Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Committee for Collecting Data on

Crimes Committed against Humanity

and International Law

Belgrade

Genocide against the Serb population of

K U P R E S

COMMITTED BY MILITARY AND PARAMILITARY FORMATIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA AND THE CROATS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

from April 3 to May 15, 1992

November 1998

From the military-strategic standpoint, the Kupres plateau is one of the most important areas in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its altitude is 1 200 m above sea level and it covers an area of some 550 sq. km. Geographically, it is a separate entity where Serbs have been the majority population since time immemorial. At the end of the 19th century, they made up 55 per cent of the population, on the eve of World War II - 55.6 per cent. In the course of World War II, Croat fascists - the ustashi - massacred 1 038 Serb civilians, 255 of them being children below 10. In those days, the Kupres Serbs were massively fighting in the partisan anti-fascist movement on the side of Western allies, i.e. in the anti-fascist movement and anti-nazi coalition. More than 500 Kupres Serbs lost their lives in the fighting. In spite of all their sufferings and the crime of genocide committed by Croatian armed formations, Serbs remained the majority population even after World War II. According to the end of the 19th century cadastral books, during the Austro- Hungarian rule, Serbs' property included around 70 per cent of the total land in the present-day Kupres municipality. Serbs, as the majority population, won the municipal 1990 multi-party elections.

On the eve of the war, some 50 per cent of the Kupres city population were Serbs, 7 per cent were Muslims, and the rest were Croats. In the whole municipality of Kupres, Serbs were in the majority.

When the war broke out in Croatia, a number of young Croats left Kupres and joined the Croatian army, fighting in the Vukovar theatre of war. It was then that the massive arming of Croatian inhabitants of the Kupres municipality first started.

In 1991, the Croats of Kupres formed their military units which wore the insignia of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and Croatian Armed Forces (HOS). Members of these units were well-armed. They openly intimidated the Serb population there. At night, Serb houses and apartments were marked by special signs.

At the beginning of 1992, the Croats started to send their families - wives, children and the elderly - away from Kupres and its surroundings, in the direction of Livno and Duvno. Two last bus-loads left Kupres on March 24, 1992. The Moslems did the same, and almost all the men remaining in the city were non- Serbs.

Alien uniformed Croats, who appeared in the streets, caused anxiety among the Serb population, who feared that Word War II, when the Serbs from the Kupres area had been massively and most ruthlessly murdered by the Croats, would repeat itself.

The Croats then set up control checkpoints at roads leading to Kupres.

On 31 March 1992, Croats in uniforms, who had armed themselves in the meantime, broke into particular enterprises in Kupres, seized them and placed their guards around.

In the early morning of April 3, 1992, all of a sudden, from the direction of Malovan, some 12 km away from Kupres, detonations and shots were heard. Members of the Croatian army made incursions into Serb villages in the Kupres area and started murdering Serb civilians there, or detaining them, while torching their villages.

On the same day, at 6.00 a.m., from the direction of the village of Šujica, where only Croats used to live, an attack was launched by the members of the Croatian HOS and National Guard (ZNG) units and the members of the unit set up by the Šujice Croats, who wore black uniforms with the U sign like the World War II ustashi. The locals who had not managed to escape, were killed on the spot. Thus, at Donji Malovan, some 20 Serbs were executed.

It was an ambush, launched by the Republic of Croatia army (the former Socialist Republic of Croatia, one within the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia), along with paramilitary formations made up by the Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ) party army of Kupres, Tomislavgrad (Duvno) and Livno, and the paramilitary formations of the Croat Party of Law. The attack first started with the Croatian units' incursion in the village of Donji Malovan, at the far south-west of the Kupres plateau. The following units took part in this criminal, genocidal campaign: 106th Osijek brigade, 101st Zagreb brigade, Students' "King Tomislav" unit from Zagreb, a special Yellow Ants unit from Vukovar, a special Croatian Interior Ministry unit and the unit of "Zrinjski."

A criminal, unprovoked attack against peaceful Serb villages was carried out at the time when Bosnia-Herzegovina was part of the then Yugoslav state and when the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia still existed. At that time there was not a single soldier of the Yugoslav People's Army in the Kupres area.

Other villages in the surroundings were attacked on the same day.

At noon on April 6, 1992, the town of Kupres was attacked by the members of Croatian units who were joined by Kupres Croats. The assault was committed with three Leopard heavy tanks, which were used for destroying Serb property.

Killing of Serbs was resumed, and, consequently, between April 3 and 7, 1992, the following Serb civilians were killed, among others, in Kupres and its vicinity:

2. Špiro Bosnić, resident of Kupres, community of Kratelj, born on August 7, 1954, at the village of Bajramovci, Municipality of Kupres, father's name Nedeljko and mother's name Sima, nee Zubić, slaughtered on April 6, 1992 (evidence: 34/96, 261/97-5, enclosure: photo of the corpse).

