(Signature) 355
A NNEX 525:
W ITNESS SATEMENT OF M.Š.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF TH E INTERIOR
POLICE DEPARTMENT ISTRA
VII POLICE STATION PAZIN
Number. 511-08-40/3-VT-23/95
Pazin, 1 July 1995
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made in the premises of this Police Station on the informative interview with M.Š,
born on .... in Pazin, residence in Pazin, ...,.
electrician by occupation, works at the Croatian Post and Telecommunications (HPT) in
Pazin, Croat by nationality, not married, in connection with his time of service in the
former JNA in 1990/91.
(...)
M. then also said that as far as he could remember he started going on the terrain in
September 1991, to Kupari near Dubrovnik. They would go with trucks (fifteen trucks).
There they would take anything that was movable from the hotels, of which he does not
remember the names, and take it to Bile ća. Some of the hotels were damaged, and
according to M. these damages were caused by shelling. Besides hotels they would
also "clean" houses, but he does not know the owners of these houses.
That he also saw Serb volunteers in JNA uniforms. M. further states that he does not
know any of the officers, who were in charge of the cleaning, by name. The officers had
only said that the JNA had destroyed these objects because Croatian nationalists were
staying inside them. They would go to Kupari on a daily basis. They would leave in the
morning hours with empty trucks, and return in the evening with full trucks. This lasted for
approximately two weeks.
(...)
M. further states that on 5 December 1991, he finished his training and that he received
the rank of sergeant and was immediately transferred to Trebinje, to a labour unit. He was
stationed at the barracks VP 6143/1 "R"-5 in Trebinje.
After he arrived in Trebinje, all discipline disappeared. Everything came down to wilful
behaviour, especially of the senior officers. That was the first time he saw officers with
cockades and beards, who were drinking alcohol the entire time. There were also many
women among these persons.
He was the commander of the newly arrived soldiers. He was teaching a private first class
course for younger soldiers. He was the only Croat among the 60-70 soldiers. All others
were Serbs or Montenegrins. The newly arrived soldiers were Greater Serbian oriented and
were eager to leave to the front.
(...) 356
9. RADE RADOJČIĆ - Novi Sad, Pariške komune 28, Serb who was fguarding and beating
the prisoners in Bileća.
(...)
OFFICIAL
Dorijana Gregorović
(Signature)
A NNEX 526:
W ITNESS SATEMENTS OF I.B., Đ.B.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
POLICE DEPARTMENT DUBROVNIK
Number: 511-03-03-"KU" 1128/92-2/14
Dubrovnik, 23 November 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
On 5 November 1992, the officials of the Police Department Dubrovnik visited the village
of Kuna (Konavoska) and conducted an informative interview with I. anĐ.B .
in connection with the occupation of the village by the so-called JNA and on the behaviour
of the aggressor soldiers during the occupation of the village.
(...)
On 30 June 19992 in the village of Orah, above the village of Kuna, the aggressor's soldiers
arrested OBRAD JAKO, son of Ðuro and Stana, born on 24 June 19666 in Kuna where he
also lived, and took him in the direction of Grab in the area of the Municipality Trebinje.
On 20 July 1992 members of the International Red Cross accompanied by the aggressor
soldiers brought the dead body of Obrad Jako to the village with the official explanation
that on 9 July 1992 he had committed suicide by hanging himself.
(...)
... he saw Ð.B. from Kuna who was also hiding in the hills.
(...)
OFFICI ALS:
Stjepan Kušen
(Signature)
Mile Zorić
(Signature) 357
MILITARY DOCUMENTS358 359
ANNEX 527:
SSNO, H EADQUARTERS OF THE ARMED ORFES OF THE SFRY, A DMINISTRATION , N .
1487-17/89 F ROM 15 M AY 1990, O RDER ,
NATIONAL DEFENCE
STATE CLASSIFIED
DOCUMENT
“UNITY 3”
According to the attitudes and the tasks of the Federal Secretary for National Defence, at
the conference of the Military Council on 27 April 1990, and in connection with the
organization-formation reinforcement of the JNA in terms of the plan “Unity 3”, I issue the
following
ORDER
st th
1. In the 1 Military Region, the 10 Motorized Brigade must be classified from “B”
to “A” classification with the following composition:
- the Command, Communications Platoon, 1 stMotorized Battalion,
Mechanized Battalion, Armored Battalion, and the Military Police
Company “A”;
- the Rear Base and the Command of the Headquarters classified “B”
nd
- 2 Motorized Battalion, Howitzer Division, Mixed Anti-armored
Artillery Division, Light Artillery Division of the Anti-Aircraft, Engineer
Battalion, “ic”, “CV” (Communications Platoon “A”), platoon of the
ABHO classified “R”. In the Engineer Battalion, there should be one
company classified “A”.
The personnel and the technical equipment for the Mechanized and Armored Battalion will
st th
be provided by the 1 Military Region: the Mechanized Battalion from the 506 Infantry
Brigade Zrenjanin, without the tank company, and the Armored Battalion from the
395Motorized Brigade Brčko.
The accommodation of the battalion must be secured in the garrison Mostar.
The task must be completed by 31 May 1990.
th
The 329 Armored Brigade – Banja Luka must be reorganized from classified “B” to
classified “A” with the following composition:
st nd
- the Command, the Command of the Headquarters, “ic”, 1 and 2
Armored Battalion, Mechanized Battalion, Howitzer Division, Light
Artillery Division of the Anti-Aircraft and the Rear Base classified “A”;
rd
- 3 Armored Battalion, Engineer Battalion (Company “A”),
Communications Company (Communications Platoon “A”), Military
Police Company, “VABHO” classified “R” 360
The 2 nd Armored Battalion must be established in the garrison Derventa. The technical
th
equipment is to be taken from the 327 Motorized Brigade, and the personnel from the own
composition.
2. In the Naval Territory, (9 thCorps Knin), the 221 stMotorized Brigade must be
classified “B” according to the following:
st
- the Command, 1 Motorized Battalion, Mechanized Battalion, Armored
Battalion and the Communications Platoon classified “B”;
- the Rear Base and the Command of the Headquarters classified “B”
nd
- 2 Mechanized Battalion, Howitzer Division, Mixed Anti-armored
Artillery Division, Light Artillery Division of the Anti-Aircraft, Engineer
Battalion (with one Company classified “A”), Company of the Military
Police, “ic”, Communications Company (Communications Platoon “A”)
and “VABHO” classified “R”.
The personnel for the formation of the Armored Battalion is to be provided by the first
Military Region, and for the formation of the Mechanized Brigade the Naval Territory from
the Mechanized Battalion of the 139 thMotorized Brigade – Pula.
The technical equipment for the formation of the Mechanized and Armored Battalion is to
st th
be provided by the 1 and 5 Military Region according to the distribution order of the
Command of the Armored-Mechanized Units – Appendix No. 1.
The technical equipment is to be distributed in the garrisons Benkovac and Knin by 10 June
1990.
The accommodation of the Armored Battalion is to be secured in the garrison Benkovac.
Unit formation must be completed by 20 June 1990.
3. In the 5 thMilitary Region, the defence of the city of Zagreb must be disbanded,
while the 10 thCorps must be established, with the following composition:
th th rd
- Command, 4 Armored Brigade, 140 Mechanized Brigade, 123
“pontb” classified “A”. A body for garrison work must be included in the
Command of the 10 thCorps.
- Command of the Headquarters classified “B”
nd th
- 622 Motorized Brigade (with a Mechanized Battalion “A”), 257
Motorized Brigade, 6 thMixed Artillery Regiment, 6 thMixed Anti-
th
armored Artilthry Regiment, 613 Ligst Artillery Regstent of thndAnti-
Aircraft, 10 Engineer Regiment, 671 “pontb”, 151 and 152 “ppoab”,
“bvp” (with a Company classified “A”), “ic”, “CABHO”, Department for
report on the situation in the air, Communications Battalion (with a
Company classified “A”), Vehicle Company, 60 thMedical Company,
Military Court and the Judge Advocate’s Office II classified “R”.
The testing site for the training of the soldiers and the officers “SVETICE” and the artillery
range “Vrapčanski potok” must be incorporated in the composition of the 10 th Corps.
The accommodation of the 10 thCorps is to be secured in the building of the Command of
the defence of Zagreb. 361
The Republican Headquarters of the Territorial defence of the Socialist Republic of Croatia
has to organize Local Headquarters for the duties of commanding the units of the Territorial th
Defence in Zagreb, and its accommodation will be regulated by the Command of the 5
Military Region.
th th
The 140 Motorized Brigade classified “B” has to be reorganized into 140 Mechanized
Brigade classified “A” with the following composition:
- Command, Command of the Headquarters, “ic”, Communications
Company, 1 stand 2 ndMechanized Battalion, 1 stArmored Battalion,
Howitzer Division 120mm, Rear base classified “A”
nd
- 2 Armored Battalion, Light Artillery Division of the Anti-Aircraft,
Engineer Battalion, Mixed Anti-armored Artillery Division, Company of
the Military Police and a Platoon “ABHO” classified “R”
The brigade has to be assigned in the garrisons Zagreb and Dugo Selo.
th
The personnel for the formation of the 140 Mechanized Brigade is to be provided by the
Command of the 5 thMilitary Region from its own composition.
The 2 ndMechanized Battalion classified “A” from the garrison Dugo Selo will leave the
nd th nd
32 Mechanized Brigade and join the 140 Mechanized Brigade, while the 2 Mechanized
Battalion classified “R” from Varazdin will leave the 31 stMechanized Brigade and join the
nd nd
32 Mechanized Brigade as 2 Mechanized Battalion classified “A”
st
The 31 Mechanized Brigade classified “R” from Dugo Selo has to be disbanded both in
peace- and wartime, while the technical equipment will be given to the 140 thMechanized
Brigade Zagreb.
th
The 4 Armored Brigade from Jastrebarsko has to be reorganized, according to the new
formation, from classified “B” into classified “A” with the following composition:
- Command, Command of the Headquarters, 1 stand 2 ndArmored Battalion,
Mechanized battalion, Mixed Artillery Division, Light Artillery Division,
“ic” and the Rear Base classified “A”;
- 3 rdArmored Battalion, Engineer Battalion, Communications Company
(Communication Platoon “A”), Platoon of the Military Police and
“VABHO” classified “R”
The Mechanized Battalion has to be reassigned to the garrison Karlovac.
The formation of the Corps has to be completed by the end of June 1990.
4. III. Headquarters Command of the Armed Forces, on the basis of the proposal of
th
the Command of the 5 Military Region, the Commands of the Armored-
Mechanized Units and the Commands of the Engineering will assign the newly
established and reorganized units.
5. The Commands of the Military regions will hand over reports on the establishment
and reorganization of the units as prescribed by this order.
Appendix:
Order for Reassignment by the
Command of the Armored-Mechanized Units 362
CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE SFRY
Lieutenant General Blagoje Adžić
A NNEX 528:
TH
THE COMMAND OF THE 9 CORPS , D -1-4, 5 AIL1991, TO THEC OMMAND OF THE
BVP , ODER OF DEFENSE O . N . 1,
COMMAND OF THE 9TH CORPS
5 April 1991
NATIONAL DEFENCE
STATE CLASS. DOC.
URGENT
TO THE COMMAND OF THE 9 TH“bVP”
ORDER FOR THE DEFENCE Op No. 1
Sections 1:100,000 Zadar, Gračac, T. Drvar, Glamoč, Biograd na moru, Šibenik, Split, Sinj
th
1. In the responsibility zone of the 9ps, a attack of the special forces of the
Ministry of the Interior (MUP) of Croatia is to be expected, of a total of 3,000
members, with the purpose of establishing the elected government and the
constitutional system of the Republic Croatia.
The main forces are to be expected at the stretches Split-Sinj-Vrlika-Knin and
Šibenik-Drniš-Knin, and the supplementary forces at the stretches Biograd-
Benkovac and Zadar-Obrovac.
(…)
4. I have decided to organize the defence of the municipalities Knin, Benkovac and
Obrovac with all available forces and the reinforcement of the Corps, with the
purpose to, together with the 8l Region and the 5 Military Region, prevent
the breakthrough of the forces of the MUP at the stretches from the broader area of
Zadar, Biograd na moru, Šibenik, and Sinj to Knin, Benkovac and Obrovac.
(…)
Written by Typed by COMMANDER
Colonel Ljubica Baša Lieutenant Colonel General
Ivan Mijatov Tomislav Trajčevski 363
ANNEX 529:
T HEC ONVERSATION BETWEEN G ENERAL R ATKO M LADIĆ,THE COMMANDER OF
SERBIAN ARMY ,ND G ENERAL M ILEN OVAKOVIĆ ,HE COMMANDER OF THE
“R EPUBLIC OFSRPSKA K RAJINA” ARMY
Novaković: They have grouped seriously.
Mladić: Do you still keep the dam?
Novaković: We do, we do.
Mladić: Then, blow it up, fuck, you do not need it.
Novaković: Fuck the mother, I do not know, we are scared that they would attack us.
Mladić: Let them attack, and then we go to beat Zagreb.
Novaković: The chiefs have just left, they had agreed about the way, about it.
Mladić: If they did not stop, blow it up, they will no longer desire to move on.
Novaković: They are making a great pressure over there, on the main direction.
Mladić: Where?
Novaković: From Zadar, and toward Jova Dopuđa.
Mladić: Is it so?
Novaković: Yes, they are bringing the strong forces during night, and this morning and
afternoon from Slavonia and Zagorje, but we are fine, we are strong, we got a lot of
experienced fighters.
Mladić: I know that. How are the things going on in Ravni Kotari?
Novaković: I hope today we will be there where we were before.
Mladić: In every place?
Novaković: Yes, and Jovo Dopuđa too, we are working on that, I think we will make it.
Mladić: Do you?
Novaković: Yes, we are well organized.
Mladić: Well done.
Novaković: We are attacking strongly.
Mladić: That is important.
Novaković: Do not fear. We are also glad when our people and fighters hear about General
Mladić then everything goes right.
Mladić: Say hello everyone and move on, do not let your people die around the dam, if they
attack blow it up and get done with it.
Novaković: That is how we agreed.
Mladić: Hail
Novaković: Hail, mister General.
Mladić: Say hello to everyone.
Novaković: I will, thank you.
Note: General Ratko Mladi ć was probably somewhere in the area of Banja Luka and
General Mile Novaković in the area of Knin. 364
ANNEX 530:
O RDER N .24-175 OF THE PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION CHIEF OF SSNO F ROM 20
S EPTEMBER 1991
Subject: excerpt
MILITARY TOP SECRET
CONFIDENTIAL
TO THE HEADQUARTERS OF
THE SERBIAN AUTONOMOUS
REGION OF KRAJINA
COMMAND No 24-175
OF THE HEAD OF THE PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT
OF THE FEDERAL SECRETARIAT FOR
NATIONAL DEFENCE
20 September 1991
th
According to the 18Article of the Order defining the Authority and Authorization of the
Senior Officers for settling Affairs among Armed Forces Service members (“Službeni vojni
list “ – “The Official Military Herald” – No. 5/87), and according to the 271 the
Law on Armed Forces Service (“Službeni list SFRJ” – “The Official SFRY Herald”, No.
7/85, 20/89, 40/89, and 26/90)
ARE DIRECTED
TO THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE TERRITORIAL DEFENCE OF THE SERBIAN
AUTONOMOUS REGION KRAJINA
to the garrison in Knin
DUŠAN Obrad KASUM, Communications Colonel,
personal VES (Military Drafting Competence) 31840, born on 19ary 1938.
Now according to MF: on duty in I Department of GS OS SFRY (SFRY Armed Forces
HQ); FČ (formation rank) Colonel, PG 8 since 3 January 1991, garrison in Belgrade
RADOSLAV Slavomir MAKSIĆ, Infantry Colonel,
personal VES 31140, born on 27 August 1939.
st
Now according to MF: on duty at the defence Commands for the city of Belgrade of 1
Military Territory, formation rank Colonel, PG 8 since 31 August 1988, garrison in
Belgrade
MILOŠ Božo PUPOVAC, Artillery Colonel,
personal VES 31240, born on 28 December 1935.
Now according to MF: on duty at the Defence Commands for the city of Belgrade of 1
Military Territory, PG 7 since 26 May 1988, garrison in Belgrade
ALEKSANDAR Dragomir VULETIĆ, Communications Lieutenant Colonel,
personal VES 31839, born on 6 July 1944. 365
Now according to MF: on duty as Deputy Chief of Staff OS (Armed Forces) SFRY for the
electronics and communications, F Č (formation rank) Lieutenant Colonel, PG 11 since 30
June 1990, garrison in Belgrade.
DUŠAN Stevan KOROLIJA, Captain First Class of the technical Service KoV (land
forces), personal VES 32157,
born on 26 November 1956.
Now according to MF: on duty in Technical department SSNO (Fed. Dept. for National
Defence), FC (formation rank) Captain First Class, PG 15 since 27 August 1990, garrison
in Belgrade.
VESELKO Petar PAMUČAR, Communications Second Lieutenant,
personal VES 31888, born on 2 April 1959.
Now according to MF: on duty in 398 tCommunications Brigade as a Deputy Chief of
Staff OS (Armed Forces) SFRY for electronics and communications, FC (formation rank)
Second Lieutenant, PG 19 since 20 July 1991, garrison in Belgrade.
SIMEUN Tomo ĆUTURIĆ, Communications Captain First Class,
personal VES 31801, born on 19 May 1957.
Now according to MF: on duty at the Communications School Centre as a Deputy Chief of
Staff OS (Armed Forces) SFRY for electronics and communications, FC (formation rank)
Captain First Class, PG 17 since 3 July 1986, garrison in Belgrade.