8. Darinka Duvnjak, resident of Donji Malovan, born on March 15, 1935, in Blagaj, father's name Dragun, killed at Donji Malovan, near Kupres, on April 3, 1992 (evidence 714/05-7).

9. Milan Duvnjak, resident of Donji Malovan, born in 1936, father's name Vlada, killed at Donji Malovan, near Kupres, on April 3, 1992 (evidence 714/95-7).

10. Miloš Duvnjak, resident of Donji Malovan, born in 1925, father's name Mitar, killed with his son Mitar at Donji Malovan near Kupres on April 3, 1992 (evidence 714/95-7).

11. Mitar Duvnjak, born in 1940, father's name Dane, killed at Donji Malovan, near Kupres, on April 3, 1992 (evidence: 715/95-7). 3, 1992 (evidence 715/95-7).

12. Mitar Duvnjak, resident of Donji Malovan, born in 1965, father's name Miloš, killed with his father Mitar at Donji Malovan near Kupres on April 3, 1992 (evidence 714/95-7).

13. Svetko Duvnjak, resident of Donji Malovan, born in 1960, father's name Simo, killed at Donji Malovan near Kupres on April 3, 1992 (evidence 714/95-7).

14. Cvetko Duvnjak (evidence: 714/95-7).

15. Žarko Živanić resident of Kupres, born in 1946, at Donje Vukovsko, son of Vuka, taken with a group of detained Serb civilians from Kupres to Šujice on April 7, 1992; when, for a moment, he left the column, Ante Čačak fired into his legs, and Ivo Čačak into his head, thus killing him (evidence 34/96, 333/95- 11, 333/95-23, 453/96-5, 334/97-19).

19. Nedeljko Jarčević alias "Švabo", resident of Kupres, community of Kratelj, born on May 21, 1950, at the village of Gornje Ravno, municipality of Kupres, father's name Trifko, mother's name Stana, nee Manojlović, killed on April 6, 1992 (evidence 34/96, 281/97-3, 281-97-5, enclosure 19: photo of the corpse).

22. Niko Karajlić (Kanlić), resident of Kupres, slaughtered on April 6, 1992 (evidence 492/96).

29. Lazo Lugonja, resident of Ravno, municipality of Kupres, killed in his village (evidence: 426/96-50).

33. Spasoje Marić, born in 1933 at Zanaglini, father's name Jova, killed in the Zanaglini forest on April 9, 1992 (evidence 281/97- 3).

35. Dragan Marković, alias called "Gaca", resident of Kupres, Maršala Tita str., bb, born on October 5, 1969 in Kupres, father's name Milan, mother's name Boja, nee Marić, killed on April 6, 1992 in Kupres, near his house, downtown Kupres (evidence: 281/97-3).

40. Luka Panić, resident of Kupres, address Druge proleterske brigade street, bb, born on July 9, 1946 at Mušić, municipality of Kupres, father's name Petar, mother's name Ruža, nee Velemir, killed in Kupres on April 6, 1992, near the house of Mitar Čivčić (evidence 281/97-4).

42. Dušan Soro, born in 1934 at Zanaglina, municipality of Kupres, father's name Djuro, killed on April 7, 1992 in the forest between the Rilic Crni Vrh and the Donji Vakuf hamlet of Kudilji (evidence: 281/97-3).

43. Dušan Soro, born in 1934, at Zanaglini, municipality of Kupres, father's name Djordje, killed on April 10, 1992 at the Zanaglinska forest (evidence: 281797-3).

44. Andja Spremo, born in 1935, father's name Ilija, killed in April 1992 at her house in Kupres, and set on fire together with her house (evidence: 281/97-4).

45. Branislav Spremo, born in 1950, father's name Mirko, massacred in April 1992, in front of his house (evidence 281/97-4).

46. Milorad Spremo, born in 1936, father's name Branko, killed on April 9, 1992, at the Zanaglina forest (evidence:281/97-3).

47. Slavica Spremo, born in 1920, father's name Jovo, killed in April 1992 at her house in Kupres, and set on fire together with the house (evidence 281/97-4).

49. Strailo Spremo, born in 1909, father's name Stjepan, killed on April 9, in Zanaglina forest (evidence 281/97-3).

50. Drago Čelebić, resident of Kupres, community of Kratelj, born on September 5, 1966, at Gornje Ravno, municipality of Kupres, father's name Petar, mother's name Savica, nee Nikić, was taken with Stevo Lugonja from the house of Spremo Petar, executed upon the order of one "Filipović" in the street, in front of the house of Omer Huseinbegović, on April 6, 1992 (evidence 333/95-4, 333/95-22, 333/95-23, 34/96, 281/97-5, enclosure 18 - photo of the corpse).