ANNEX 531:
DEPARTMENT OF NTIRIOR K NIN, "IAN BRAČIĆ AND O THER M URDERS "
No. 178/93 March 1993
SECRETARIAT OF THE INTERIOR – KNIN
Number: 178/93
Knin, the 1tof the March 1993
TO THE COMTHND OF THE MILITARY SECURITY
OF THE 7 CORPS – KNIN
Subject: Ivan Bračić and other Murders
rd th
On the 3 and the 4 of the February 1993 in the village of Oklaj, the Puljane hamlet, the
criminal act of the murder of the following people was committed in the house of Ivan
Bračić by the unknown perpetrators:
- Ivan Bračić, of the late Luka, born in 1914
- Ana Bračić, the wife of Ivan, born in 1921
- Pavle Parać, of the late Paško, born in 1923
- Marija Parać, of the late Ivo, born in 1926
Also, that same day the following people were found killed in their family houses in the
Puljane hamlet: 366
- Kata Parać, of the late Nikola, born in 1920
- Krsto Bračić, son of Ivan, born in 1940
On the 6 thof February 1993 in Okljaj, the Puljane hamlet in his own house the following
person was found killed:
- Josip Parać, of the late Ilija, 1919
The investigation showed the above-mentioned persons were killed from the firearm, 7,62-
mm caliber, rifle ammunition, because the corresponding shells were found on the scene of
the crime.
On the 12 thof February 1993 in the village of Oklaj, the Krivi ći hamlet, in the well owned
by Ivan Bučić the bodies of the following people were found:
- Ivan Bučić, born in 1913
- Kata Bučić, of the late Paško, born in 1914
- Manda Bučić, born in 914
- Ante Bučić, born in 1910
The investigation showed that the body of Ivan Bu čić had injuries caused while he was
alive by the hard blunt object and the shot wound was found on the body of Kata Bu čić and
after she was shot, she was thrown into the well and on the bodies of Anka Bu čić and
Manda Bučić no injuries were found so it is supposed that they were thrown into the well
alive and then they drowned.
Operational work produced the information that showed that the criminal offences could be
committed by the members of the Serbian Army of the Republic of Srpska Krajina.
st th
- Jovica Bojani ć, “Džoni” and “Balotan”, member of the 1 battalion of the 76
motorized brigade
- Đuro Dujaković – no information
th
- Stevan Suboti ć, son of Đ uro, infantry Lieutenant Colonel, born on the 27 of
December 1967, the commander of the platoon, appointed to the 75 thmotorized
th
battalion of the 7 Corps
th
There is also available information that the three younger soldiers, members of the 5
company of the intervention platoon, stationed on the Oklaj area at that time, took part in
the murders as well as the volunteers of the radical party who came from Šabac and
Kragujevac.
In order to solve this and other murders it is necessary to identify, with the help of our
officers and members of the security, all the perpetrators of such criminal offences and to
collect the necessary material evidence and then to bring in the perpetrators to the
Secretariat of the Interior – Knin for further criminal analysis.
HEAD OF THE CRIMINAL PREVENTION DEPARTMENT
Milivoj Bjelja
(signature) 367
A NNEX 532: ST
C ONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT OF THE SCURITY NIELLIGENCE A GENCY , 1 MARCH
1993, HADQUARTERS OF THE ESBIAN A RMY OF THE REPUBLIC OFSRPSKA K RAJINA,
S ECURITY- ITELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT : “VIOLENCE AND THRDM URDERS OF THE
CITIZENS OFCROATIAN N ATIONALITY”, NUMBER 58-1, 3 MARCH 1993
Headquarters of the Serbian militia of
the Republic of Srpska Krajina
Security and Intelligence Agency
Strictly confidential No. 58-1
1 March 1993
Violence and murder of Croatian citizens
(...)
On 2 February 1993, seven Croatian citizens were murdered in the village of Puljane from a
th
7,62 mm gun. They were murdered by three conscript soldiers from the 5of the
Motorised Brigade.
According to available information, the group was heĐurđa STEVO Subotić, 2d
lieutenant, born on 27 December 1967.
(...)
No proceedings have been instigated against the above-mentioned persons. Bodies of the
Ministry of the Interior state that at this moment they are not allowed to do anything, as
they are afraid that fighters might consider that they “protect Croatians”.
(...)
Head
Colonel
Vuk (illegible)
A NNEX 533:
R ESOLUTION ONPRESENCE IN COMBAT FOR THE FIRSTLIEUTENANT OF THE YUGOSLAV
ARMY TSVO UBSTIĆ IN THE ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SPSKA KRAJINA
MILITARY POST 9000 KNIN
Pov. No. 5/13-273
FROM THE 9 THOF SEPTEMBER 1994
On the basis of the article 171 of the Law on general administration procedure and of the
request of the Colonel Stevo Subotić, we issue
RESOLUTION
That Colonel STEVO SUBOTI Ć, Đurđa, now in service in the Belgrade Military police
4001, was present, as a member of the armed forces of the Yugoslavia, in the units that
performed the combat activities according to the following:
- from the 26of June 1991 till theof September 1991 in the composition of the
Varaždin Military police 368
th st
- from the 15 of September 1991 till the 1 of June 1992 in the composition of the Knin
Military police 8830
st nd
- from the 1 of June 1992 till the of October 1992 in the composition of the brigade
of the P mechanized unit Knin
- from the 26 tof January 1993 till the 20tof August 1994 in the composition of the
Knin Military police 9000/4
The resolution is issued on the personal request of the named person, on the basis of the
official records and it serves him for the regulation of the insurance period in double
duration and can not be used in any other purpose.
No./No
COMMANDER (signature)
General – Major
Milan Čeleketić
A NNEX 534:
M INUTES ON THE NIESTIGATION , M ILITARY PLICE MP K NIN, , 1 FEBRUARY 1992
MILITARY POST
No. 8830
Army Command no. 368/92
4 Febuary 1992
Knin
Criminalist-technical documentation
is handed over to-
MILITARY PROSECUTOR with
the MP.7280
K N I N
As a supplement to the official paper we deliver you the criminal report against ZLATKO
IVAZ and ĐORĐE MIRČETIĆ who, on 21 December 1991, around 02:00 am, set eleven
(11) family houses on fire in s. Siverić, SO Drniš.
C O M M A N D I N G O F F I C E R
M a j o r
Milorad Radić
MILITARY POLICE
VP. 8830 Knin
1 February 1992
RECORD ON THE INVESTIGATION
On 21 December 1991, around 2:00 am, two conscript soldiers, Zlatko Ivaz and Đorđe
Mirčetić set eleven (11) family houses, property of Croatian citizens, on fire in SO Drniš. 369
When we arrived on the spot, in Siveri ć, SO Drniš, we saw eleven (11) burnt family houses
of different dimensions and situated in diferent locations in the village. The investigation
started from the direction of Knin in the direction of Drniš, that is, from the first burnt
house in that direction; a crime committed by the above-mentioned persons.
At the time when the investigation was conducted the village of Sivewas empty. The
villagers had fled from the village during the actions in the area. Nobody from the village
died as the result of this crime. For the above-mentioned reasons it wasn’t posible, nor on
the spot neither later on, to determine all of the owners of the houses. Also the evidence
that the houses were set on fire wasn’t found because they had been destroyed in the fire.
The houses were already completely burnt at the time of the investigation and there weren’t
any traces of smoke. Also there wasn’t the intervention of a fire-brigade. Due to the fact
that the scene of crime was in a war zone and that investigating was risky, the investigation
was conducted by photographing the scene of crime and by using the basic data. The
sketches of the houses weren’t done.
The investigation was finished on the same day at 12:00 am. The part of this record is also
a photo-survey.
OSL OF THE MILITARY POLICE
sergeant Dušan Šorgić
ANNEX 535:
T HE M INISTRY OF THE D EFENCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA ’ O FFICE IN ŠBENIK ,
TH
8 JUNE 1995
Drniš station, 11 May 1995, the number of the incident: S.10-95/79, CP Muhamed Chairul
Kata Odak, 22 December 1928, Siverić
Brief summary of the event: On 6 May 1995 around 5:00 pm four uniformed soldiers came
into the house of Kata Odak where they stayed for approximately three hours. They took all
the clothes and three bags full with things. She can not remember all the things that were in
the bags.
Explanation of the prosecutor/witness
The lady said that those four soldiers threatened to kill her next time they came. She lives
alone in Siverić and after this event she said she would like to be transfered to the Croatian
side.
2. 15 May 1995, number of the incident: Slo-95/79, CP Bako dan Manu
On Monday, 15 May 1995 Kata Odak came to the Police station in Drniš and complained
that on 14 May 1995, around 11:00 am, five uniformed and armed soldiers had come to her
house, had searched it thoroughly and had taken two bags full of clothes and shoes. After
the first incident, on the same day, three soldiers came and searched her house again. They
took some small things which she can’t remember because they put it in pockets. She
would like to be transfered to the Croatian side, to join her family. Also this didn’t happen
to her for the first time. Local police received the same information.
3. 11 May 1995, number of the incident: S-10-95/78, CP Muhamed Chairul 370
Nena Šiklić, 1930, Siverić
Brief summary of the event: On Thursday, 09 May 1995, around 4:00 am, four armed
soldiers in uniforms came to Nena Šiklić ’s house where they stayed for three hours. They
asked if the lady had diesel fuel stored in the house. Five litres of diesel is taken away from
the lady’s house.
4. 15 May 1995, the number of the incident: Slo-95/78, CP Dan Manu-Bako
On Monday, 15 May 1995, Nena Šikli ć camthto the Police station in Drniš and informed
them that, on Sunday morning of 14 May, 1995, around 11:00 am, armed soldiers in
uniform came to her house and ordered her to open the door. She obeyed and after the
entrance they searched her house very thouroughly. After the search was done they stole
some of her belongings. A phone, a few vessels, and some other small objects which they
put in pockets. She is very seriously thinking about leaving because she is afraid to stay and
live alone without protection. This also isn’t the first time that somebody searched her
house very thoroughly. Local police got the same information as we did and promised to
examine this case.
5. 9 May 1995, number of the incident: S-10-95/77, CP Mohamed
Ivanka Duvančić, 25 June 1945, Drniš, Boško Miloš 15
Brief summary: On Tuesday, 09 May 1995, at 11:30 am the victim came to the police
station and informed them that on 7 May 1995, around 8:00 pm, two unknown men in
uniform, had knocked at her door and entered the house. One of them had put the gun on
her head. After that they had taken, by using force, her TV together with the antenna.
The explanation of the prosecutor/witness
On 9 May 1995 civil police went to the prosecutor’s house. During our conversation the
prosecutor told us that while she was watching TV she had heard someone knocking at the
door. She opened the door and two unfamiliar uniformed men came into her house and
ordered her to sit. One of them put a gun on her head and the other searched the rooms. The
accused said to her: “If the Croatian president doesn’t let our family in Okucani go I will
kill you.” They also said that they had the permission of UNPROFOR to take her TV and
that TV would be used by the soldiers. Finally they took her TV and left. The whole
incident lasted for approximately 20 minutes. She reported the incident to the police on 8
May 1995.
6. 16 May 1995, number of the incident: S-10-95/92, CP Dan Manu Bako
Marija Ramljak, 1923, Siverić, Theft/frightening, Mile Ramljak, 1919
Brief summary: On Monday, 15 May 1995, around 9:45 am, the victim came to the station
and informed that on 14 May 1995, at 12:00 am, ten armed soldiers in uniforms came into
her house and searched it thoroughly. They took 15 pairs of shoes, clothes, 30 kg of
potatoes, and 50 liters of wine. They threatened them with a knife which they leaned
against their necks.
The explanation of the prosecutor/witness:
On Sunday, 14 May 1995, around 12:00 am, me and my husband stayed in the house and
saw ten armed soldiers in uniforms who came to our house and started to search it
thoroughly. They threatened them by saying that they would cut their throats. They also
started to beat them with legs. They took away from them approximately 15 pairs of shoes, 371
clothes, 30 kg of potatos, and 50 liters of wine. I remember that one of them had a bandage
on his right arm, and the other had short hair. During the day they came to our house three
times. Local police is informed about the incident on Monday, 15 May 1995. They
promised that they would investigate this incident.
7. 15 May 1995, number of the incident: S-10-95/91, CP Bako, Dan-Manu
Ivanka Duvančić, 25 June 1945, Drniš/B. Miloša 15/ the previous incident Slo95/7
Brief summary: On 13 May 1995, around 8:00 am, five armed soldiers in uniform came to
the Ivanka Duvan čić’s house where they threatened, and disturbed her. Also they stole
some things from her. The lady was beaten. She has bruises all over her body. This incident
is reported to the Police in Drniš. Commissioned officer for the investigation Dušan
Starčević took the statement from the lady.
The explanation of the prosecutor/witness:
On Saturday, 13 May 1995, Ivanka Duvan čić was sitting in her house when she heard
someone knocking at the front door. She asked who it was and they answered that it was
military police. She wouldn’t let them in since they had already shot at her. After that, these
five soldiers broke into the house and started beating the lady. Then they took the brandy
and spilt it on her. She tried to get to the balcony and jump off to the street, but they
followed her. They told her that they would rape her and kill her afterwards. One of them
tried to take out his pistol (gun) but he didn’t have bullets. She doesn’t know their names
but she could recognize them. Approximately one hour later they left with some things
from the house which they had stolen. Precisely: a TV set, two transistors, a sewing -
machine, a thickening machine, and a golden jewel. The lady had bruises all over her body.
She is very frightened especially because that is not the first time that someone searched the
house. Due to what happened she doesn’t want to stay in Drniš any more. She would like to
be transfered to the Croatian side where her husband and children are.
8. 14 May 1995, the number of the incident: S-10-95/90, CP Dan-Manu Bako UNMO team
Drniš, Mira Tilica 13 / Theft
Brief summary: 14 May 1995 around 1: 15 am two military observers of the Drniš UNMO
team came to the civil police station in Drniš and informed us that in the morning of the
same day, around 10:00 am, they found the doors of the garage where they usually park
vehicles after work broken and also they found out that approximately 50 litres of fuel was
stolen from two vehicles and that one antenna and a wind-screen were broken and
damaged.
The explanation of the prosecutor/witness:
On Sunday, 14 May 1995, around 10:00 am, UNMO commissioned officer, Lageteskov,
went to the garage where they usually park vehicles after the work and found the doors of
two garages broken. An antenna and a wind-screen were broken and damaged. Also they
found out that 50 liters of fuel was stolen from each vehicle. The lock was picked with hard
metal. The local police and civil police in Drniš are informed immediately after it was
found out that the crime was committed.
9. 11 May 1995, the number of the incident: S-10-95/88, CP Chairul Muhamed
Nela Šiklić, 27 October 1920, Siverić / Theft
Brief summary: 10 May 1995, around 07:00 am, five soldiers came to her house. They stole
clothes and interior electric cables. All of them were armed and dressed in uniform. 372
10. 11 May 1995, the number of the incident: S-10-95/87, CP Chairul Muhamed
Anka Mrđen, 1922, Siverić/ Theft and intimidating
Brief summary: On 10 May 1995, around 05:00 am, four uniformed soldiers (one of them
had a gun) came to her house and stole tools, a hammer, one pair of shoes, and 200 g of
coffee.
The explanation of the prosecutor/witness:
The lady said that those soldiers were very young (20-23 years of age) and that one of them
had ear-rings.
11. 11 May 1995, the number of the incident: S-10-95/86, CP Chairul Muhamed
Mate Dučić, 1926, Siverić / Theft and intimidating
Brief summary: On Friday, 05 May 1995, around 3:30 am, five or six soldiers thoroughly
searched his house and stole: a transistor, a sports jacket. After that they forced the man to
give them 5-10 litres of wine.
Also, on Sunday, 7 May 1995, around 3:30 am, the soldiers came back asking for more
wine. This time they threatened his wife with a knife. They also entered the basement but
without using force.
The explanation of the prosecutor/witness:
This couple said that they were concerned about their safety.
12. 11 May 1995, the number of the incident: S-10-95/85, CP Chairul Muhamed
Milan Ramljak, 1919, Siverić /Arson and assault
Brief summary: On Sunday, 07 May 1995, around 7:00 am, five uniformed soldiers came
and beat his wife Marija Ramljak, 1923. After that they saw the cowhouse, with cows
inside, burning. They still haven’t found out who set it on fire. Also on 10 May 1995,
around 5:00 pm, the same group of soldiers hit him on the face for five times.
The explanation of the prosecutor/witness
On 10 May 1995 Mile Ramljak gave the soldiers some wine when they came to his house,
and they said that they hadn’t come to drink but to beat them. The worst of them wore ear-
rings. This couple is very afraid after all that happened. They don’t feel secure enough.
13. 16 May 1995, the number of the incident S-10-95/85, CP Dan Manu-Bako
On Monday, 16 May 1995, around 11:15 am, the observers of the civil police in Drniš and
the translator, Kristina, controlled Siveri ć and paid a visit to Mile Ramljak, 1919. He told
the observers that yesterday, 15 May 1995, around 12:15 am, ten soldiers came to his
house, hit him many times and took many things from the house. They also broke the
windows and everything inside the house. Meanwhile my wife went to Drniš to report the
incident on Sunday to the civil police and militia. They said to the monitors that they didn’t
want to leave their house in Siverić because they were too old.
The local police was informed and it sent the commissioned officer for inspection, Dušan
Starčević, to the scene of crime on 16 May 1995. He promised that he would continue with
the inspection.
14. 11 May 1995, the number of the incident: S-10-95/84, CP Chairul Muhamed 373
Anka Mrđen, 1931, Siverić / Theft
Brief summary: On 10 May 1995, around 2:00 pm, six armed soldiers came in a tractor to
their house and stole the material- board for the roof. Their explanation was that they
needed it for the blockhouses, that is, for military purpose.
15. 11 May 1995, the number of the incident: S-10-95/83, CP Chairul Muhamed
Jovanka Mrđen, 1922, Siverić / Theft and threatening
Brief summary: On Saturday, 06 May 1995, around 5:30 pm, three armed soldiers came
into the lady’s house where she lives with her two daughters,Ana Mr đen (1948) and Smilja
Mrđen (1961). The soldiers stole: a TV set- black-and-white, type 105. The same armed
soldiers came again one day later, on Sunday, 07 May 1995, threatening, stealing things,
and putting knives under their throat. On that second occasion they took: an iron, type 203,
hair drier, four rolls of cotton, and 50 litres of wine which they split on the floor.