52. Nenad Škobić, born in 1954 at the village of Botun, father's name Petar, killed on April 7, 1992, at Čajuša, near the village of Gornji Malovan, in an attempt to escape from besieged Kupres (evidence: 281/97-4).

55. NN., a Serb resident of Kupres, massacred in April 1992 in Kupres, by Croats, who first broke his fingers and then crushed his skull with a mace.

2

As soon as the Croatian army entered Kupres, arrests of Serb civlians followed. The arrested Serbs were detained in the premises of the "Kvalitet" enterprise in Kupres, altogether over 100 of them.

They had to go on foot from this enterprise to Šujice, 20 km away from Kupres, then on to Duvno, and afterwards they were taken to Split.

On the way between Duvno (Tomislavgrad), Split and Zadar, a number of detained Serbs were taken away from the column and we do not know anything about their whereabouts. All the efforts to find them to date have proved in vain. They are known as the "Kupres Group" (witness 547/96-23 and other witnesses, evidence 281-97-3).

They were, among others:

1. Slavko Dragoljević, teacher from the village of Mušić, Municipality of Kupres, born on September 13, 1946, at Ravno, municipality of Kupres, father's name Stojan (evidence 547/96-23).

2. Dušan Duvnjak, alias "Duka", resident of Kupres.

3. Miko (Marko) Duvnjak, resident of Kupres, born on May 17, 1947, in Pribelja, Municipality of Glamoč, father's name Miloš.

4. Nikola Duvnjak, resident of the village of Malovan, born in 1957, at Donji Malovan, father's name Sava.

6. Spasoje Kanlić, born on May 30, 1957, at Donji Malovan, Municipality of Kupres, father's name Jova.

7. Ratko Lugonja, resident of Ravno, Municipality of Kupres, born on November 11, 1962 at Ravno, father's name Bogoljub.

9. Jovo Marić, alias "Joco", resident of the village of Zanaglin, Municipality of Kupres, born in 1943, father's name Ostoja.

11. Marko Mašić, resident of Begovo Selo, Municipality of Kupres, born on January 2, 1951, at Begovo Selo, father's name Manojlo.

13. Ratko (Radovan) Mašić, resident of Kupres, born in 1953 (or 1954), father's name Manojlo.

14. Ljupko - Ljubo Milić, resident of Kupres, born on July 20, 1941, at Kupres, father's name Nikola, mother's name Todora, nee Marić, arrested in Kupres on April 5, 1992 (evidence 547/96-29).

15. Ratko Milić, resident of Kupres, born on June 12, 1938 at Brda, Municipality of Kupres, father's name Nikola, mother's name Todora, nee Marić, arrested in Kupres on April 5, 1992 (evidence 547/96-29).

16. Miloš Milišević, resident of Kupres.

19. Mirko Čipčić, resident of the village of Ravno, Municipality of Kupres.

According to the testimony of one of the witnesses who survived the golgotha he was subjected to, five persons from the above list (the "Kupres" group) were brutally liquidated during their transportation from "Lora" to Duvno or Eminovo selo. Witness 334-97-19 testifies:

3

Testimonies on what happened in Kupres and its surroundings at the beginning of April 1992, on detention and killing of Serbs, on torture committed on those who were lucky enough to have survived:

3.1. Witness 34/96 testifies:

As I was moving beside the tank, I saw them kill some citizens of Kupres, all of them civilians: Špiro Bosnić, Pavlović alias "Lola", Todor Dragoljević, Nedeljko Jarćević and Ćiro Kontić.

From there, we were taken and detained in the textile factory machine-room in Kupres, where we found several citizens from Kupres. There were a total of 74 of us there.

At midnight, wounded MM, from Kupres, was brought by Pero Dumančić and we heard that a tractor arrived carrying nine killed bodies.

The next morning, we were taken, on foot, to Šujice. There, Žarko Živanić was shot dead by Ante Čičak and Ivo Čičak, Ante firing at his legs and Ivo at his head...

3.2. Witness 442/96, from Kupres, living as refugee in Belgrade now, testifies:

...I lived in Kupres, where I was born and had a job.

Three days later, the Croatian army entered Kupres and started cleansing it. I was stopped at the Kupres road by members of HOS, who asked to see my ID, frisked me and took my papers away. Some ten of us were then detained in the cellar of Milenko Vila's house. Three guards kept watch over us with their rifles at point blank. At 1.40 p.m., a member of HOS, who was addressed by the name of Franjo and had a sniper rifle in his hand, entered the cellar, asked the guards if everything was all right, and all four of them started firing at us after that. I was hit in the left shoulder and my right hand, and fell down. With no rounds left, the guards and Franjo went away.