The explanation of the prosecutor/witness:
The lady said that in case the situation didn’t normalize they would be forced to leave. She
is too afraid for her life and for the life of her two daughters.
16. 11 May 1995, the number of the incident: S-10-95/82, CP Chairul Muhamed
Manda Bukarica, 1920, Siverić / Disturbance and theft
Brief summary: On Saturday, 06 May 1995, around 3:00 pm, three armed soldiers came
into her house, hit her in the stomach twice and slapped her face. While she was running
away they threw stones at her. The soldiers were looking for money. They also took some
books and other small things from the house.
The explanation of the prosecutor/witness:
Manda Bukarica complained that this wasn’t the first time that someone attacked her house.
She is very seriously considering the posibility to leave because she’s too afraid to stay and
live alone without any kind of protection.
17. 11 May 1995, the number of the incident: S-10-95/81, CP Chairul Muhamed
Vukosava Odak , 9 January 1929, Siverić / Intimidating and theft
Brief summary: On 6 May 1995, around 3:00 pm, four armed soldiers came into the house
of Vukosava Odak by threatening her. They took a bag without knowing what’s inside of it.
When she said that she was going to tell their commander what they did, they said to her
that she could go there but if so she wouldn’t return to her house alive.
The explanation of the prosecutor/witness:
Due to all these incidents in Siverić, and especially after what happened to her, she decided
to leave for the free Croatian territory because she doesn’t feel secure enough.
18. 11 May 1995, the number of the incident: S-10-95/80, CP Chairul Muhamed
Milka Mrđen, 1923, Siverić / Theft
Brief summary: On Monday, 08 may 1995, around 05:00 pm, two soldiers searched her
house for one hour and stole two containers - in each of them there were 15 litres of wine. 374
ANNEX 536:
TH
N AVAL SCTOR BOKA FROM THE 26 OF OCTOBER 1991, T THE DUBROVNIK CRISIS
C ENTER AND THE EUROPEAN M ISSION
SUPPLEMENT I
The massages that have to be announced on Radio Dubrovnik
The first sentence has been changed and now states:
All inhabitants of Dubrovnik of all nationalities, who wish to evacuate to Split, Rijeka,
Herceg Novi, Trebinje and further inland are to report to the Red Cross headquarters on
Poljana Paška Miličevića no. 1.
The remaining text is unchanged.
Naval Sector (V.P.S.) Boka
SUPPLEMENT II
TO THE CRISIS CENTER AND THE EUROPEAN MISSION FROM THE
COMMANDER OF
THE V.P.S. LIEUTENANT COLONEL GENERAL P. STRUGAR
Suggestions
For the normalization of life in Dubrovnik and the securing of safety of the city of
Dubrovnik
1. The JNA must return all weapons that are within the zone of the city of Dubrovnik;
2. Together with the Monitor Mission of the E.C. the JNA must supervise the return
of weapons;
3. The members of the National Guard (ZNG) and of the Ministry of the Interior
(MUP) Dubrovnik whose stay in Dubrovnik up to 1 January 1991 is not regulated
must leave the territory of the Federal Municipal (SO) Dubrovnik. The JNA
guarantees their safe departure;
4. All foreign mercenaries must be handed over to their countries’ diplomatic
agencies, which will deport them out of Yugoslavia. The JNA guaranties their safe
departure;
5. The internal affairs office must be returned to order from 23 January 1991 and
peace and the lawful norms must been forced independently and responsibly in the
city of Dubrovnik.
6. All party symbols must be removed from the public places in the area of the
Municipality Dubrovnik;
7. The JNA guarantees an absolute ceasefire by its members and the safety of all
citizens and the city of Dubrovnik with its cultural-historic values;
8. The JNA armed formations must not enter Dubrovnik within the path crossing 1km
western of Dubac village and the place of Mokošica;
9. The JNA must control the arrivals and departures into and out of Dubrovnik in
order to secure the safety of the city; 375
10. The JNA must, as soon as possible, secure the supply of Dubrovnik with power,
water, telecommunication lines and other infrastructure and economic functions
with according “RO”;
All these conditions are valid until a final agreement of the resolving of the Yugoslav crisis
is signed.
I expect an answer by 27 October at 20:00 hrs.
VPS commander
Liuetenant Colonel General Pavle STRUGAR
A NNEX 537:
D AILY REPORT OF THE ESURITY AND NTEILIGENCE A GENCY , 3 FEBRUARY 1993
th
COMMAND OF THE 7 CORPS
Security and Intelligence Agency
Military secret
Strictly confidential No: 21-19
3 February 1993
Daily report submitted by the Security and Intelligence Agency,
Headquarters of the Serbian militia of the Republic of Srpska Krajina
(...)
In the hamlet of Puljane, the village of Oklaj, five mutilated corpses of the Croatian
nationality have been found. Three days ago, two persons murdered in the same way were
found in the same region. The following persons are suspected for this act: Zdravka Bjedov
Nine called “Zubonja” from Knin, and Đuro Stevan Dujaković called “Suljo” from Vrbnik.
We received this information by our operations liaison and the information is accurate, as
our source is reliable. For this reason, they were discharged from the unit and now they are
active as independent riflemen, and this is why we assume they did the criminal act of
killing the above-mentioned five persons.
(...)
Head
Major
Marko Zelić 376
A NNEX 538:
R EPORT ON THE M URDER OF C IVILIANS IN THE VILLAGE OF KŠBRNJA , 27 NOVEMBER
1991
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
“ZOPMR”
No. 423-1
MILITARY SECRET
180 tMotorised Brigade
(Security service)
Major Branislav Ristić
(Authorised senior officer in the Secrete Service)
On 27 November 1991
Drawn up in 1 (one) copy
th
Delivered to the 9 Corps of the Secrete Service
Registry Number 101
NOTE ON THE USE OF LABOUR METHODS
a. Proposal
b. Request
c. Report (encircled)
Labour method Combined use of labour method
1. Personal opinion of the senior officer in charge
2. Work with collaborator “Belgrade-1” 1. Preventive operative labour
(pseudonym)
3. Data check and ascertainment 2. Previous operative processing
4. Informative interview
3. Operative processing
5. Secrete monitoring and surveillance
6. Secrete house search 4. Operative control
7. Secrete monitoring and taping
5. Operative action
8. Secrete control of post and other letters
6. Counter intelligence protection
9. False information
10. Other 377
Object of application method Line of labour
1. Foreign intelligence services
Murdering civilians in the village of 2. Enemy emigration
Skabrnja
3. Internal enemy
4. Unknown
Time of application 25 November 1991
(…)
EXPLANATION
Murder of civilians in the village of Škabrnja, Report
On 25 December 1991 I contacted the Intelligence Service “Belgrade-1” in connection with
their knowledge on the murders of civilians in the village of Škabrnja.
The Intelligence Service said the following in connection to that:
“Goran Opačić (a member of the special unit of the SJB Benkovac) came to our offices
today. He told all of us in the office that there were murders of civilians, mainly women
and elderly people in Škabrnja. The “Chetnik-volunteer” a certain “Jaro-Jare” (originally
from the village of Prebilovac in Herzegovina), and his friend from the same unit a certain
Ljubiša especially stood out in these murders.
He also pointed out that a certain active soldier who was always in combat accompanied
them. While an elder man was trying to escape this active soldier took off his rocket
launcher from his shoulder and asked “Chetnik”: ‘Can I take a picture of him?’ and shot
him. Goran Opačić claims that he had never seen a more horrible scene in his entire life,
and that the elder man was scattered all around the place and that only his leg was left
nearby.
I also heard that Zori ć (I do not know his first name) who is somewhere in “JTO” went
through the town and showed a bag with human ears to everybody that same evening. He
also entered the bar “7” and provoked the waitress to come and look at a dirty glass. When
she came to his table, he showed her a glass with a human ear in it.”
NOTE:
I told the Intelligence service to find out the names and surnames of “Jare” and Ljubiša,
and I will use the operative channels to gain data on the “active soldier” who must have
st
been from the motorised Company/Armoured Battalion of the 221 Motorised Brigade.
“KB/RB”378 379
OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS380 381
ANNEX 539:
M INUTES OF THEINVESTIGATIO, 10 MARCH 1992
District Court in Knin
Received on 13April 1992
No: Kri. 19/92
MINUTES ON THE INVESTIGATION
th
Made on 10 March 1992 by investigating judge of the Municipal Court in Benkovac, at
the scene of the crime in the village Piramatovci, in Jere Ceranja’s house, on the occasion
of his death and the death of his wife Mara Ceranja, both from Piramatovci.
Began at 15.00 hrs.
…
Description of the crime scene:
The house in which the dead bodies of the murdered Jere Ceranja and Mara Ceranja, were
found, and who were identified by the policemen securing the crime scene, is in the village
Piramatovci 110.
…
Male’s body is found, about 70 years of age.
…
On the vertex of the head to the left, two stab wounds are seen, one next to each other,
about 2 – 3 cm long.
…
In the bedroom in which is a large bed and a wardrobe which is North to the bed and the
wall of the bedroom, a female body is found, also about 70 years of age.
…
A stab wound can be seen on the neck about 10 cm long, more to the left.
…
Recording secretary: Stevanija Vujasinović Investigating judge: Drago Bulj 382
A NNEX 540:
D EATH R EPORT , 18 MARCH 1992
Senior doctor
Dr.VELJKO POPOVIĆ
Zažvić, March 18t1992
DEATH REPORT
Milan Pipunić, son of the late Ante (a father), born in 1938 the village Piramatovci
Neighbours found the corpse of the deceased in the well of the mentioned person...
The examination of the corpse performed on March 14992 at 02,00 p.m.
The corpse found floating, facing the bottom of the water tank.
External description of the corpse:
The male corpse of 175 cm, of 70 kg, about 55 years old...
(…)
Besides described outward appearance, there are neither other injuries nor alterations.
CONCLUSION:
The death occurred as a result of a suicide by drowning.
Senior doctor:
Dr. VELJKO POPOVIĆ
doctor
A NNEX 541:
INVESTIGATION R ECORD , 14 MARCH 1992
Kir-27/92
INVESTIGATION RECORD
th
Drawn up on March 14 1992 by the investigative judge of the Municipal Court in
Benkovac on the spot in the village Piramatovci and on the occasion of drowning of Milan
Pipunić, son of the late Ante (a father), from Piramatovci.
PRESENT:
On behalf of the court:
Drago Bulj, investigative judge
Stevanija Vujasinović, recording secretary
On behalf of the SJB (the Service for the Public Security) of Benkovac:
Nikola Milanko, inspector
(ILLEGIBLE WORDS), criminal technician
Started at 10,30 a.m.
...
On arrival to the spot, a male corpse was found floating in a well... 383
...
After all of that, pulling the corpse out from the well began. After the corpse had been
pulled out from the water and laid down next to the wreath of the well, it was established
that it is a male corpse, 175 cm tall, wearing a plaid grey suit coat, a blue sweater, a blue
shirt, grey trousers for winter and black male shoes. The corpse seems to be about 50 years
old.
The face of the corpse, as well as hands that are not covered, turned blue. With the naked
eye, it couldn’t be observed that there are external signes of injuries.
...
Recording secretary: STEVANIJA VUJASINOVIĆ
Investigative judge: DRAGO BULJ
ANNEX 542:
IVESTIGATION R ECORD , 22 JNE 1992
Kir-62/92
INVESTIGATION RECORD
nd
from June 22 1992
Drawn up in the name of the County Court in Knin on the spot in the village Bilostanovi on
the occasion of the death of Rade Bura, Marta Bura and Šimka Bura from Bilostanovi.
...
The investigation started at 03,1(ILLEGIBLE) p.m....
In the village Bilostanovi, the hamlet Bure, in the house of Rade and Marta Bura, corpses
of a man and of two women are found. They were: Rade and Marta Bura and their female
neighbour Šimka Bura.
The house is placed on the seclusion, turned in the direction north-south, a two-storey
house, with the entrance facing south. A room where corpses were found is entered from a
balcony. Looking straightforward from the direction of the entrance, Rade Bura is on the
bed, lying on his back wearing pyjamas. A cut is visible across the entire surface of his
neck. On the right from the entrance, on a couch, alongside the front margin of the couch,
facing a pillow and with her leg over the margin of the couch, the corpse of Šimka Bura,
with a cut on the left side of the neck and several stab wounds on the chest, is to be found.
On the right from her is the corpse of Marta Bura, also with a cut on the left side of the
neck. All three mentioned persons are about 70 years old and all of them died a violent
death caused by cold steel.
...
Finished at 4,05 p.m.
(ILLEGIBLE WORDS) 384
A NNEX 543:
INVESTIGATION RECORD , 15 JANUARY 1992
Kir-14/92
INVESTIGATION RECORD
th
From January 15 1992
Drawn up in the name of the County Court in Knin on the spot in Cicvare bb, on the
occasion of the death of the late Mihovil Korov from Cicvare bb.
Present on behalf of the Court:
Investigative judge: ĐURO PAVLICA
Recording secretary: MILENA DOBROTA
Present on behalf of the Secretariat for the Interior of Knin:
ŽELIMIR MARTIĆ, criminal technician
The beginning at 12,45 p.m.
The service of the Secretariat for the Interior of Knin on duty notified the investigative
judge that in the place Cicvare in one room of one house a dead body of a man was found...
The doctor-expert Dr. Marija Čubrilo, a pathologist from Knin, was called to go to the spot,
to perform the examination and the autopsy of the dead body and to give the findings and
the opinion about the cause of death.
The spot is in Cicvare bb. In one room of one house, a man was found hanged by a wire
that was tied to beams.
...
Finished at 01,30 p.m.
RECORD
about the external examination of the corpse of Mihovil Korov from Cicvare
The examination is performed on the spot in the village Cicvare in the presence of
investigative organs.
...
The cause of death:
Suspension. (Hanging.)
Opinion:
According to data received from the investigative organs, it is learned that Mihovil Korov
was found dead in the larder of his house.
Through the external examination it is established that he died a violent death due to
committed suicide by contraction of the neck with a noose, that is by hanging.
No signs of violence or anything that would suggest the murder are found. 385
Through the external examination a furrow made by hanging, which corresponds to the
wire of a diameter of 3-4 mm, was found.
Medical help could not save the life of the deceased.
10-15 hours passed from the moment of death until the examination.
In Knin
Medical Centre in Knin, “sa n. sol. o.”
The OOUR hospital with polyclinics
KNIN “sa n. sub. o.” 36
Doctor – expert: Dr. MARIJA ČUBRILO, a pathologist
ANNEX 544:
INVESTIGATION R ECORD , 2 JNUARY 1993
Kir-3/93
INVESTIGATION RECORD
From January 2 nd1993
Drawn up in the name of the County Court in Knin, on the spot in the village Sonkovi ć, on
the occasion of the death of Joso and Milka Palinić.
Present on behalf of the Court:
Đuro Pavlica, independent expert co-operator
Slavka Čenić, recording secretary
Present on behalf of the SJB (the Service for the Public Security) of Kistanje:
Pero Medić, operative worker
Present on behalf of the Secretariat for the Interior of Knin:
Dušan Šorgić, criminal technician
The beginning at 5,10 p.m.
The service of the Secretariat for the Interior on duty notified the investigative judge that
Joso Palinić and his wife Milka Palini ć were found dead in their house in the village of
Sonković...
...
The place of the incident is to be found in the village Sonković, in the house of the late Joso
and Milka Palinić...
The dead bodies of Joso Palini ć called “Fabijan” and Milka Palini ć are on the sleeping
beds...
...
On two places on the bed, above the dead bodies of Joso and Milka Palini ć, there are
damages caused by missile(s) and on the wall above the bed, a damage caused by missile(s)
is visible... 386
...
Finished at 7,00 p.m.
Recording secretary: SLAVKA ČENIĆ
Independent expert co-operator: ĐURO PAVLICA
A NNEX 545:
R ECORD ON E XTERNAL E XHUMATION , 4 JNUARY 1993
RECORD
About the external examination of the corpses of Fabijan and Mileva Palinić
The examination is performed in the autopsy room on the pathology ward of the hospital in
Knin.
/ The judge D. Krešović. /
The dead body of Fabijan Palinić is wrapped in a blanket...
It is the corpse of 177 cm tall, medium fed, older man...
...
The cause of death:
Vulnera sclopetaria capitis. (Wounds on the head where bullets went right through.)
Conquastio cerebri. (The crush of the brain.)
Opinion:
Through the external examination it has been established that the person died a violent
death due to the crush of the brain after shot wounds on the head. Both defects on the right
side of the face are entrance shot wounds caused by a missile fired from hand firearms. It
was shot from a distance (0,5 meters and more)...
The dead body of Mileva Palinić is wrapped in a blanket...
It is the corpse of 160 cm tall, medium fed older woman...
...
The cause of death:
Vulnera sclopetaria capitis. (Wounds on the head where bullets went right through.)
Conquasatio cerebri. (The crush of the brain.)
Opinion:
Through the external examination it has been established that the person died a violent
death due to the crush of the brain after shot wounds on the head. Defects on the left temple
were caused by a missile that was shot from hand firearms. It was shot from a distance (0,5
meters and more)...
th
In Knin, January 4 1993
Doctor – expert:
Dr. MARIJA ČUBRILO, a pathologist 387
ANNEX 546:
INVESTIGATION R ECORD , 16 JNUARY 1992
RECORD
from January 16th1992
Drawn up on the spot in Sonkovi ći in the name of the County Court in Knin and by the
notification of the police officer on duty.
The spot is to be found in the village Sonkovići in the house of the dead.
Corpses of the dead are in a room (of the same).
It is the house of brothers Grgo and Ante Matić.
th
The incident took place on January 14 1992, between 06,15 p.m. and 06,30 p.m.
Upper part of the house belongs to Ana Matić and the lower part belongs to Grgo Matić.