Soon after that, a "doctor" came into the cellar and told us to stand. Only I and J.P. rose. Others lay, wounded or dead.

Those wounded were injured mostly in the stomach, chest and legs area: Mirko Kanlić, 45, Predrag Baštić, 21-22, Dragan Šormaz, around 45, Vlastimir Jarčević, around 40, and Jovo Zubić, around 45.

We were taken then to the textile factory. Jovo Pavlović attempted to escape, but was shot dead by a member of HOS. We were driven then to the factory compound, where there were detained some 80 Serbs.

Jovo Zubic and Vlastimir Jarcevic who were alive when we were taken into the textiles factory compound, were found dead a month later, together with the remaining seven who were detained with me.

In the afternoon of April 7, the Yugoslav People's Army units entered the city. Two days later, I was transferred to Belgrade for treatment.

3.3. Witness 234/95-6, who took part in the liberation of Kupres in April 1992, testifies:

When Kupres was liberated, in the village of Zloselo a two-year old baby was nailed to a lamp-post with a big nail showing on his forehead.

3.4. Witness 547/96-40 testifies:

At the beginning of 1992, in Kupres and in particular villages, Croatian soldiers wearing the HVO and HOS insignia were seen. They frequented cafes and other places, causing anxiety among the Serbs. Croatian soldiers started to dig trenches at some sites in Kupres, which also caused concern and fear among the Serbs. Threats were made by Croats who had joined Croatian army units, who claimed that all the Kupres Serbs would be expelled or killed. On a daily basis, Croatian soldiers made increasing threats when, at the beginning of April, they started attacking some Serb villages and occupying them. Thus, on April 3, 1992, they occupied the village of Gornji Malovan and the surrounding villages, arresting Serb villagers and taking them in the direction of Duvno.

Croatian soldiers started arresting citizens of Kupres on April 6, 1992, moving around the town in war machinery, tanks and armoured vehicles. On that day, some of us, along with my sister-in-law, Mirjana, were in the house of a neighbour, M.S., and, when Croatian soldiers passed by, we locked up the entrance door and tried to place some furniture there in an attempt to make it impossible for them to open the door. However, at a given moment, the house was broken into with the barrel of the cannon, the Croatian soldiers entered and ordered us to put our hands up. We were ordered to leave the room and to take off upper parts of our clothes although it was very cold and snowing. We were taken to a stream nearby, ordered to lie down in its cold water, they cursed our Serb and chetnik mothers, claiming that we would all be killed and that there was no life for us, Serbs, in Kupres.

It was around 3.00. p.m. and, once we were all soaked and wet, we were ordered to rise and to put our hands up and, from that moment until 8 p.m., we had to hold them up in the air. We were forced afterwards to transport their ammunition - grenades from the truck into the nearby tank. There was a priest, Z.P., among us, and Croatian soldiers forced him and Lj.B. to pass through Kupres shouting: "Surrender, people, nothing will happen to you, this is me, your parish priest Z.P. talking to you." Croatian soldiers hit the priest and Lj.B. with butts of their rifles, forcing them to shout louder...

The witnesses 333/95-4, 334/97-19, 333/95-11, 714/95-7, 547/96-39, 547/96-29, 382/96-4, 715/95-6 and 420/95, also testify about the horrifying events in Kupres and its environs in 1992, the occupation of the city in April 1992 by Croat military and paramilitary formations in an unprovoked criminal attack against peaceful Serb villages, about massive killings, harassment, detention and torturing of Serb civilians:

4

Their testimonies:

4.1. Witness 453/96-5, born in 1972, resident of Kupres, testifies:

...on April 6, 1992, soldiers with HVO insignia on their uniforms came into our house, arresting me and my father. They took us to the Borac factory and placed us in a machine-room.

When taken to the machine-room, we were ordered to take off our clothes and footwear, and we were left in underwear only. They took our personal data and ordered us to go two by two towards Šujice.

We were flanked by members of HVO, they were in front and at the end of our column. It was cold and snowing. Thus, naked and barefoot, we were on our way to Šujice, 22 km away from Kupres. On the way, they hit us with butts of their rifles, particularly those among us who were not capable to move further.

Once there, the Croatian soldiers tied our arms on our back with wire, cursing our Serb and chetnik mothers, threatening to kill us, that we would all end up in the same pits in which the remains of Serbs killed in 1941 had been found. They beat all the arrested tied in that fashion with butts of their rifles and kicked them with their booted feet.