Ante Matić – from Sonkovići, 64-65 years old
Ana Matić – from Sonkovići, 60 years old
Grgo Matić – from Sonkovići, 65 years old
Marija Matić – about 60 years old
The corpse of Ana Matić is at a table, bent down. A pool of blood is visible under her.
The corpse of a man is also at the table in a lying position (more sidewise).
the corpse of Ana Matić – it is visible that someone cut her throat
...
a stab-cut wound in the shape of a letter L – 6 cm long on the skin 3 cm deep, behind the
left ear below the left corner of a bone of the lower jaw (for Ana)
Grgo Matić – lying by the table – a shot wound through the right shoulder
Marija Matić -... on the back side of the back 2 shot wounds... 388
A NNEX 547:
D EATH REPORT , 26 DECEMBER 1992
Senior doctor
Dr.VELJKO POPOVIĆ
Đevrske, December 26t1991
DEATH REPORT
Mara Dujić, daughter of Ivo (a father), about 60 years old
Soldiers found a corpse of a deceased woman on the territory of the village Ićevo.
The examination of the corpse is performed today at around 11,30 a.m.
The female corpse of 165 cm and of 65 kg. Dead for about 10 days.
A wound on the head where the bullet went right through: the entrance wound on the right
temple of a diameter of 1,5 cm and the exit wound behind the starting point of the left
auricle of a diameter of 7 cm...
A left fist is missing on the corpse in its entirety and there are only bones left on the joint of
the elbow of the left forearm due to operating of the animal bill (pecked out).
The death occurred due to murder with firearms at a close range.
Senior doctor:
Dr. VELJKO POPOVIĆ
A NNEX 548:
D EATH REPORT , 26 DECEMBER 1992
Senior doctor
Dr. VELJKO POPOVIĆ
th
Đevrske, December 26 1991
REPORT OF DEATH
Mara Dujić, daughter of Joso (a father), born in 1914
Soldiers found a corpse of a deceased woman on the territory of the village Ićevo.
The examination of the corpse is performed today at around 11,30 a.m.
The female corpse of 140 cm and of 45 kg. Dead for about 10 days.
A cut wound on the neck inflicted by a sharp cutting edge from the front to the back, more
that 10 cm long and about 1 cm deep, filled with worms in the entire cavity.
The death occurred due to murder, as a result of bleeding to death from the cut wound on
the neck.
Senior doctor:
Dr. VELJKO POPOVIĆ 389
A NNEX 549:
INVESTIGATION R ECORD , 12 MARCH 1996
ŠrdENIK POLICE DEPARTMENT
3 POLICE STATION DRNIŠ
No: 511-13-30
Drniš, 12 March 1996
R E C O R D
...The record was composed on 12 March 1996 by the authorized official, Slavčić.ili
The record is in the connection with discovery of the location where the late MARIJA
MAZALIN from Bogatići Miljevački was buried.
MARIJA MAZALIN, daughter of Mato, maiden name Gali ć, was born on 1 January 1925
in Bogatići Miljevački, Drniš municipality, where she also resided. She was killed on 13
March 1992 by an unknown member of the Serbian paramilitary formations. She was shot
with a machine-gun at her back while running to hide in the hedge near the village...
...On 12 March 1996, the grave of the late Marija Mazalin was discovered in the open area
of the so-called “Lapat”...
The authorized official
Slavko Miličić
A NNEX 550:
O FFICIALR EPORT ON BODIES FOUND , 11 MARCH 1996
ŠrdENIK POLICE DEPARTMENT
3 POLICE STATION DRNIŠ
No: 511-13-30
Drniš, 11 March 1996
RECORD
The record was composed on 11 March 1996 by the authorized official, Slavko čić.
The record is in the connection with discovery of the location where the late MATO and
MARIJA BAČIĆ from Drinovci were buried...
...The spouses Ba čić were killed on 12 January 1992, around 4.00 pm. Two unknown
members of the Serbian guard tossed a M-75 hand bomb into their family house in
Drinovci, the village of Bačići...
...On 11 March 1996, the place of their burial was discovered in the common grave owned
by Petar and Branka Bačić near the church Christus’s Name in Drinovci...
The authorized official
Slavko Miličić 390
A NNEX 551:
O FFICIALR EPORT ON B ODIES FOUND , 19 SPTEMBER 1996
ŠIBENIK POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DRNIŠ POLICE STATION III
Drniš, 19 September 1996
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on 19 September 1996 by the authorizrd official, MilĐidara, in relation to the
found place of buryal of the deceased Šime-Zdravko Lovrić.
Šime-Zdravko Lovrić called “Špada” (the son of the late Ivan), born on 24 Novemeber
1931 in the village of Širitovci, Drniš municipality (permanent address in …, was killed
just before the Easter in 1992 in his house. “NN” Chetnik formation shot at him from
firearms.
On 19 September 1996 the place of the buryal of the deceased Šime Lovri ć was found. It is
located on the St. Peter and Paul cemetery in Širitovci.
Authorized official:
Milan Đidara
(signature)
ANNEX 552:
E XHUMATION R ECORD , 12 FBRUARY 1992
RECORD OF INVESTIGATION
from 12 February 1993, made in the Knin District court, on the scene of crime, in Oklaj, the
hamlet of Krivići, in relation of the four corps found there
Beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Service of the Secretary of the interior on duty informed the judge of the Knin District court
on duty that the employees of the “SJB” Knin, Oklaj section, on 12 February 1993, found
four corps in the hamlet of Krivići, near Oklaj.
The first found corps is a female corps, approximately 70 years old. On the head of the
female corps there is a visible hole made by a bullet which passed from the left side of the
head to the right.
The second corps is a male corps, approximately 70 years old. On this male corps there
aren’t any visible signs of injuries.
The third corps is a female corps, also approximately 70 years old. On this female corps
there also aren’t any visible signs of injuries.
The fourth corps is a male corps, approximately 80 years old. On this male corps there
aren’t any visible signs of injuries.
According to the statements of the employees of the “SJB” Oklaj the corps belong to the
following persons:
IVAN VUČIĆ, the son of the late Mate, born in 1913 391
KATA VUČIĆ, the daughter of the late Paško, born in 1914
IVAN VUČIĆ, the son of the late Marko, born in 1914
The fourth corps wasn’t identified. All of these corps were buried in the St. Mihovil
cemetery in Oklaj. The scene was photographed by a criminalist technician.
Finished at 12:05 p.m.
[illegible signature]
A NNEX 553:
DEATH REPORT , 23 MARCH 1993
MILITARY CLINIC IN DRNIŠ
Dr.Vladimir S. Cvetkovic, the specialist for the work medicine
Drniš, 23 March 1993
REPORT
On 23 March 1993, around 03:00 p.m., the prosecutor’s office invited me to be in
attendance at the identification of the unknown corps which is located in the river of
Čikola.
Most likely the man was in distress and decided to end his life in the least painful way.
The investigation was finished after 45 minutes spent on the spot.
Drniš, 23 March 1993
Vladimir dr. S. Cvetković
specialist for the work medicine
(signature)
A NNEX 554:
RECORD ON E XTERNAL E XAMINATION OF THE CORPS , 1992
RECORD of the external examination of the corpse of Joško Marić, born in 1949, from ….
The examination was performed on the scene of the crime in the house of Joškć inri
the presence of the investigative bodies.
Pathological – anatomic diagnosis:
Vulnera necata frontalis ospitis. (Cut wounds on the forehead).
Vulnera acisa thoracis (Stab wounds in the thoracic cavity).
Vulnera ecetura aoli. (Cut wound in the neck).
Cause of death:
Bleeding to death because of the stab wounds in the thoracic cavity.
Opinion:
According to the information received from the investigative bodies it was found out that
Joško Marić committed a suicide by stabbing himself with a knife.
Dr. Marija Čubrilo 392
ANNEX 555:
M INUTES ON THE IVESTIGATION , COUNTY C OURT IN ZADAR , 22 JANUARY 1997
MINUTES ON THE INVESTIGATION, 22 JANUARY 1997
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
INVESTIGATING CENTRE
MINUTES ON THE INVESTIGATION
nd
from 22 January 1997
with the exhumation and inspection and autopsy of the remnants of the body of the
deceased LUKA MODRIĆ and the deceased MARIJAN MODRI Ć done at the cemetery in
Zaton Obrovački and made before the County Court in Zadar.
At the cemetery of Zaton Obrova čki (near Obrovac) were the witnesses of the identity of
the deceased, Željko and Stipe Modri ć of the deceased Luka, the refugees with the address
in .... The witnesses state that the deceased father was killed on the way Zaton – Alan on
18thDecember 1991 by the enemy forces and that he was buried at this Catholic cemetery
near Obrovac. Otherwise, they would recognize him by his clothes and other data. They
know for certain that the body was buried in the family vault belonging to Stipe Modrić and
that before the burial, the body was put into the wooden coffin.
After that the body is handed to court expert, Dr JOSIP DUJELLA, the pathologist from the
General Hospital in Zadar for identification and inspection of the body, and then the results
and the opinion are dictated in the minutes:
The base with the numerous pieces of broken bones is completely destroyed on the skull.
There is a great defect of the back bone size 6x6 cm from where there are fractures towards
the front across the vertex bone and right temple bone. On the shell of the right temple bone
there is a defect size 5x2 cm. There is a fracture of the right cheekbone and right side of the
lowere jaw, while the upper has multiple fractures. On the lower jaw there are 1.-3. left and
1.-4. right teeth and 7. right tooth with a silver cover. On two pieces of the upper jaw there
are 6. and 7. tooth while the 5. is there and with a filling and on the 4. there is a metal
cover. A piece of a plastic tooth prothesis with two front teeth is found. The fracture is on
the first neck vertebra.
Multiple fracture of the skull with complete destruction of the whole basis indicates the
shot wound from the close.
The cause of death is compression of the brain.
The complete sceletization of the body indicates that the death was over a three years ago.
After that the witnesses of the identity Željko and Stipe Mć state that they recognize
they deceased father Luka Modrić in the body.
With all the above stated, I enclose the list of the persons that did the criminal deeds on the
area of the municipality of Obrovac, and whom I know very well.
ENCLOSURE: the list of the persons
AUTHORIZED PERSON:
Slobodan Kapitanović 393
ANNEX 556:
RECORD OF E XHUMATION , 14 NOVEMBER 1997
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
ZADAR DISTRICT COURT Kir-619/95
RECORD OF EXHUMATION
Made on 14 November 1995 on the cemetery Mostirina in Obrovac
The employee of the Zadarsko-Kninska police administration, Mirko Lukić, informed me
that on the Mostirine cemetery near Obrovac, the bodies of BOŽICA JURI ČEVIĆ,
ZORKA ZUBAK, MARTIN BUŽONJA, and MANDA MARUNA were buried in
Miljenko Šimurina’s vault. These women were killed on 18 December 1991 in the village
of Jasenice. It was decided that an exhumation was going to be carried out. It was known
that the all four persons were killed by firearms on the same day by persons unknown.
Corps number 1 is the corps of BOŽICA JURI ČEVIĆ. Her son Ivan identified the corps
according to the clothes and shoes.
On the right side of thoracic cavity, on the back, 6 cm removed from the spine there is a
fracture with a defect of the third right rib, then there is a fracture and a defect under the
upper edge of the right shoulder-blade bone, which diameter is 1.5 cm, and the diameter of
the corresponding defect, which is placed on the skin of the back of that region, is 1 cm, the
perforated wound was made on the place where the bullet came out of body. The perforated
wound where the bullet entered the body is located on the left upper arm.
According to its characteristics he concludes that it is a perforated wound with a direction
from the left to the right, and the canal streches through breast spine and both lungs which
were probably damaged and as a result of it there was bleeding in the chest.
The cause of death is haemorrhage shock.
The corps no. 2 is the corps of ZORKA ZUBAK. Her son Mile identified the corps
according to the clothes and shoes.
On the basis of the described report he concludes that there were more perforated wounds.
Wounds which were caused by the entering of the a bullet into the body were located on the
back, and perforated canals on the thoracic cavity go through the lungs and as a result the
lungs are injured and there was bleeding in the chest.
The cause of death is a haemorrhage shock.
The corps no. 3 is the corps of MARTIN BUŽONJA. His son Mile identified the corps
according to the clothes and shoes.
On the right part of the occipital bone there is a defect of a size 5 x 5.5 cm which reaches
the big occipital opening, and its edges streach towards the surface of the bones. From the
upper edge, two fractures streach across occipital bone and the right parietal bone. There is
also a fracture on the foreward edge of the left side of the big occipital opening, and it
streaches across the middle of the bone. Since there are no other defects on the bones of the
skull and face, and the described defects of the occipital bone correspond to the wound
where the bullet came out of body, it is concluded that the shoot was fired in the mouth,
that is, passed through the soft tissues of the mouth cavity. 394
The trunk of the first flank vertebra is also fractured. On the basis of the described it is
concluded that the victim got more perforated wounds in the area of the head, thoracic
cavity, left upper arm, stomach, and left upper leg.
The direction of the perforated canal of the injury of the head goes from the mouth
backwards through occipital bone and the beginning of the upper part of the neck spine.
Along the perforated canal there must have been some injuries of the soft tissues of the
mouth cavity (the tongue), contusion of the brain, medulla oblongata and the neck spinal
cord, and these contusions are the main cause of death.
The corps no. 4 is the corps of MANDA MARUNA. Her son Tomislav identified the corps
according the clothes and shoes.
On the occipital area of the head there is a tuft of hair combed in a pony tail. On the skull
arcade there are many fractures, which streach to the basis of the skull. On the right vertex
bone there is a defect of a roundish shape and a diameter of 1 cm, which streaches towards
the internal surface of the bone.
The direction of the perforated canal goes from the right to the left and downwards through
the skull and brain and exits the skull in the area of the left temple region where the bone is
fractured in small pieces. On the skin of the chin there is one defect on both sides, on the
right the diameter of the defect is 1 cm, and on the left the size of the defect is 2x1 cm. In
these areas the lower jaw is fractured, on the left it is fractured at many points.
The wounds are of a perforated character. The injuries of the head, considering multiple
fractures of the bones, are inflicted from the small distance.
The cause of death are the contusions of the brain and neck spinal chord.
A NNEX 557:
M INUTES OF THE AUTOPSY , 30 JNE 1993
MEDICAL CENTRE – ZADAR
GENERAL HOSPITAL
No:199/93
Pathology anatomy
MINUTES OF THE AUTOPSY
th
Made on 30 June 1993 at the request of the investigating judge Milivoj Lasan from the
County court in Zadar, Section for the pathology of the Medical Centre – Zadar, in
connection with the external inspection and the autopsy of the body of the deceased STIPE
th
ZUBAK, 71 year old, killed and buried by the Chetniks in Jasenice on 18ecember 1991.
Identification of the body was done by the son according to the clothes.
After the identification a doctor-court expert gives his test results and opinion.
PATHOLOGICAL-ANATOMY DIAGNOSIS
Vulnera sclopetaria thoracis, brachii dextri, regionis lumbalis dextrae et femoris sinistri.
Shot wounds of the chest, right upper arm, right hip and left upper leg. 395
Fracturae multiplices complicatae humeri dextri, scapulae dextrae costarum dextrarum et
femoris sinistri.
Multiple open fracutres of the right upper arm and left upper leg bones, right shoulder-blade
and right ribs.
Stadium putrefactionis et decompositions.
Putrefaction changes with the decomposition of the body.
CAUSE OF DEATH
Shock haemorrhagicum et traumaticum
Trauma-haemorrhage shock.
OPINION
With the external inspection and the autopsy of the body of the deceased Stipe Zubak the
wounds stated in the pathological-antomy diagnosis on which basis it is concluded that the
death was violent, directly caused by the trauma-haemorrhage shock,
were found, by the fast decomposition state and putrafaction changes. On the basis of the
circumstances and the findings on the clothes in the shape of the round defect on the areas
of the fractures of the right upper arm and shoulder-blade, right ribs and left upper leg, it is
concluded that these are shot wounds. In consideration with that there were no bullets in the
body, it is concluded that these were shot wounds. At the moment of the wounding the
deceased Stipe Zubak was turned with his backs at the place from which it was fired at him.
A NNEX 558:
A UTOPSY R EPORT , 30 JE 1993
MEDICAL CENTRE ZADAR No.198/93
GENERAL HOSPITAL Kir. 386/93
DEPT. FOR PATHOLOGICAL ANATOMY
AUTOPSY REPORT
Drafted on 30 June 1993, upon request of the investigative judge Milivoj Lasan of the
Zadar County Court, at the Pathological Ward of the Zadar Medical Center, in reference to
the external examination and autopsy of the late Ivan Maruna, age 69, who the Chetniks
killed and buried in the village of Jasenice on 18 November 1991.
(…)
The son of the diseased identified him based on his clothes.
After the identification the physician-expert gives his findings and opinion.
(…)
CAUSE OF DEATH
Shock traumaticum et haemorrhagicum.
Traumatic and hemorrhaging shock. 396
OPINION
Through external examination and autopsy of the late Ivan Maruna, beside advance stages
of decomposition and decay of soft tissue, were found injuries mentioned in the pathologic-
anatomical diagnosis setting the grounds for the conclusion that the death was caused
forcefully, directly evoked by trauma-hemorrhage shock.
(…)
Due to the fact that no bullets were found in the remains of the deceased it is to be
concluded that piercing wounds caused the death. In the instant of wounding the deceased
Ivan Maruna had his back turned to the location it was being fired from.
(…)
Investigative Judge: Recording Secretary: Physician-Expert:
Milivoj Lasan Marija Kolega Prim. Dr. Josip Dujella,
(signature) Pathologist
(signature)
Seal:
General Hospital
Medical Center Zadar
Dept. for Pathological Anatomy
A NNEX 559:
COMMENTARY , CIME IN THE V ILLAGE OF B RUŠKA
COMMENTARY
Crime in the village of Bruška, supplement to the information.-
st
On the 21 of December 1991, in the evening hours, the group of many unknown
individuals committed 10 murders of the villagers of the Bruska village in the Benkovac
municipality. That day the following people were killed: KRSTO Šime MARINOVI Ć,
DRAGINJA Jovan MARINOVI Ć, PETAR Ivan MARINOVI Ć, SVETOZAR Dušan
DRAČA, ROKO Petar MARINOVI Ć, DUŠAN Roko MARINOVI Ć, DRAGAN Josip
MARINOVIĆ, ĐUKA Grga MARINOVI Ć – STANA, MAŠA MARINOVI Ć and IKA
MARINOVIĆ.