They then loaded us as if we were sacks onto a truck and took us to Duvno.

We were detained in prison for civilians in Duvno, in the cells down in the cellar. Two or four of us were placed in each cell. I was together with my father, next to us were N.S. and P.S.

We were kept there one day only. Throughout, Croat soldiers entered the cells and hit those in until we all fainted. They kicked us with their booted feet, his us with rifle butts, weapon barrels and batons. They would enter late at night and would beat us badly. They said that we would all be slaughtered and that for us, Serbs, there was no life together with Croats and Moslims.

Apart from beating us and threatening that we would be slaughtered, the HVO soldiers took individuals out from their cells and forced them to have sexual intercourse. They wanted my father and N.S. to do it, but they refused it.

After being exposed to most horrendous beating, we were ordered to leave the prison where we were kept tied with wire, and the whole group was taken in a truck to the village of Brisnik, where there was a pit into which Serbs had been thrown in 1941. By the pit, a group of Croatian soldiers awaited us with wooden sticks in their hands, about 80 cm long and 5-6 cm thick. As we were getting of the truck, tied with wire, they beat, one from the right handside and the other from the left handside, each one of us with these sticks until we fainted. When these soldiers got tired of beating us, others took over and resumed the same job, until all the detainees left the truck. There, we were put in a garage in the basement, they shut the door and released some poisonous gas into it - tear gas or sneeze gas, probably. As a result, we all started weeping, had difficulty breathing , and we were all sneezing terribly. I do not know how long it lasted, but I do know that, at a given moment, they opened the door, and took us close to the Brišnik pit. Once again, we were put on the truck, beaten again, and taken towards Duvno, passing by it and continuing towards Livno - Borova Glava. There also was a pit where Serb population from the Kupres area had found their death in 1941.

We passed Livno and the whole group was placed in the detention camp "Lora" in Split.

Upon our arrival, on both sides of the entrance gate, Croatian soldiers with peaces of rubber cable, metal pipes 60-80 meters long or pieces of wood in their hands made a cordon and beat us mercilessly when we were passing.

Close to me, Petar Spremo from Kupres had his head smashed, and he succumbed after some time. Croatian soldiers then started searching and seized all valuables we had with us: golden rings, wedding rings, money, watches, etc.

We were ordered to climb the truck that took us there, and the truck started off in circles, in highest speed, braking suddenly, thus making us smash each other with our bodies, since we were very close one to the other. The truck was also making sudden U-turns to the left or to the right, which again made us smash each other terribly with our heads and bodies. All of us were tied with wire, all barefoot and in underwear.

We were then ordered to leave the truck, the wire was taken off our bodies and we were taken into cells. I was in a cell with 12 arrested, among them my father. That cell was of a size 2 x 3 sq.m. The Croatian soldiers then took us out individually into the corridor in front of the cell and horrifying cries and screams were heard. Even blows also. This lasted some 30 minutes. My turn came and I was taken back all blood-stained, bruised and swollen.

I was detained in Lora with my father one day and one night, and beaten several times.

After that, tied with wire, my father and me were taken to Duvno in a van and detained in police prison, in its cellar.

My father was first taken for interrogation, and I was taken after him. I was asked what unit of the Serb army I served in and what armaments this unit had, although I had not served in any, nor did I know anything about it all. I was given a piece of paper and ordered to give answers to some questions.

Ever since our arrest, throughout the route I have indicated above, and during interrogation, we were ordered to look down, forbidden to look at the person talking to us or beating us. This was the rule and if anyone breached it, he was tortured and beaten terribly.

When I was interrogated in Duvno, my father was taken along and asked if he was hungry, and the interrogator ordered the soldiers to take us back and give us some food. We were taken to our cell and a Croatian soldier started to beat us terribly. A Croat soldier kicked my father into his mouth with his booted foot and knocked out a few teeth in his upper jaw. His teeth fell out onto the floor. Another soldier who was next to me hit me, and both my father and myself fainted afterwards. At the time, I already had my left forearm fractured after having been beaten at Brišnik.

My father and I were detained in Duvno for seven days. It was on our sixth day there that we were given a slice of bread - the first time we were given to eat anything at all.

During our detention at the Duvno prison, Croatian soldiers came almost every two hours to beat me and my father. This was routine by day and by night. Every time when they beat us, they cursed our Serb mothers, called us chetniks and threatened that we would be killed.

While we were at Duvno, a Croat soldier from the Lora camp brought brothers C. and a priest Z. They were in other cells. I was not able to see what exactly they did to them, but I heard screams and moans. I suppose they were beaten as we were.

From the Duvno prison, 13 of us from Kupres were taken to Split and, once again, to the Lora camp.