NOTE: As far as I know the SJS Benkovac finished the investigation of this case and they
concluded that the Ustasha terrorist group committed the crime. I appreciate the fact that for
this conclusion they did not have the material evidence and that it was necessary to restart
the investigation of this case with an aim to take the blame for this crime off the Serbian
population.
COMMENTARY
New information connected with the murders in the village of Bruška
On the 3rdof April 1992 around 10 p.m. I contacted the IS “Kota” who, during the direct
conversation, stated the following: 397
“The workers of the police and their “bosses” know who killed those 10 people in the
village of Bruška. The policeman Božo Miljković knows the most of the things about it.”
RB/RB
ANNEX 560:
M INUTES OFINVESTIGATION (1), 26 ARIL 1996
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
INVESTIGATING CENTRE
Kir 321/96
MINUTES ON INVESTIGATION
from 26thApril 1996
at the local Catholic cemetery in the village Rodaljica (at the grave that is in the second
eastern row of the graves near the one that is closer to the destroyed church) during the
exhumation and autopsy of the bodies of the late DUŠAN MARINOVI Ć, and ROKO
MARINOVIĆ, from Bruška, killed in December 1991, made at the County court in Zadar.
…
Began at 11.20 hrs …
The grave that is in possession of Jure Marinovi ć is beign opened and a body in a black
plastic bag is being pulled out. …
Body No 4/ late DUŠAN MARINOVIĆ …
The body is dressed and wrapped in a bag. It has a red sweater with long sleeves, a shirt
with long sleeves, sweat-suit trousers, two pairs of socks and trainer shoes on. …
Damages described on clothes and bones fractures point to shot wounds. …
According to the look and size of the damages on clothes it is concluded that the shot
wounds are at fornt and that shot canals go from the front to the back. …
Body No 5/ late ROKO MARINOVIĆ …
The body is dressed. …
Damages described on clothes point to shot wounds. Shot canal of the chest wound goes
through lungs with the breaks and haemorrhages in chest, and the shot canal of stomach
shot wound goes through liver and guts with haemorrhage in the stomach. …
Done at 13.30 hrs
Recording secretary: Dragica Peić
Expert witness: Prim. Dr Josip Dujella
Investigating judge: Ladislav Judnič 398
A NNEX 561:
M INUTES OF IVESTIGATION (2), 26 ARIL 1996
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
INVESTIGATING CENTRE
Kir 320/96
MINUTES OF INVESTIGATION
th
from 26 April 1996
at the local Catholic cemetery in the village Rodaljice (at the grave that is in possession of
Vice and Ante Marinovi ć) during the exhumation and autopsy of the bodies of the late
PETAR MARINOVIĆ, late KRSTO MARINOVIĆ and the late DRAGINJA MARINOVIĆ
from Bruška, killed in December 1992, made at the County court in Zadar. …
Began at 09.00 hrs
We came to the local Catholic cemetery in the village Rodaljice. …
The mentioned grave is being opened. …
In the upper opened grave a body in a black plastic bag can be seen, and in the lower one,
and partly on the ground there are two bodies in black plastic bags, too. …
Body No 1/ late PETAR MARINOVIĆ …
Damages described on clothes with the corresponding wounds on the back represent shot
wounds with entrance wounds at the back and shot canals going from behind to the front
side and through the right lung, liver, and guts with its break and haemorrhage in stomach
and right chest, that caused the effect of haemorrhage shock which represents the direct
cause of death. Fracture of right side of lawer chaw and left upper leg bone also represent
shot wound. …
Body No 2/ late KRSTO MARINOVIĆ …
Head bones have multiple fractures. …
Multiple fracture of all bones point to the shot wound of the head shot from near with the
direction of the shot canal from the front to the back. …
Cause of death is brain compression. …
Body No 3/ late DRAGINJA MARINOVIĆ …
Damages described on clothes and bones fractures point to shot wounds. Shot canal of the
shot wound of the chest goes through the left lung with the break and haemorrhage and the
development of haemorrhage shock as the direct cause of death. …
Done at 11.10 hrs
Recording secretary: Dragica Peić
Expert witness: Prim. Dr Josip Dujella
Investigating judge: Ladislav Judnič 399
ANNEX 562:
M INUTES OF IVESTIGATION (3), 26 ARIL 1996
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
INVESTIGATING CENTRE
Kir 322/96
MINUTES OF IVESTIGATION
th
from 26 April 1996
at the local Catholic cemetery in the village Rodaljice (at the grave that is in possession of
Šime Marinović) during the exhumation and autopsy of the body of the late MANDA
MARINOVIĆ and the late STANA MARINOVI Ć from Bruška, killed in December 1991,
made at the County court in Zadar. …
Began at 13.00 hrs
We came to this cemetery to the separated grave that is in possession of Šime Marćnovi
from Bruška. …
Body No 6/ late MANDA MARINOVIĆ
The depicted damages on clothes and multiple fractures point to the shot wounds. …
Shot wounds of the left upper and lower leg have entrance wounds from the front and exit
wounds from behind, and besides the depicted fractures they have caused break of mussles
with haemorrhage. The cause of death is trauma-haemorrhage shock. …
Body No 7/ late STANA MARINOVIĆ …
Damages on slothes and multiple fractures point to shot wounds.
Multiple fractures of the arch and the base of the skull which is almost broken point to the
possibility that the wound was made from near. …
Brain compression is the direct cause of death, and the trauma-haemorrhage shock is
competitive cause of death. …
Done at 14.30 hrs
Recording secretary: Dragica Peić
Expert witness: Prim. Dr Josip Dujella
Investigating judge: Ladislav Judnič 400
A NNEX 563:
M INUTES OF IVESTIGATION (4), 26 ARIL 1996
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
INVESTIGATING CENTRE
Kir 323/96
MINUTES OF INVESTIGATION
th
from 26 April 1996
at the local Catholic cemetery in the village Rodaljice (at the unknown grave that is right at
the wall and left from the gate of destroyed church) during the exhumation and autopsy of
the bodies of the late DRAGAN MARINOVI Ć, son of late Joso, and IKA MARINOVI Ć,
daughter of Šimun Stipanovi ć; from Bruška, killed in December 1991, made at the County
court in Zadar. …
Began at 14.30 hrs
We came to the mentioned cemetery. …
Body No 8/ late DRAGAN MARINOVIĆ …
Damages on clothes at the chest and back area, and the mentioned fractures of the vertebrae
point to four shot wounds of the chest with the shot canals going from the front to the back,
going through both lungs with haemorrhages and through the chest spine with the
contusions of the chest spinal chord.
Cause of death is trauma-haemorrhage shock. …
Body No 9/ late IKA MARINOVIĆ …
The depicted defects of clothes and multiple fractures point to the shot wounds of the chest,
right upper arm, lower arm, upper leg and lower leg, and left upper leg with its multiple
fractures, 6 rib fracture, break of lungs with haemorrhage in the chest.
Cause of death is trauma-haemorrhage shock. Damages on clothes at the back are smaller
than those at front so it can be concluded that the entrance shot wounds are at the back and
that the direction of the shot canals goes from behind to the front. …
Done at 15.40 hrs
Recording secretary: Dragica Peić
Expert witness: Prim. Dr Josip Dujella
Investigating judge: Ladislav Judnič 401
ANNEX 564:
M INUTES OF IVESTIGATION (5), 26 ARIL 1996
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
INVESTIGATING CENTRE
Kir 324/96
MINUTES OF INVESTIGATION
th
from 26 April 1996
at the local Catholic cemetery in the village Rodaljice (at the grave that is in possession of
Anđelija Zrilić from Bruška) during the exhumation and autopsy of the body of the late
Joso Marinović from Bruška, killed in June 1992 in the village of Bruška, made at the
County court in Zadar. …
Began at 15.50 hrs
At the mentioned cemetery at Anđelija Zrilić grave, the grave has been opened. …
Body No 10/ of the late JOSO MARINOVIĆ …
There is a fracture on the chest of 4 lower right ribs. …
The fractures of the ribs are caused by hits from blunt and hard objects. It is possible that
the fractures were accompanied with the break of the inter rib??? blood veines, contusion
and break of the lungs with haemorrhages in the chest that could lead to the state of
haemorrhage shock and eventually cause death. …
Done at 16.30 hrs
Recording secretary: Dragica Peić
Expert witness: Prim. Dr Josip Dujella
Investigating judge: Ladislav Judnič 402
A NNEX 565:
R EPORT OF D EATH, 27 MARCH 1992
HEALTH CENTRE
Dr. Jovo Jurković
B E N K O V A C
Working unit in Benkovac
Service of the General Medicine
REPORT OF DEATH
Kristina Nikolina Galić, born in 1932, from Korlat...
On March 25 t1992, in the presence of the law-enforcement officers and of the inhabitants
of the village Korlat, I conducted the investigation of the death of Kristina Nikolina Gali ć,
born in 1932, on the spot. The corpse was lying supine on a macadam road. During the
examination of the corpse, I established:
There is a wound on the left shoulder where the bullet went right through, with the entrance
a little bit below the armpit… The humerus on that part of the shoulder is broken.
On the wrist of the left arm there is a wound where the bullet went right through…
On both knees wounds where bullets went right through in the direction from the right to
the left are visible. Big bones in both knees are broken.
…
th
Benkovac, March 27 1992
Dr. Konstantin (ILLEGIBLE WORD)
d o c t o r
A NNEX 566:
INVESTIGATION RECORD (1), 24 ARIL1996
Kir-308/96
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
DISTRICT COURT IN ZADAR
INVESTIGATIVE CENTRE
INVESTIGATION RECORD
from April 241996
in the village Korlat – hamlet Gradina, not far away from the house of Petar Buli ć, with the
exhumation and the autopsy of the corpse of the late Joso Jurjevi ć, son of the late Joso (a
father), born in 1910, from Korlat, drawn up by the District Court in Zadar. …
The beginning at 01,00 p.m. …
On the marked place in the “ograda”, we dig up the ground and on the depth of about 40 cm
a skeleton of a corpse of a male person, laid down on the back with the head towards the
north, started showing through. … 403
On the vault of the skull on the left side of the frontal bone and on the shell of the left
temporal bone there is a defect of 5,5x2,5 cm. Fractures spread from that defect across the
left half of the frontal bone, across the left parietal bone and across the left temporal bone.
Described defects and fractures of the skull could represent almost tangential wound where
the bullet went right through, with a shot canal going obliquely from up down with a crush
of the left front lobe and of the temporal lobe of the cerebrum as the consequence. …
On the left humerus in the upper third there is a multiple fracture to which, according to
their position, defects on the left sleeve of the jacket and of the sweater corresponds to and
therefore, it is concluded that it is a question of a wound where the bullet went right
through.
Both bones of pelvis and the sacrum bone as well are broken in several pieces and these
fractures are caused by several wounds where bullets went right through.
th th th
On the on the thorax there is a fracture of 78 and 10 rib about 15 cm around the spine
and they could be caused by blows of a pointless and hard object.
The cause of death could be the crush of the brain and a trauma and haemorrhage shock
caused by a fracture of the left upper arm, of ribs, of a pelvis and of the sacrum bone and by
secondary tears of abdominal organs accompanied with haemorrhage. …
Finished at 02,20 p.m.
Recording secretary: DRAGICA PEIĆ
Expert: Head doctor Dr. JOSIP DUJELLA
Investigative judge: LADISLAV JUDNIČ
Signet: the Republic of Croatia, the District Court in Zadar
A NNEX 567:
INVESTIGATION R ECORD (2), 24 APRIL 1996
Kir-309/96
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
DISTRICT COURT IN ZADAR
INVESTIGATIVE CENTRE
INVESTIGATION RECORD
from April 24th1996
in the village Korlat – hamlet Sredina sela, not far away from the house of Grga Zori ć, with
the exhumation and the autopsy of the corpse of the late Luce Zori ć, Darinka Jurjević and
Đurđija Modrić, drawn up by the District Court in Zadar. …
The beginning at 02,30 p.m.
We come from the south-east of the house of Grga Zori ć, right to the uncultivated garden
not far away from the tree where there are remains of flowers on the grassy part…
We dig the ground on this marked place… Corpses wrapped in blankets with red and white
tinges are freed by careful cleaning of this tomb. …
Mortal remains of the late LUCIJA ZORIĆ … 404
With regard to the location of all described wounds where bullets went right through, soft
tissues of the mouth cavity, of muscles of the left shoulder and of lungs were torn along
their shot canals and consequently, the massive haemorrhage occurred that caused the state
of acute haemorrhage shock with the death as the outcome. The advanced decay alterations
suggest that the corpse is older than 2,5 years.
Mortal remains of the late DARINKA JURJEVIĆ …
It is concluded that there are several wounds where bullets went right through. With regard
to that damages on clothes as well as lesions on the body are smaller on the back and larger
on the thorax, it is concluded that the direction of shot canals goes from the back to the
front, that is from the back towards the chest, and obliquely up and to the left. …
Mortal remains of the late ĐURĐIJA MODRIĆ …
On the basis of described damages on clothes and lesions on the body, it is concluded that
there are 4 wounds on the thorax where bullets went right through, with entrance wounds at
the back on the right side of the back and exit wounds in the front on the chest. Shot canals
are going from the back to the front and obliquely up…
Finished at 05,30 p.m.
Recording secretary: DRAGICA PEIĆ
Expert: Head doctor Dr. JOSIP DUJELLA
Investigative judge: LADISLAV JUDNIČ
Signet: the Republic of Croatia, the District Court in Zadar
A NNEX 568:
R ECORD OF THE NIESTIGATION , 26 NVEMBER 1992
REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA KRAJINA
No. Kri 90/92
MUNICIPAL COURT IN BENKOVAC
RECORD OF THE INVESTIGATION
th
Made on the 26 of November 1992 for the investigative judge of the Municipal court
Benkovac on the scene of the crime in Smil čić, in the house of Biserka Arbanas, widower
of Ante, from Smilčić and connected with the death of Biserka Arbanas, Anica Arbanas and
Krsto Arbanas.
The SJB Benkovac on duty informed the investigative judge of the Municipal court
Benkovac that in Smilčić a house was put on fire and the above-mentioned individuals were
in that house.
Description of the scene of the crime:
The scene of the crime is the house and it was found out that it is owned by Biserka
Arbanas, widower of Ante, from Smil čić and the house is situated at the very beginning of
the village of Smilčić. 405
In this room the remains of the two beds were found, that is, two so-called “sustas” (litter
beds) were found and one bed was placed by the south wall of the room and the other one
by the north wall of the room.
After the criminal technician, together with the forensic, cleaned the field the small parts of
bones were found on the beds and the doctor – forensic established that those were the
human bones. On the basis of the thorough examination of these bones the doctor – forensic
came to the conclusion that the bones of two bodies are on the south bed and the bones of
one body are on the north bed.
On the basis of what the present villagers and the policemen who secured the scene of the
crime told us, it is supposed that the bones found in the south room belong to Biserka
Arbanas, Ante’s widower, about 50 years old, to Anica Arbanas, about 70 years old and to
Krsto Arbanas, son of Anica, about 40 years old. The present people stated that Krsto
Arbanas was mentally retarded.
Recording secretary: Stevanija Vujasinović (signature)
Investigative judge: Drago Bulj (signature)
ANNEX 569:
M INUTES OF E XHUMATION , 24 M AY 1996
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
Investigating Centre
Kir – 397/96
MINUTES OF EXHUMATION
th
On 24 May 1996, at 14.00 hrs, began the exhumation of the bodies of MARKO ČURČIJA
and ŠIMICA PAVI Ć who were buried outside the grave and at the cemetery in Lišane
Ostrovičke. …
The bodies were buried in a pit outside the grave. …
Body of the late Čurčija is found wrapped in a plastic bag. …
There are multiple fractures of the head bones, especially the arch and the base of the skull.
Since the rest of the bones have multiple fractures, it is impossible to determine some other
defect.
That is, the described defect on the forehead represents entrance shot wound with shot canal
through the brain, its compression and represents the direct cause of death. …
At the above-mentioned pit besides the body marked No 1, for which later has been
determine that it was Marko Čurčija, another body, marked No 2, has been buried.
After the bag was opened, it has been determined that the body was female, 156 cm long.
The body is dressed. …
Described wounds represent shot wounds with entrance wounds at the front, that is, the
right side of the chest and at the back on the neck, and exit wounds on the right side of the
back, shot canal of both passes through the right lung and through large viens of the neck 406
with the inside haemorrhage in the right chest as with the outside haemorrhage. The cause
of death is haemorrhage shock. …
In the grave that is in possession of Ante Miji ć, the remains of a body is seen in a plastic
bag, the skelethn of the body that is probably the body of Marko Radoš, who was allegedly
killed from 27 September 1991 and until the end of the year, but the day is not
determined. No 3 is a mark of an unidentified male body. …
The mentioned fractures of both collar bones and its nearness and the corresponding
shoulder-blade bones point to the fact that these fractures are consequence of shot wounds.
…
Since the wounds are on both shoulder joints, it can be assumed that there was haemorrhage
from the broken under collar veins with the haemorrhage shock as the direct cause of death.
The body misses right fist bones.
Done at 16.00 hrs
Recording Secretary: Stanka Grginović
Expert Witness: Prim Dr Josip Dujella
Investigating Judge: Antun Klišmanić
ANNEX 570:
RECORD OF THE ERPORMED B URIAL, 12 JNE 1992
RECORD
th
of the performed burial in the village of Rodaljice on the 12 of June 1992
As the result of the information of the officer on duty in SJB Benkovac, the sanitation team
came to the scene of the crime in the village of Rodaljice and it concluded the following
facts:
Four bodies were found when the sanitation team came out to the field in the village of
Rodaljice. Those were the following bodies:
LUKA ŠUNIĆ, born in 1935.
GRGICA ŠUNIĆ, wife of Luka, born in 1935.
MARIJA ŠUNIĆ, born in 19_3. (illegible)
MILKA GRGAS, born in 1939.
The bodies were found in their family houses and the shot wounds were the cause of death.
[Signature illegible] 407
A NNEX 571:
R ECORD OF THE A UTOPSY (EXHUMATION ), 28 AGUST 1995
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
DISTRICT COURT IN ZADAR
Kir-547/95
Investigative center
RECORD OF THE AUTOPSY (exhumation)
th
from the 28 of October 1995
made for the District court in Zadar, on the local (Catholic) cemetery in the village of
Lisičić near Benkovac, on the occasion of the exhumation of the bodies of MAŠA KUTIJA,
STANA KUTIJA AND FRANE KUTIJA, all from Lisič ić (war crime against the civil
population).
Started at 10:30 a.m.
The autopsy is performed as the result of the information that in the January of 1993 in the
village of Lisi čić near Benkovac, three persons were killed and those were Maša Kutija,
Stana Kutija and Frane Kutija, who were killed by the Serbian military formations and
buried in the Catholic cemetery in Lisičić.
The last grave in the line, on the left side towards the east, is the concrete grave. Inside the
grave that is dug in the ground there are couple of concrete shelves on each side as well as
on the ground of the grave and the body of the person wrapped in the nylon bag can be
seen.
REPORT
It is the corpse of the human individual.
All the head bones are fractured into many pieces.
The described defect of the frontal bone corresponds to the enter shot wound.
The defect on the lower jaw corresponds to the exit shot wound.
On the basis of the characteristics of the pelvic bones – it is concluded that it was the
female person.
On the low side of the right pelvic bone (pubic bone) the fracture with the torn pieces of the
bone, 5 cm long can be seen.
CONCLUSION
On the body (Maša Kutija) three shot wounds were found, one in the area of the chest
cavity and two on the head. The brain contusion is the cause of death.
Taking into consideration of numerous head bones fractures it is established that the shot
wounds of the head were inflicted at close.
Then the next grave in that same line is investigated. 408
The present Jeka Čotra from …, states that she knows that in this grave her late mother,
STANA KUTIJA, born Šekez, daughter of Grujo, mother Janja, born Mlinar, born on the
th
13 of December 1912, from the hamlet of Kutija, the village of Lisičić was buried.
REPORT
The bones of the human individual with clothes are in the nylon bag.
All the bones are female-like so this points out to the fact that this is the female person.
CONCLUSION
It is the older female person. It is impossible to establish the cause of death.
Then the next grave in that same line is investigated and it is the fourth grave.
According to the statement of the present Jeka Čotra, her half-brother, FRANE KUTIJA,
son of late Mate, mother Stana, born Šekez, born on the 4 thof October 1950, lived in the
hamlet of Kutija, Lisičić village was buried in this grave.
REPORT
The body of a male person is in the nylon bag.
On the left side of the occipital bone the fracture, 7 cm long can be seen. There are no other
injuries on the head.
There is the double fracture of the three (3) left ribs.
CONCLUSION
The fractures of the scull and ribs were caused by the blows with the hard, blunt object.
The cause of death of Frane Kutija is the brain contusion.
“Record of the sanitation that was made on the scene of the crime in the village of Lisi čić
on the 8thof February 1993” was made by the members of the Serbian paramilitaries and
was found in their archives in Knin after the Croatian Army “Oluja” (Storm) operation. The
present criminal inspector gave that record to the judge and it is stated in the record that the
scene of the crime is the house of Frane Kutija where the body of Frane Kutija was found
and that he died of natural death. Further on, it is stated in the record that there were no
injuries on the body.
The autopsy was finished at 14:30 p.m.
RECORDING SECRETARY: Sandra Paleka (signature)
DOCTOR – FORENSIC: Dr. Josip Dujell, spec. Pathologist (signature)
INVESTIGATIVE JUDGE: Milivoj Lasan (signature) 409
A NNEX 572:
E XTRACT F ROM THE REPORT OF THE H ELSINKI W ATCH , 4 FBRUARY 1992
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF THE HELSINKI WATCH
FROM 4 FEBRUARY 1992
18 November – Vukovar
The town of Vukovar has been under constant Serb occupation for the last three months.
When the town surrendered on 18 November, 15,000 people who did not escape during the
battles came out of the basements in which they had been living for the last twelve weeks.
After the surrender of Vukovar, the Serb paramilitary formations and JNA beat and arrested
civilians and the hors de combat soldiers. Based on an interview with the banished people
from Vukovar, with reporters and humanitarian workers who had come to Vukovar directly
after its surrender, the Helsinki Watch has reason to believe that numerous men of Croatian
nationality, civilians and soldiers who had surrendered their weapons, were executed
shortly after the surrender of Vukovar.
18 November – Škabrnja (Municipality Zadar) and Nadin (Municipality Benkovac)
At approximately 7:15 a.m. on the 18 November, the JNA and the Serb paramilitary
formations started firing mortars and artillery weapons at the Croatian village of Škabrnja
(it had 1,946 citizens). At 11:00 a.m. a tank of the JNA came up to the Church of St. Mary
in the center of the town and fired a cannon shell at the main entrance. Then the Serb
paramilitary formations started firing machine guns at the church, and one paramilitary
formation took the position near the bell-tower and from there shelled the village. At
approximately 13:00 p.m. on 19 November, those formations attacked the neighboring
Croatian village of Nadin (678 civilians). Until 4:30 both p.m. Škabrnja and Nadin fell into
the hands of the Serbian forces.
The reports state that, after the Croats destroyed a tank of the Yugoslav army in the western
part of Škabrnja, the Serb forces turned against the civilians. The Serb paramilitary
formations started devastating, robbing and shooting around the village, murdered 18
civilians (41 from Škabrnja and seven from Nadin). The majority of the murdered were
older women and, according to the autopsy reports, a large majority was murdered with a
bullet to the head from close range. With a tank the head and the chest of a fifty-nine year
old woman were crushed. B.S., F.R. and S.S. were terribly beaten and after that they were
murdered in the way that the crushed their skulls with a blunt object.
A nineteen-year-old woman told what she experienced during the attack on Škabrnja.
Around 500 rebels and 20 tanks came to Škabrnja and occupied it. They told us that we
were all Ustashas and that they would murder us all. They took around thirty-five citizens
to the basement of the local church, where the rebels beat many men, mostly elder, with
fists, gunstocks and with sticks. They beat my eighty-year-old grandfather to death. Later
they transferred us from the basement to the prison in Benkovac. When we got out of the
basement, I saw ten dead bodies piled up one on top of the other. The victims were both,
men and women; I recognized one of the dead women. I also saw that they had robbed my
house and riddled it with machine gun bullets. 410
A NNEX 573:
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL M ILITARY CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT N . 416-1, 23 NVEMBER
1991
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
“ZOPMR”
No. 416-1
MILthARY CLASSIFIED DOC.
180 Motorised Brigade
(Security Service)
Major Branislav Ristić
(authorised senior officer in the Security Service)
On 23 November 1991
Drawn up in 1 (one) copy
Delivered to:----------
Registration Number 101
N O T E
ON THE USE OF LABOUR METHODS
Proposal - Request - Report
Labour method Combined use of labour method
1. Personal opinion of the senior officer1. Preventive operative labour
charge
2. Previous operative processing
2. Work with collaborator “Belgrade-1”
(pseudonym) 3. Operative processing
3. Data check and ascertainment 4. Operative control
4. Informative interview 5. Operative action
5. Secrete monitoring and surveillance 6. Counter intelligence protection
6. Secrete house search
7. Secrete monitoring and taping
8. Secrete control of post and other letters
9. False information
10. Other 411
Object of application method Line of labour
Killings in the village of Škabrnja 1. Foreign intelligence services
2. Enemy emigration
3. Internal enemy
4. Unknown
Time of application 20 November 1991
EXPLANATION
Killings in the village of Škabrnja
Report:
On 23 November 1991, around 10.00 am, I interviewed the soldier Dragan Mitrovi ć, driver
of the combat armored vehicle of the military police in my office. He took part in the
combat operations in the village of Škabrnja and he saw the murders of civilians committed
by the members of the Territorial Defense and volunteers in that village.
In the interview he said the following:
“When we turned toward Škabrnja, on the way I saw from the combat armored vehicle one
dead member of the ZNG Corps and beside him was a semi-automatic rifle. When we
arrived in the village the members of the Territorial Defense and the volunteers (the latter
wore camouflage uniforms and their faces were painted), who called themselves Chetniks,
took a group of around 20 civilians out of a basement. One of them had a semi-automatic
rifle. He was immediately taken behind the combat armed vehicle and shot. They brought
one elderly woman and two elderly men in front of the combat armored vehicle; they forced
them to the ground and shot at the back of their heads. From one of the houses in the village
they took three men. One of them was around the age of 35 and the other two around 45.
They interrogated them in the yard for a short time and then shot them.
I was told that they also killed a young woman of the age of 19 and her 8-month-old child,
but I did not see it personally. From one basement they took a father with his daughter.
They killed the father immediately from an automatic rifle. They forced the girl to the
ground, pulled her by the hair and one of them said, “Do you want to end up like your
father!” I shouted, “Don’t shoot!” and pointed my gun at him. Later, we brought the girl to
the command post.
I saw the members of the Territorial Defense taking a group of 5 civilians, lining them up in
front of the combat armored vehicle so that they would show them the way and at the same
time serve as a “shield”.
On our way to Nadin, I saw the members of the Territorial Defense capturing a civilian.
Dražić (Head of the “SJB”) talked to him, but later I was told that he had been killed as
well.”
NOTE:
From soldier Mitrović ’s statement, it is obvious that certain groups of the Territorial
Defense were engaged rather as a gang than an army. Such behavior caused revolt among
the soldiers, who almost openly came into conflict with them in order to protect civilians of
Croatian nationality. 412
A NNEX 574:
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL M ILITARY CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT N . 417-1, 23 NVEMBER
1991
MILITARY CLASSIFIED DOC.
“ZOPMR”
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
No.th17-1
180 Motorized Brigade
(Security Service)
Major Branislav Ristić
(authorized senior officer in the Security Service)
On 23 November 1991
Drawn up in 1 (one) copy
Delivered: -----------
Registration Number 101
N O T E
ON THE USE OF LABOR METHODS
Proposal
Request
Report
Labour method Combined use of labour method
1. Personal opinion of the senior officer1. Preventive operative labour
charge
2. Previous operative processing
2. Work with collaborator -------
3. Operative processing
(pseudonym)
4. Operative control
3. Data check and ascertainment
5. Operative action
4. Informative interview
5. Secrete monitoring and surveillance 6. Counter intelligence protection
6. Secrete house search
7. Secrete monitoring and taping
8. Secrete control of post and other letters
9. False information
10. Other 413
Object of application method Line of labour
Killings in the village of Škabrnja 1. Foreign intelligence services
2. Enemy emigration
3. Internal enemy
4. Unknown
Time of application 20 November 1991
EXPLANATION
Killing of civilians in the village of Škabrnja
Report-
On 22 November 1991, I interviewed Nenad Živanovi ć, soldier in a military police
battalion, in connection with killing of civilians in the village of Škabrnja. The events took
place on 18 November, during the attack on the village.
During the interview, Živanovi ć was very upset (the interview was carried out in my
office), and he painfully recalled the details because he claimed that they were terrible.
In the interview he said the following:
“The members of the combat armored vehicle crew were: Sergeant Travica, Corporal
Pejaković, soldiers Dragan Mitrovi ć, Predrag Živanovi ć, Miloš Nik čević, Goran
Radovanović, and I. During the combat operations, we were firing from armored personnel
carriers. Near the closest houses in the village of Škabrnja, “the members of the Territorial
Defense” (their faces were painted black in order to appear more terrifying, and on their
uniforms they had a sign, that is a Serbian flag without the five-pointed star) took out three
unarmed civilians. They lined them up, but then firing started in the village, so that I fired
as well and did not pay attention to them. However, as the firing ceased, I saw them lying
dead on the ground, and by their wounds, I concluded, that they were shot from close range.
Not far from there, they took three children out of a house. We, from the military police,
asked to take the children, but they would not allow it. They took them into the house (all
three of them), but took out only two of them. I did neither hear nor see if the third child
was killed, since we could not hear shots because of the chaos in the village. However, the
house was afterwards hit by rocket launchers and it burned down.
Nearby, a group of civilians was taken out of a house. The members of the Territorial
Defense separated four males behind the house and shot them. I saw them hitting an elderly
man on his head with a gunstock. He walked for about 20 meters and then one member of
the Territorial Defense wounded his legs with an automatic rifle, so he fell down. Then he
killed him with a shot to his head.
I was told, but I did not see it for myself, that they took a member of the National Guard
Corps behind a house, where they shot him and cut off his ear.
I watched when they took a man and a girl (perhaps father and daughter). A member of the
Territorial Defense said to the girl, “Watch, bitch, I’m going to kill your father!”, and shot
him in his mouth. 414
As I saw this, I threw my belt away and said that I would not fight this way and that I was
going to kill him if he kills the girl. I took the girl into the personnel carrier to save her
from them”.
NOTE:
I will verify the statement of the soldier by questioning the other soldiers who took part in
this operation (the soldiers from the military police unit). I personally listened to the
members, “volunteers”, from the Territorial Defense unit boasting about how they shot one
man by putting a gun under his chin. They talked about this at the Benkovac Surgery
Clinic.
I suggested to the Commander not to engage these units in further actions, because in this
way, they were a disgrace to the JNA and, “protected” by our tanks and personnel carriers,
they committed crimes.
ANNEX 575:
R ECORD ON THE ANITSTION , 21 NOVEMBER 1991
RECORD ON THE SANITATION MADE ON THE SPOT IN THE VILLAGE OF
ŠKABRNJA ON 21 NOVEMBER 1991
The following facts were established on the spot in the village of Škabrnja:
Corps no.
1. Male corpse approximately 70 years old unidentified civilian clothes
2. -//- 45 -//- -//-
3. -//- -//- 40 -//- -//-
4. Female -//- 80 -//- -//-
corpse
5. Male corpse -//- 50 -//- -//-
6. -//- -//- 70 -//- -//-
7. -//- -//- 25 -//- -//-
8. Female -//- 60 -//- -//-
corpse
9. Male corpse -//- -//-
10. -//- -//- 45 -//- -//-
11. -//- -//- 30 -//- -//-
12. -//- -//- 40 -//- -//-
13. -//- -//- 50 -//- -//-
14. -//- -//- 30 -//- -//-
15. -//- -//- 50 -//- -//-
16. -//- -//- 65 -//- -//- 415
17. Female -//- -//-
corpse
18. -//- -//- 60 -//- -//-
19. Male corpse -//- -//-
20. -//- -//- 75 -//- -//-
21. Female -//- -//-
corpse
22. Male corpse -//- -//- -//-
23. -//- -//_ 37 -//- -//-
Ministry of the Interior
RECORD ON SANATION MADE ON THE SPOT IN THE VILLAGE OF ŠKABRNJA
ON 22 NOVEMBER 1991
Corps no.
1. 1. Male corps approximately 40 years old unidentified uniform of the
Ministry of Interior
2. Female corps approximately 60 years old -//- civile clothes
3. Male corps approximately 65 years old -//- -//-
4. -//- -//- 65 -//- -//-
5. -//- -//- 70 -//- -//-
6. 6. Female middle-aged run over with -//-
corps tank
7. Male corps approximately 70 years old -//-
8. -//- -//- 60 -//- -//-
9. -//- -//- 70 -//- -//-
10. -//- -//- 35 -//- -//-
11. -//- -//- 40 -//- -//-
12. -//- -//- 50 -//- -//-
On the same day the Benkovac sanation team handed the corpses on Crni-Musapstan over
to the team for the reception of corpses which leader was ing. Ivan Jelić from Zadar. The
observers of the EC were also present. Sanation team from Benkovac was under the
command of major Dušan Dragičević. 416
RECORD ON SANATION MADE ON THE SPOT IN THE VILLAGE OF ŠKABRNJA
ON 25 NOVEMBER 1991
Corps no.
1. Male corps approximately 70 years old - unidentified - civil clothes - died a natural death
- found in basement on a stretcher
2. Female corps approximately 80 years old - unidentified - civil clothes
3. Male corps approximately 45 years old - unidentified- civile clothes
The Benkovac sanation team handed the corps on Crni- Musapstan over to the team for the
reception of corps from Zadar, which leader was ing. Ivan Jeli ć. Observers from EC
weren’t present at the delivery. Benkovac sanation team was under the command of major
Dušan Dragičević.
RECORD ON THE SANATION MADE ON THE SPOT IN THE VILLAGE OF
ŠKABRNJA ON 02 DECEMBER 1991
Corps no
1. Female corps approximately 70 years old - unidentified - civil clothes
2. Male corps approximately 50 years old - unidentified - civil clothes
The corps are in the state of decay and because of that they are buried in the village of
Škabrnja, in the yard in front of Krsto Šegać’s house, on the right to the stacks which
were found there. The graves are marked with wooden crosses. The corps couldn’t be
buried in the local cemetery because of the open space and closeness of the enemy
positions.
RECORD ON THE SANATION MADE ON THE SPOT IN THE VILLAGE OF
ŠKABRNJA ON 05 DECEMBER 1991
Corps no.
1. Female corps approximately 75 years old - unidentified - civil clothes - died a natural
death
2. Female corps approximately 70 years old - unidentified - civil clothes
3. Male corps approximately 70 years old - unidentified - civil clothes
Benkovac sanation team handed the corps on Crni- Musapstan over to the team for the
reception of the corps from Zadar, which leader was Joso Mateši ć. EC observers were
present at the delivery.