Once again, at Lora, we were "welcomed" by a cordon of soldiers holding pieces of wood, pipes, pieces of electricity conductor in their hands, and mercilessly beaten. I saw that my father stepped down from the truck with his head up more than allowed, they made him fall on the ground, and beat him with a metal pipe until he fainted. I was also beaten, I staggered but did not fall down. We were then ordered to climb the truck, and the truck "promenade" in rounds with sudden stops and moves to the left and the right followed again.

We were kept in Lora two to three hours, after which time the whole group was taken to Zadar, to a military barracks there.

Again, there was a cordon of soldiers holding various objects in their hands, we were beaten first, and then placed into cells, five in each cell. The next day, we were ordered to take off the clothes we had on, and given the former Yugoslav Army uniforms to put on.

There, in the prison, we found a group of previously arrested Serbs from Prebilovci and Duvno. I do not know how long we were detained in that prison, probably 10 to 15 days. Every day, on several occasions, soldiers came into our cells and beat us. They took us out from the cells and beat us in the corridor. They forced us to sing Croat songs and to greet the Croat soldiers with the salute "ready for the homeland", while they were beating us terribly.

There, we were lying on bare floor. In this detention camp they started giving us food. At first, once a day, and later, twice. The food was just a slice of bread - two to three bites, with some canned meat paste on it. But, sometimes, we were not given any food for two to three days.

Here again, we were beaten until we fainted. I still have scars of the blows and the wire with which my hands were tied.

In Zadar, Croatian soldiers let us go to relieve ourselves once in 24 hours, and it was very rare that we were given some water to drink.

From Zadar, we were transferred by truck to a village near Duvno. There, we were locked up in a cellar with livestock. We had to lie down in that manure and water with no rug or cover. We were kept there for five - six days, during which time Croatian soldiers would come in and beat us until we fainted.

The cealing was too low, we could not stand in the upright position, there were some 30 of us.

Throughout that time, we were once given a slice of bread and that was all we were given as food. We were terribly exhausted as a result of hunger and daily beatings.

While we were detained there, some Croat doctors came and allegedly put some vitamins in the drinking water, since we were all so exhausted that we were not able to move, nor to rise.

Next, we were taken to Ljubuški and placed in prison there.

While there, we were forced to hold our arms up for 5 - 6 hours, to beat one another with our hands and fists, to make frog's leaps and do push-ups.

Upon the exchange, my father and I were taken to Kupres and Banja Luka, where we were given medical assistance.

During that period, when detained in the same room, my father and me often said farewell to each other, since we were certain that one of us would never be released. I have forgotten many of the details of the terror experienced in those detention camps, and it would take very long to tell all about the acts and attitudes of the Croatian authorities.

In a nutshell, it was horrifying and unbearable.

4.2. Witness 426/96-51, currently a refugee residing in Banja Luka testifies:

On the way to Split, Croat soldiers who were escorting us, beat us mercilessly with butts of their weapons, kicked us with their booted feet, they cursed our Serb and chetnik mothers, and threatened to exterminate us all in the cruellest of ways.

Among those who beat us were also some civilians, who had wooden stakes, metal levers and other objects in their hands. We were kept there some 4 to 5 hours, and they beat us without any break.

We were driven to Lora and there, at the entrance, a cordon of Croatian soldiers was waiting for us. They beat us up so badly that we could not even stand on our feet. As a result of this beating, my cousin, P.S., died soon after that.

We were kept at LORA one day, and we were taken out to be beaten many times. They beat us mostly with butts of their weapons, with pieces of insulated electrical conductors, rubber batons, metal pipes, booted feet and fists.

We were then taken to a military barracks in Zadar. I do not know exactly how long we were detained there. On our arrival in Zadar, by the way, we were beaten again by the cordon of Croat soldiers who battered us so vehemently and cursed our Serb and chetnik mothers, shouting that we would all be exterminated. We all fainted after such beating. In that detention camp we lay on bare floor. We were given one meal a day - a small piece of bread and a chunk of canned meat. As a matter of fact, beaten, swollen, bruised and blood-stained as we were, we did not care so much about food as about water, which the Croatian soldiers did not want to give us.

In Zadar, three groups of detainees were formed and after some time, my group was taken to Eminovo Selo at Duvno and placed in the cellar of a building.

We were first to be taken for interrogation. Namely, first of all, we were taken to a garden and were told to "stand straight"; we were first told to kneel, then to put our heads on the ground and our hands on our backs. Croat soldiers passed by each of us, beating us mercilessly on our backs with metal pipes some 80 cm long, of a diameter of 3-4 cm, and then took us to be interrogated.

During this detention, we lay on plain ground, were given one meal a day - i.e., a slice of bread and a chunk of meat paste. We were not given any water, though. It was in the same room that we had to relieve ourselves, and the stench was unbearable. I don't know exactly how many days I was detained there, but I know for sure that every day I was taken out to be interrogated and was beaten most cruelly. Croat soldiers took some civilians into this building, pointing at us as imprisoned chetniks, and those civilians also beat us, spat on us and cursed us, humiliating us in various ways. I was present when a woman, probably a Croat, cut off a piece of detained M.S.'s thigh. M.S. was a resident of Begovo Selo. In Vrgorac, we were placed in a cellar, and then taken out for interrogation to the first floor. On every occasion, we were beaten with butts of weapons, pipes, feet, fists, pieces of insluated electrical cables and other similar devices. They kept threatening us that we would all be killed. They forced us to salute before the picture of Ante Pavelic in all the camps we were detained at, to sing ustashi song " Here comes Jure and Boban". Milo Spremo was taken for interrogation there and since he was beaten most vehemently, he died soon after he returned to the cellar.

4.3. Witness 426/96-61 tells the investigating judge on the "welcome" to Lora:

"At the entrance, a cordon of policemen, with pieces of electrical cable, metal pipes, weapons, pieces of wood etc., was there to "welcome" us. As we passed between them, tied up as we were, they beat us without mercy. As a result, most of us fell down, but they proceeded with the beating.

At Lora, the ten of us were detained in one cell. The Croat policemen then begun to take us one by one into another room where we were beaten without mercy. I was taken in there, allegedly for interrogation, but I was ordered to lie down on a table, the policemen were on both sides of the table, one of them had a rubber baton in his hand, another one a wooden chunk some 60 to 80 cm long, and they started beating me without interrogating me at all. I was beaten until I fainted, and when I came round, I was ordered to stand by the wall, one of them took my head and smashed it against the wall until blood gushed from it. I was then taken back to the cell, and others had their turn. I was blood- stained, swollen and bruised all over.

Upon detention at Lora, a group of Kupres detainees was taken to Duvno, as I learned later. I saw them again only before the exchange at Ljubuško.

I was detained at Lora some seven days. Every day, we were taken from our cells and beaten. They threatened that they would kill us in the cruellest way.

They took us out and ordered us to stand in a line by the wall and then fired above our heads.

At night, they would take us out one by one, telling each one of us that they were taking him to be slaughtered, and would bring him back to another cell, so we did not know what had happened.

Some among us were subjected to electrical shocks. They connected them to an electricity source, but it was not my case.

It was only before we were taken to Zadar that we were given a slice of bread (50 grams) and a chunk of meat paste from a small can, divided among 20 detainees.

Throughout that time they did not give us any water...

4.4 Witness 333/95-23 testifies:

...In Split, we were driven to the maritime zone where the Croat military police HQs was.

There, like at Gornji Bršnik, we went out of the truck one by one. Croatian soldiers, who awaited us, beat us. In front of me, 3 meters away, was Petar Spremo. A Croatian soldier hit him hard on the head with the butt of his gun. Spremo fell and hit his nave against the curbstone and did not move after that. I have not seen him since. The same soldier hit me badly on the head with the butt of his gun. As a result, I had a quadruple skull fracture and was gored in blood.

At LORA they placed us in cells, 20 inmates in each.

I stayed at this cell for three days. During that time we were interrogated and beaten by the guards. They beat us and humiliated us in a variety of ways. They made us go into kennels and bark like dogs.

One of the most humiliating events for us took place at LORA. They forced some of us there to carry out perverse acts. One of us had to place somebody else's penis in his mouth or to engage in unnatural debauchery. This happened to the late Milo Spremo, priest P.Z., Š.L., Z.B. and to others.

They did not give us any food or drinking water during the three days of our stay at LORA.

The cruellest of them all at LORA were a certain RAMBO, Vlado alias Vukovarac, a man with a long hair in a pony tail whom they called Reponja (the Long-Tailed), a man called Makedonac (Macedonian), Žućo (the Yellow One) from the village of Ploče, municipality of Gornji Vakuf...

4.5. Witness 34/96 stated:

On our way, somewhere between Split and Zadar, we stopped and they singled out 20 detained Kupres Serbs from our truck. They did this without any roll-call. The rest of us resumed our trip to a barracks in Zadar where they ordered us to get off and where we stayed for two days. They ordered us there to put on ex-YPA uniforms as they wanted to have soldiers instead of civilians for the purpose of their exchange.

Then they allegedly took us to be exchanged and on our way, somewhere near the place were they ordered those 20 men to get off they roll called 5 men: Ljuba Milić, Ratko Milić, Jova Marić, Slavko Dragojlović and Mirko Čivčić, all civilians from Kupres.