RECORD ON THE DELIVERY OF THE ALIVE PEOPLE IN THE VILLAGES OF
ŠKABRNJA-NADIN ON 05 DECEMBER 1991
LOCAL COMMITTEE NADIN
1. Ika Vicković, the daughter of the deceased, Rade, born in 1913
2. Šimica Šestan, the widow of Slavko, born in 1921
II LOCAL COMMITTEE OF ŠKABRNJA 417
1. Jela Brkić, the widow of Nikola, born in 1913
2. Marica Kardum, the wife of Nediljko, born in 1965
3. Toni Kardum, the son of Nediljko, born in 1988
4. Ljubo Kardum, born in 1927
The team from Zadar took over the above stated persons. The EC observers were present.
THE RECORD ON SANATION MADE ON THE SPOT IN THE VILLAGE OF
ŠKABRNJA ON 07 DECEMBER 1991
Corps no.
1. Male corps approximately 70 years old - unidentified - civil clothes
2. Female corps approximately 70 years old - -//- -//-
3. Female corpse approximately 70 years old - unidentified - civil clothes
4. Male corps approximately 80 years old - unidentified - civil clothes
5. Female corps approximately 65 years old - unidentified - civil clothes- died a natural
death
Because of the open space and the closness of the enemy position the corps couldn’t be
buried in the local cemetery. Thus they were buried northwest of the local school, on the
distance of 100 meters. The graves are marked with wooden crosses. Criminalist technician
from Bekovac photographed the corps.
RECORD ON THE SANATION MADE ON THE SPOT IN THE VILLAGE OF
ŠKABRNJA ON 11 DECEMBER 1991
Corps no
1. Male corps aproximately 65 years old - unidentified - civile clothes
2. Female corps approximately 70 years old - unidentified - civile clothes
According to the statement of the old woman, Manda Ražov, we assume that the corps are
the deceased Marko Ražov (Šime) and the deceased Danica Ražov (Slavko). Due to the age
of Manda Ražov we cannot be sure of their identity. The corps are buried as in the above-
mentioned case.
THE RECORD ON THE SANATION MADE ON THE SPOT IN THE VILLAGE OF
ŠKABRNJA ON 20 DECEMBER 1991
1. Male corps approximately 60 years old - unidentified - civil clothes
2. Female corps approximately 70 years old - unidentified - civil clothes
3. Male corps approximately 60 years old - unidentified - civil clothes
These corps were imposible to identify. The wounds made by the automatic weapons were
visible on the corps. The bodies are buried northwest from the local school in Škabrnja; 100 418
meters removed. The graves are marked with wooden crosses. Criminalist tehnician from
Benkovac photographed the corps.
RECORD ON THE SANATION MADE ON THE SPOT IN THE VILLAGE OF
ŠKABRNJA ON 27 DECEMBER 1991
Corps no. 1 Mile (Joso) Brkić, born in 1915 in Škabrnja. According to the statements of the
villagers the deceased died a natural death. Josipa Brkć, the wife of Mate, and Mate
(Jandrija) Brkić gave the statement.
Corps no. 2. Luka (Martin) Bilaver, born in 1896 in Škabrnja. According to the statement
of a woman from Škabrnja he died a natural death. Manda Ražov, the wife of Andrija, gave
the statement.
The bodies were buried northwest from the local school in Škabrnja, on 100 meters
distance. The graves are marked with wooden crosses, on which the name and surname of a
deceased is written. Criminalist technician from Benkovac photographed the corps.
ANNEX 576:
T HE M ASSACRE OF THE C IVILIAN POPULATION
MEDICAL CENTER ZADAR
PATHOLOGICAL ANATOMY WARD
MASSACRE OF CIVILIANS IN ŠKABRNJA AND NADIN
ON 18 AND 19 NOVEMBER 1991
Seq. Init-ials Age GenType of injury Close range Other injuries Cause of Death
der
No. (yrs) from shot wounds
firearm/number
1 P.J. 57 M shot wounds/7 head/1 Shock traumaticum et
haemorrhagicum
2 J.J. 83 F explosive Conquassatio cerebri
wound
.SM. S explosive Conquassatio cerebri
wound
4 B.M. 48 F shot wounds/4 head/3 Conquassatio cerebri
5 C.Z. 23 M shot wounds/8 head/1 Shock traumaticum et
haemorrhagicum
6 H.V. 38 M shot wounds/4 head/1 Conquassatio cerebri
7 V.S. 35 M shot wounds/4 head/1 Conquassatio cerebri
8 R.K. 59 F shot wounds/1 crushed head, body, Conquassatio capitis et
(run over with a tank) corporis
9 R.N. 61 M shot wounds/13 head/2 Conquassatio cerebri
10 R.M. 32 M shot wounds/8 head/3 Conquassatio cerebri
11 S.N. 36 M shot and explosive wounds/8 Shock traumaticum et
haemorrhagicum
12 Z.R. 62 M shot wounds/6 head/2 skin stripped of fConquassatio cerebri
and nose, nose
fracture
13 P.N. 69 M shot wounds/2 head/1 skin stripped of face Conquassatio cerebri 419
Seq. Init-ials Agen- Type of injury Close range Other injuries Cause of Death
der
No. (yrs) from shot wounds
firearm/number
left eye lid hematoma
14 V.S. 55 F shot wounds/2 head/1 skin stripped of face Conquassatio cerebri
15 R.I. 64 M shot wounds/3 neck/2 Conquassatio medullae
spinal.cervical.
16 J.P. 55 M shot wounds/3 head/1, neck/2skin stripped of face Conquassatio medullae
and left forearmspinal.cervical.
left hip hematoma
17 P.Lj. 59 M shot wounds/6 head/1, neck/1 Conquassatio medullae
spinal.cervical.
18 P.G. 36 M shot wounds/9 head/2 skin stripped of face Conquassatio cerebri
19 J.N. 36 M shot wounds/8 Shock traumaticum et
haemorrhagicum
20 S.K. 64 M shot wounds/2 head/2 skin stripped of the Conquassatio medullae
back of the head spinal.cervical.
21 Z.T. 63 M shot wounds/10 head/3 Conquassatio medullae
spinal.cervical.
22 Z.P. 63 F explosive Shock traumaticum et
wound haemorrhagicum
23 Z.M. 77 F shot wounds/6 skin stripped of faceck traumaticum et
haemorrhagicum
24 B.J. 67 M shot wounds/6 head/2, neck/1 Conquassatio cerebri
25 J.G. 82 M shot wounds/6 head/3 Conquassatio cerebri
26 S.G. 80 F shot wounds/3 Shock haemorrhagicum
27 M.S. 35 M shot wounds/9 Shock traumaticum et
haemorrhagicum
28 S.R. 60 M shot wounds/3 head/2 Conquassatio cerebri
29 S.V. 58 M shot wounds/4 head/2, neck/1 Conquassatio cerebri
30 M.J. 63 M shot wounds/4 head/1 skin stripped of face Shock haemorrhagicum
31 B.M. 48 M shot wounds/2 head/1 Conquassatio cerebri
32 P.M. 26 M shot wounds/1 head/1 skin stripped of face Conquassatio cerebri
and neck
33 S.I. 30 M shot wounds/1 heda/1 right eye lid Conquassatio cerebri
hematoma
right eye bruised
34 R.A. 36 M shot wound/1 head/1 left ear cut offConquassatio cerebri
face,eye,kidney,sexsu
al organs bruised
neck wounds
(strangling)
face skin scratched
body, upper leg
hematoma
35 P.P. 49 M shot wounds/3 head/1, neck/1 Conquassatio cerebri
36 I.M. 84 M right upper leg Bronchopneumonia
fracture
37 B.D. 40 F shot wounds/6 head/1 Conquassatio cerebri 420
Seq. Init-ials Agen- Type of injury Close range Other injuries Cause of Death
der
No. (yrs) from shot wounds
firearm/number
38 S.M. 58 F shot wounds/9 neck/1 Conquassatio medullae
spinal.cervical.
39 S.J. 80 M shot wounds/11 head/1 Conquassatio cerebri
40 C.I. 69 F shot wounds/8 head/1 Conquassatio cerebri
41 Z.M. 59 M shot wounds/2 head/1 Conquassatio cerebri
42 A.N. 26 M shot wounds/11 head/3 Conquassation et destructio
cerebri
43 B.S. 63 F shot wounds/8 head/1 Raptura cordis et aortae
thoracalis
44 C.M. 70 F shot wounds/7 head/1 Raptura cordis et aortae
thoracalis
45 D.M. 71 F shot wounds/2 head/1 Conquassation
medullaevspinal.cervical
46 R.J. 86 F shot wounds/3 head/1, neck/1 Conquassatio cerebri
47 R.D. 67 F Congelatio
48 B.L. 92 M face skin scratched Congelatio
left upper arm
hematoma
A NNEX 577:
T HE LIST OF OF THE E XHUMED AND DEITIFIED ERSOPS IN KABRNŠA , 6 JNE 1996
ŠKABRNJA, 6 June 1996
The number of exhumed persons 27
The number of identified persons 27
The List of All Exhumed and Identified Persons
GRGO BILAVER (TOMO), 16 Feb 1915
PEKA BILAVER (KUZMAN), 24 Feb 1927
LUKA ČIČAK, the age of 60
JURE (MATO) ERLIĆ, 19 Mar 1925
DUMICA (BLAŽ) GOSPIĆ, 1914
NEDILJKO (ANDRIJA) IVKOVIĆ, 1952
LJUBOMIR (NIKOLA) IVKOVIĆ, 1912
TEREZA IVKOVIĆ, the age of 78
JELA (GRGA) JURIĆ, 12 Feb 1908
ŠIMICA JURJEVIĆ, the age of 75
MIRKO (ŠIME) KARDUM, 1919
ŠIME (BOŽO) RAŽOV, 29 Mar 1930
PERA ŠKARA, the age of 60
ŠIME (MARTIN) BILAVER, 25 Jan 1921
MARIJA (NIKO) BILAVER, 2 Aug 1921
ANA (GRGA) BRKIĆ, 25 Apr 1925
JOSIPA (PERO) BRKIĆ, 15 Mar 1920 421
MIJAT (JOSO) BRKIĆ, 28 Jan 1915
MATO (JANDRIJA) BRKIĆ, 10 Oct 1918
KATA PERICA, the age of 60
GRGICA (FRANO) RAŽOV, 1899
MARKO (ŠIME) RAŽOV, 25 Mar 1920
KATA BRKIĆ, 1935
KATA (LUKA) BRKIĆ, 1939
MARIJA BRKIĆ, 1906
BOŽO (PETAR) STURA, 7 Nov 1937
DRAGINJA (ŠIME) STURA, 10 Nov 1917
ANNEX 578:
RECORD ON E XHUMATION , 6 JNE 1996
DISTRICT COURT IN ZADAR
Investigative center
RECORD ON INVESTIGATION (exhumation)
From 6 June 1996
Made for the district court in Zadar, at the scene of crime, in the village of Škabrnja, on the
occasion of the exhumation of 16 corps of the people killed during the aggression on the
Republic of Croatia in 1991/92 (war crime against civilians).
P R E S E N T
In the name of the court:
Investigative judge: Milivoj Lasan
Recording secretaries: Sandra Paleka and Dragica Peić
In the name of the Police station of Zadar-Knin region:
Ahmet Avdić, criminal inspector with the Section for war crimes,
Svemir Banović, criminal technician, and
Zdravko Bibić, criminal technician.
Medical experts present:
Dr. Josip Dujella, pathologist specialist with the General hospital in Zadar and his assistant
Rozalija Hodej and
Dr. Drinko Baličević, pathologist specialist with the clinical hospital “Sestre milosrdnice”
in Zagreb and his assistant Izidor Škec.
Also present at the investigation: major Ivan Gruji ć, president of the Commission for the
detained and missing of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, as well as the first
lieutenant Marko Miloš, commissioner for the Commission for captured and missing of the
Government of the Republic of Croatia, and Mladen Pezelj, the chief of the Department for
killed Croatian soldiers of the Ministry of the Defense.
The observer of the European Union, Brynjar Wetteland and the translator from English,
Snježana Vrhovec, are also present at the investigation.
Also present at the investigation are the relatives of the deceased who came because of the
identification, and employees of the funeral company from Zagreb, who brought with them
adequate coffins for the burial of the deceased. 422
Beginning at the 08:30 am.
The investigation has been started up because of the memorandum of the Commission for
detained and missing of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, received on 25 May
1996, that says that is necessary to conduct an exhumation of the remains of the Croatians
defenders and civilians murdered and killed during the 1991/92 aggression, in the area of
the Zadarsko-Kninska municipality.
Evidence at the scene of the incident
Investigation – exhumations are conducted in the village of Škabrnja, near the high-school
building on the open space – meadow, some 50 meters westwards from school, where, in
the deep holes in the ground, were buried corps of more than one person. The holes are
marked with wooden cross and numbers “14-27”.
The employees of the funeral company dug the corps out of the holes, in long plastic bags,
and carried them to improvised soldier tent where the medical experts examined each corps.
CORPS NUMBER “14” (the deceased, MIRKO KARDUM)
From the approximately one meter deep hole, the long black plastic bag was pulled out.
After they opened it they saw a human body with bones dressed in clothes, a bare skull, and
men shoes were on the feet.
After that the corps is handed over to medical expert dr. Drinko Bali čević, with order to
examine the corps and everything on it, and to give his written report to record and his
opinion on the sex and the cause of death of the deceased person.
After the medical expert did according to the order of the investigative judge, he gives in
the record the following
R E P O R T
The corps of a male approximately 70 years old, 172 cm tall, on which the parts of the
following clothes can be seen: gray woolen long-sleeved sweater.
The identity of the corps number “27” is confirmed due to identification of the deceased’s
husband Rade Brki ć from Škabrnja, who stated that the name of the deceased was ANA
BRKIĆ, the daughter of the deceased Grga Peraji ć and mother Julka, born on 25 April
1925. He recognized his wife by clothes and teeth, emphasizing that she had almost all of
her teeth.
During the investigation two corps were found in the area of Ambar in Škabrnja in the yard
of the deceased Krsto Šegari ć’s house. Both of the corps were dug out from the above-
mentioned yard, each of them were in the nylon bag and aer brought to the place where
expert examined them.
The place where the corpses were found is marked as “Location number 2 – Ambar”.
Corps number “1” “Ambar” (the deceased Luca Šegarić)
A corps of a female was found in a black plastic bag. Upper part of the corps was dressed in
a black jacket and the lower part was dressed in a black skirt. On the legs there were long
black socks tied up with a plastic band. A plastic back was found in the pocket of the waist 423
slip and in the other plastic bag there was a wallet which contained a bundle of German
Marks bills and some Yugoslav Dinar bills.
After that the corps was handed over to the medical expert, Dr. Dujella who had to examine
the corps and everything on it and state for the record his report and his opinion on the sex
of the corps and the cause and the time of death.
After the medical expert did what investigative judge ordered him, he states for the record
the following
REPORT
There is a black nylon bag marked with number “1” and bounded with wire.
There is a female corps (dressed) in the bag.
The corps is approximately 160 cm long.
The corps is dressed in: a black jacket, black waist slip and a black grinder and a black
blouse.
In the right pocket of the waist slip there is a nylon bag and in the other nylon bag there is a
wallet that contains German Marks. Some FRY bills were also found in the pocket.
A NNEX 579:
D ECISION ON FORMING AND CONSTITUTING THE COMMUNITY OF THE MUNICIPALITIES
OF NORTHERN D ALMATIA AND L IKA, 27 JNE 1990
On the basis of the point 1 of the Amendment XLIII of the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Croatia (“National newspaper”, No. 28/89) and the act 121 of the Statute of the
Knin municipality (“Official gazette of the Drniš, Knin and Šibenik municipalities”, No.
14/75, 19/81, 7/83, 6/86 and 6/90) the Knin Municipal Assembly on the 3int meeting of
the Local committees council of the Social – political council an the Council of the joint
th
work held on the 27 of June 1990, reached
DECISION
On forming and constituting the Community of the municipalities of Northern Dalmatia
and Lika
Article 1
The Community of the municipalities of Northern Dalmatia and Lika is formed and
constituted.
The following municipalities enter the Community of Northern Dalmatia and Lika: Knin,
Benkovac, Gračac, Donji Lapac, Obrovac and Titova Korenica.
The other municipalities outside the territory of Dalmatia and Lika can join the Community
of the municipalities of Northern Dalmatia and Lika.
Article 2
The Community of the municipalities of Northern Dalmatian and Lika is a legal subject.
Article 3 424
The quarters of the Community of the municipalities from the article 1 of this order are in
Knin.
Article 4
For the purposes of the conducting and the management of the Community of the
municipalities from the article 1 of this order the Community assembly is formed.
The Statute of the Community will define the way of work of the Community, the number
of members of the Community assembly, the way the members of the Community
assembly are selected, the way of financing as well as the other things that are necessary for
normal functioning of the Community.
Article 5
Till the constitution of the Assembly of the Community of the municipalities of Northern
Dalmatia and Lika, the presidents of the assemblies of the municipalities joined in the
Community will execute the function of the administration body as a temporary
chairmanship of the Assembly of the Community of the municipalities.
The temporary chairmanship from the suggested point will, in the period of 20 days, define
the proposition of the rest of the acts necessary for functioning of the Community assembly
and will deliver the acts to the assemblies of the joined municipalities so the acts could be
adopted.
Article 6
This decision will become valid when at least two municipalities adopt this whole decision.
Article 7
This decision will be made public in the “Official gazette of the Drniš, Knin and Šibenik
municipalities”.
Class: 021-05/90-02/68
Delivery No.: 2136-01-90-1
PRESIDENT
Milan Babić
(signature) 425
A NNEX 580:
REPORT OF THE UPLIC SECURITY C ENTER INB ENKOVAC , 18 AGUST 1990
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
STATION FOR PUBLIC SECURITY IN OBROVAC
Number: (illegible)11-17-30-1202/90
th
Obrovac, August 18 1990
To: THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
- THE SECTOR FOR OPERATIVE WORK JS-I
Z A G R E B
THE SECRETARIAT FOR THE INTERIOR
Z A D A R
Re: Our dispatch no. above of August 1890
We inform you that the state of security on the territory of the municipality of Obrovac is
following:
...
During the day, a meeting of the Executive Council of the municipality was held. The
security-political situation on the territory of the municipality, as well as the possibility of
giving weapons of the reserve police force to the citizens, was discussed on the meeting...
the Council sticks to its standpoint that one part of weapons is to be given to citizens...
We also point out that the entire territory of the municipality of Obrovac, where the Serbian
population is living, is covered with village guards.
The highway M-13 hasn’t been opened to traffic yet.
The head: MIRKO DRAGIČEVIĆ 426
ANNEX 581:
OFFICIAL NOTE , 4 MARCH 1994
(illegible)
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
KNIN
Police station Drniš
No.:
4 March 1994
OFFICIAL NOTE
Drawn on 4 March 1994 at 1300hrs, on the premises of the Police station Drniš, by
authorised official Dušan Čolović, concerning the information that Ana Filipovi ć, daughter
of … and …, born on … 1920, was raped in the village of Siverić .
On 3 March 1994, at 11 a.m., I was informed by an official person that Ana Filipovi ć, born
in 1920, was raped in the village of Sić. I went to the spot and talked with Ana
Filipović. Afterwards, she was transported to the General Hospital in Knin where a
gynaecologist examined her and established that there were no signs of rape.
Enclosure: Report of medical specialist
Drawn up by:
Dušan Čolović
ANNEX 582:
R ECORD OF B ODY FOUND IN K AOČINE, DRNIŠ MUNICIPALITY, 11 MARCH 1996
ŠIBENIK POLICE DEPARTMENT
rd
3 POLICE STATION DRNIŠ
No: 511-13-30
Drniš, 11 March 1996
RECORD
The record was composed on 11 March 1996 by the authorized official, Slavčić. It
is in the connection with the discovery of the place where the late IVAN Vfrom
Kaočin was buried.
IVAN VLAIĆ, son of Marko, was born on 2 August 1924 in Kaoci, Drniš municipality. He
resided in the village of Vlai ći. He was killed on 6 December 1991 in the village of Vlai ći
by an unknown member of the Serbian paramilitary formations who shot him at his neck
with an automatic rifle...
...On 11 March 1996, the place where the late Ivan Vlai ć had been buried was discovered.
He was buried in his family vault in the graveyard near the church of Saint Paul and Peter
in Širitovci, Drniš municipality...
The authorized official 427
ANNEX 583:
O FFICIALRECORD OF DISCOVERY OF PACE OF B URIAL IN THDRNIŠ MUNICIPALITY, 9
AUGUST 1996
ŠIBENIK POLICE ADMINISTRATION
DRNIŠ POLICE STATION III
Drniš, 9 August 1996
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on 9 August 1996 by the authorized official, Slavkčić, in relation to the
discovery of the place of burial of the deceased CVITA MOČIĆ.
CVITA MOČIĆ (the daughter of the late Marko), born on 11 March 1903 in the village of
Planjane, Drniš municipality, and lived in Žitnić, Drniš municipality, was found burnt in a
burnt cow house in the hamlet of Močići.
On 01 August 1996 the place of burial of the deceases Cčić was found. It was
located in Žitnić, on the St. George cemetery.
Authorized official:
Slavko Miličić
ANNEX 584:
M INUTES OF THEINVESTIGATION, ZTON O BROVAČKI, 22 JNUARY 1997
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
COUNTY COURT IN ZADAR
Investigating Centre
Kir 84/97
MINUTES OF THE INVESTIGATION
22ndJanuary 1997
with the exhumation, examination and autopsy of the remains of the body of late LUKA
MODRIĆ and late MARIJAN MODRI Ć made at the local cemetery in Zaton Obrčki
and made before the County Court in Zadar.
…
ordered
The exhumation with identification and autopsy of the remains of LUKĆ andRI
MARIJAN MODRIĆ will be done in order to determine whether the found remains belong
to this person, as well as the cause of death and when the death was, and what had
happened to cause the death and other information necessary for this procedure.
…
Began at 15.20 hrs
…
The “Modrić” grave is being opened.
From the grave a half rotten wooden coffin is pulled out. 428
…
The body is handed to expert witness Prim Dr Josip Dujella, the specialist pathologist from
the General hospital in Zadar to identify and examine the body, and the opinion and
findings are dictated for the minutes.
…
Multiple fracture of the scull with complete break of the whole base point to shot wound
dealt from near.
Cause of death is brain compression.
After that the identity witnesses Željko and Stipe Modri ć state that they recognized their
late father Luka Modrić…
After that the other grave is opened and which is in possession of Slavka Modri ć.
…
The body is handed to the expert witness.
…
Since there are no soft tissues and no bone fractures, the cause of death cannot be
determined only with the examination of the remains.
…
Done at 16.30 hrs
Recording secretary: Dragica Peić
Expert Witness: Prim Dr Josip Dujella
Investigating Judge: Ladislav Judnič
A NNEX 585:
R ECORD OF EXTERNAL E XAMINATION OF CORPSES, 4 DCEMBER 1992
Kir-92/92
RECORD OF THE EXTERNAL EXAMINATION OF CORPSES OF:
Luka Marinović, born in 1919
Vukosava Marinović, born in 1924
Stipe Marinović
Gordana Marinović
LUKA MARINOVIĆ
...
Cause of death:
Conquasatio cerebri propter vulnera sclopetaria capitis. (The crush of the brain due to the
wound on the head where the bullet went right through.)
Opinion:
According to data received from the investigative organs, it learned thatćLuka Marinovi
died together with another 3 members of the family on December 3 429
Through the external examination it has been established that he died a violent death due to
the crush of the brain caused by wounds on the head where bullets went right through...
VUKOSAVA MARINOVIĆ
...
Cause of death:
Conquasatio cerebri propter vulnera sclopetaria capitis. (The crush of the brain due to the
wound on the head where the bullet went right through.)
Opinion:
rd
It learned that Vukosava Marinović died on December 3 1992.
Through the external examination it has been established that she died a violent death due
to the crush of the brain caused by the wound on the head where the bullet went right
through...
STIPAN MARINOVIĆ
...
Cause of death:
Conquasatio cerebri propter vulnera sclopetaria capitis. (The crush of the brain due to the
wound on the head where the bullet went right through.)
Opinion:
rd
It learned that Stipan Marinović died on December 3 1992.
GORDANA MARINOVIĆ
...
Cause of death:
Conquasatio cerebri propter vulnera sclopetaria capitis. (The crush of the brain due to the
wound on the head where the bullet went right through.)
Opinion:
rd
It learned that Gordana Marinović died on December 3 1992.
Through the external examination it has been established that she died a violent death due
to the wound on the head where the bullet went right through...
In Knin, December 4 th1992
Doctor – expert:
MARIJA ČUBRILO 430
ANNEX 586:
CRIMINAL C HARGES AGAINST THE UNKNOWN ERPETRATOR , 17 MY 1993
REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA KRAJINA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
SECRETARIAT FOR THE INTERIOR
SJB (the Station for the Public Security) IN BENKOVAC
Number: 08-01-2-(illegible)-56/93
Date: May 17t1993
To: the County Public Prosecutor in Knin
On the ground of the article 151 subsection 6 of the Criminal Proceedings Law
CRIMINAL CHARGES
are brought against the unknown perpetrator of the criminal offence of murder, from the
article 47 subsection 1 of the Criminal Law of the Republic of Srpska Krajina, of Ante
Vuksan and Ana Vuksan, residence in Šopot, municipality of Benkovac.
rd
On January 23 1993, in the evening, Vujatovi ć from Knin, a member of the Ministry of
the Interior of the Republic of Srpska Krajina, notifies us that Ante Vuksan and his wife
Anka Vuksan were killed in Šopot.
…we were unable to go to the spot and to establish the authenticity of this information.
On April 17 t1993, members of the Civil Police of the UNPROFOR ask for the
information what happened to Ante Vuksan and Ana Vuksan, because they have the
information that on January 2493 they were killed on the bed and after that their house
was blown up – with mines…
…
Head:
SLOBODAN VUJKO
ANNEX 587:
M INUTES OF IVESTIGATION IN B ENKOVAC , 26 MARCH 1992
REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA KRAJINA
Ministry of the Interior
Secretariat of Internal Affairs Knin
SJB? Benkovac
26thMarch 1992
MINUTES OF INVESTIGATION
Made by the official of SJB Benkovac according to the article 154 issue 2 of the Law on
Criminal Procedure in Benkovac , M. Bjelanovića Street 46 on 26 1992
(…)
Before the investigation, the following is determined: 431
Coming out to the place of investigation was done on the basis of the call from Mijo
th
Mikulić from Benkovac on 25 March 1992 at 21.00 hrs.
(…)
Began at 09.00 hrs
With the investigation on the spot it has been determined:
Description of the place:
The scene of investigation is Mijo Mikulić’s house, M. Bjelanovića Street 46, Benkovac.
Condition found on the scene:
Livin room’s balcony door’s double window glass is broken.
Balcony door’s window glass in the eastern room is broken.
3 windows are broken on the first floor in the hall.
On the ground floor in the hall, 3 windows are broken.
8 window glasses are broken at the front door of the house.
Garage door are completely destroyed.
On all the walls of the garage damages can be seen.
(…)
In the unfinished room on the ground floor a window double glass is broken.
(…)
With this explosion Mijo Mikuli ć, son of late Mile and Matija, maiden name Vrni ć; a
veterinary, born in Šopot on 26tAugust 1937, address: Benkovac, m. Bjelanovi ća Street
46, is being damaged.
th
Done on 26 March 1992 at 10.00 hrs
Authorized official person:
Nikola Milanko
A NNEX 588:
M INUTES OF IVESTIGATION IN BENKOVAC , 31 AUGUST 1992
REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA KRAJINA
Ministry of the Interior
Secretariat of Internal Affairs Knin
SJB? Benkovac
st
31 August 1992
MINUTES OF INVESTIGATION
Made by the official of SJB Benkovac th according to the article 154 issue 2 of the Law on
Criminal Procedure in Benkovac on 26 August 1992
(…)
Before the investigation, the following is determined:
Coming out to the place of investigation was done on the basis of the call from Mijo
Mikulić on 26thAugust 1992 at 23.30 hrs.
(…) 432
Began at 07.30 hrs
With the investigation on the spot it has been determined:
The investigation was on the scene of explosion, in front of Mijo Mikulć’s house in
Benkovac, M.Bjelanovića Street 46, municipality of Benkovac.
(…)
Front door of the house are on the ground floor.
They are 3 x 2 m size, containing three wings.
On the west side of the wings damage can be seen, and the door is out of bearing, and about
35 cm ahead of the same wing damages can be seen.
Done at 8.25 hrs
Investigation was made by: Bogdanović-Miljuš
ANNEX 589:
M INUTES OF IVESTIGATION IN B ENKOVAC , 30 NOVEMBER 1992
SERBIAN AUTONOMOUS REGION KRAJINA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
SJB Benkovac
th
30 November 1992
MINUTES OF INVESTIGATION
Made by the official of SJB Benkovac according to the article 154 issue 2 of the Law on
th
Criminal Procedure in Benkovac, on 24November 1992
(…)
Before the investigation, the following is determined:
Coming out to the place of investigation was done on the basis of the call from Mijo
Mikulić from Benkovac on 23rdNovember 1992 at 23.40 hrs.
(…)
Began at 8.15 hrs
With the investigation on the spot it has been determined:
Description of the place:
Scene of investigation is Mijo Mikulić’s house.
Condition found at the investigation scene:
There is a hole 10 x 5 cm large from the northern side of the house, 6 m above the ground,
of irregular shape. From this hole to the east, looking from the north, about 40 cm far, thare
are two broken windows 50 x 40 cm size. On the outer façade of the northern part of the
house there is a trace of burnt around the hole in the shape of a crescent .
(…) 433
In the same room, 6 x 4 m large, there are lots of glass and plaster on the floor. There is a
hole of 8 x 4 cm size on the left side of the wall.
(…)
On the grass there are 3 shattered grooves from the house, each 2 m long.
Done at 09.20 hrs
Authorized official person: Đuro Babić
ANNEX 590:
OFFICIAL R ECORD ON THE O PERATIONS OF THE A GGRESSOR , 28 OCTOBER 1992
POLICE DEPARTMENT DUBROVNIK
511-03-02
Dubrovnik, 28 October 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on the collection of information on the operations of the aggressor army during the
time of occupation in the village Čilipi, hamlet of Bistroće and Beroje.
(...)
The male prisoners were imprisoned in the camp Morinje where they would remain for two
months. The soldiers and guards would torture the younger men at the camp; beat and
abuse them. They did not beat the elder persons but they would not let them use the toilet at
all, they insulted them and spat on them.
(...)
... According to Djuha, Brailo was not physically beaten, but the guards and the present
military police officers daily tortured them by calling them "Ustasha" and when they asked
something and one of the prisoners opened his mouth to answer, they would literary spit
into his mouth. A few days before he died, Brailo did not feel well and told Djuho that he
was sweating all the time, that he could not sleep for three days so that Djuho asked for
medical help. The doctor arrived immediately and proscribed some medicine. However, the
soldiers said that he was pretending and insulted him more than the others. However, the
day he died, Brailo collapsed in front of the door of the cell and lost conscience. The doctor
was called immediately and he said that he ought to be taken to the military hospital in
Meljine. The soldiers took him away and subsequently said that he died.
(...)
OFFICIAL:
Hajrudin Eminović
(Signature) 434
A NNEX 591:
OFFICIAL RECORD ON THE O PERATIONS OF THE A GGRESSOR , 26 OTOBER 1992
POLICE DEPARTMENT DUBROVNIK
511-03-02
Dubrovnik, 26 October 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on the collection of information on the operations of the aggressor army in the village
of Močići during the time of occupation, hamlet called “Piplice”.
(...)
On 6 October 1991 while the aggressor army was entering the village, all weapons, which
were at disposal, were fired from so that on that occasion Rozinka Brailo and her son were
injured and afterwards taken to hospital in Montenegro where they were medically treated.
(...)
On all roads in close range of the houses, the army put obstacles cross the roads and streets
- chains across the streets and built bunkers next to pebble roads and strictly forbade the
population to move in the village. They were only allowed to move in the village with a
special permit - a written receipt or permit of the Command of the aggressor army with
headquarters in Gruda. They had special permits for staying in their residence place and
special permit would be issued for moving around the village or outside it for every special
day.
(...)
OFFICIAL:
Hajrudin Eminović
(Signature) 435
ANNEX 592:
O FFICIALR ECORD , ŠLJEŠCI, 17 DCEMBER 1992
POLICE DEPARTMENT DUBROVNIK
511-03-03-KU-1128/3-5/92
17 December 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
On 27 October 1992, a round was made in the village of Šilješci with the aim of
determining war damages.
(...)
On 20 October 1992, at approximately 16:00, members of the enemy army took MARKO
MIŠIĆ, son of the late Marko, born on 12 January 1950 in Šilješci, Municipality
Dubrovnik, from his village (Šilješci) in an unknown direction. At that time, Marko was
lying in bed in his house because he was ill, so that they took him away barefoot without
any shoes.
(...)
OFFICIAL:
Mile Zorić
(Signature)
ANNEX 593:
O FFICIAL RECORD , VOJSKI DOL, 11 NVEMBER 1992
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
POLICE DEPARTMENT DUBROVNIK
Number: 511-03-02-KU 1128/92-2/2
Dubrovnik, 11 November 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
(...)
On 16 october 1992, members of then so-called Herzegovina Corps arrested in the area of
Vojski dol the underage MIHO KATUŠIĆ, son of the late Miho and Vilka, born on 7 April
1976 in Dubrovnik, residence in Gabrili and tookthem in direction of Trebinje. Nobody
knows anything about his destiny.
(...)
OFFICIAL:
Stjepan Kušen
(Signature) 436
ANNEX 594:
O FFICIALR ECORD ON THE O PERATIONS OF THE AGGRESSOR , 28 OCTOBER 1992
POLICE DEPARTMENT DUBROVNIK
511-03-02
Dubrovnik, 28 October 1992
OFFICIAL RECORD
Made on the collection of information on the operations of the aggressor army during the
time of occupation in the village Čilipi, hamlet of Bistroće and Beroje.
(...)
The male prisoners were imprisoned in the camp Morinje where they would remain for two
months. The soldiers and guards would torture the younger men at the camp; beat and
abuse them. They did not beat the elder persons but they would not let them use the toilet at
all, they insulted them and spat on them.
(...)
... According to Djuha, Brailo was not physically beaten, but the guards and the present
military police officers daily tortured them by calling them "Ustasha" and when they asked
something and one of the prisoners opened his mouth to answer, they would literary spit
into his mouth. A few days before he died, Brailo did not feel well and told Djuho that he
was sweating all the time, that he could not sleep for three days so that Djuho asked for
medical help. The doctor arrived immediately and proscribed some medicine. However, the
soldiers said that he was pretending and insulted him more than the others. However, the
day he died, Brailo collapsed in front of the door of the cell and lost conscience. The doctor
was called immediately and he said that he ought to be taken to the military hospital in
Meljine. The soldiers took him away and subsequently said that he died.
(...)
OFFICIAL:
Hajrudin Eminović
(Signature) 437
A NNEX 595:
INVESTIGATION RECORD , CHURCH OF TS . NICHOLAS , ČILIP, 26 OCTOBER 1992
POLICE DEPARTMENT DUBROVNIK
511-03-02
Dubrovnik, 26 October 1992
INVESTIGATION RECORD
Made on 26 October 1992 at 1.00 pm on the investigation of the Catholic Church St.
Nicholas in the village Čilipi.
(...)
The following was established for the church :
Next to the entrance door on the west side of the church on the left side, looking from the
entrance door towards the inside of the church there were three statues of the "Holy
Family" of which the statue of St. Joseph was decapitated and the head was next to the feet
of the statue on the floor.
(...)
OFFICIAL:
Hajrudin Eminović438
volume II, part 3