As for the above mentioned five which I said were roll-called as well as the mentioned three, I have never seen them alive again and according to my knowledge they are not alive...

4.6. Witness 334/97-19 stated:

...In Split they drove us to a military barracks and there within the barracks compound they would increase the speed at which the truck was moving and then suddenly apply the brakes so that we in the truck smashed our heads and bodies. After the truck would stop, they would order us all to get off and then would beat us with all sorts of things until we fainted. After the beating they would order us to get on the truck again and then they took us to the camp LORA. At the entrance to the camp a cordon of Croatian soldiers awaited us and as we were passing through that cordon they hit us with the objects they held in their hands, parts of plumbing pipes, 70-80 cm long and around 3 cm thick, with rubber hoses, electric conductors, pieces of wood and other things which I cannot even describe here. As most of us that were passing through that cordon fell, Croatian soldiers kicked us.

After we entered the camp LORA, we were placed in rooms size 2 x 2 meters, 12 or more of us in each. We could not even squat nor sit down, we only could stand and lean against one another. Croatian soldiers would take us out of that room into another and torture us in a variety of ways until we fainted. At first, they beat us up with all sorts of things and then they would "switch us on" by tying one end of the electric wire to the penis and another to an arm or an ear and then turn the current on. This caused excruciating pain.

After that they gave us salt which we had to swallow. They gave us each about half a kilo of salt and not a drop of water. Life at LORA was unbearable. I stayed at LORA together with other arrested persons for three days. Every night Croatian soldiers with knives in their hands would enter our room, threaten to slaughter us all. Every night, upon their entry, Croatian soldiers would ask for a volunteer who wished to be executed and I saw people really stepping forward of their own free will and after they were taken out I heard shots... I also heard when they took out and slaughtered men, I heard the screams of those men and the death rattle after they cut their throats.

They took us out into the compound and made us move on our knees on gravel and then ordered us to enter the kennels and bark like dogs. They persistently threatened to kill us all.

Throughout our stay at LORA they never gave us anything to eat nor any water to drink and constantly subjected us to terrible torture. After our stay at LORA a group of some 70 arrested Serbs from Kupres was tied up and put on a truck in the evening and the truck took us all in the direction of Duvno.

The truck departed and brought us to Emino Selo near Duvno where a group of Croatian soldiers awaited us including some uniformed women. They ordered us to get off the truck. As we were getting off we were beaten by those present. Some of those present even had knives in their hands and they stabbed us in different parts of the body, cursing our Chetnik mothers and threatened to slaughter us all. They put gunpowder from bullets into the wounds and then lit it.

The rest of the group, including myself, were put on a truck and taken to Vrgorac. They placed us in a cellar. After they placed us there, Croatian soldiers entered the cellar and beat us so badly that almost all of us fainted. Mile Spremo from Begovo Selo near Kupres died as a result of the wounds he had sustained. They kept us in that cellar for some 12 days and throughout that time we were subjected to torture and beatings. They would take us in front of that house, order us to kneel, make us move on our naked knees, pressed their knives against our throats and made incisions across our bodies threatening to slaughter us.

We were not given anything to eat during the first four or five days nor any water so we were forced to drink our own urine to survive. After that they would give us a slice of bread and a small meat paste which we divided up between 5 arrested persons.

After having spent 12 days at Vrgorac, they took us to Ljubuški and locked us up in some rooms in the cellar of an old prison. They continued torturing us at Ljubuški which was no different from other places.

They beat us, threatened us, made us kneel, to gaze at the sun for several hours, placed knives against our throats and placed gun barrels in our mouths threatening to kill us...

4.7. Witness 547/96-40, who had been arrested at Kupres and following serious ill-treatment by Croatian soldiers transferred by van to Duvno together with his daughter-in-law M, M.B., Z.K. and S.S., testifies:

... They took us to Duvno and locked us up in a room at the Police Station. While I was there I could hear persistent screams and moans from the cellar where the arrested Serbs were.

I wish to point out that when we were arrested our group included some 65 Serbs from Kupres and the neighbouring villages. I was brought to Split and placed in the camp LORA cell No. 1. They placed the three of us which had been brought from Duvno in that cell but singled out D.V. and locked him up in another cell.

We found a group of arrested Serbs from Kupres within the LORA compound. The group of arrested Serbs from Kupres was ordered to stand in a circle. Priest Z.P. was placed in the centre of the circle. A Croatian soldier plucked his beard. Priest Z.P. moaned in pain and other Croatian soldiers present laughed. Before we were showed back to our cell Croatian soldiers ordered us to stand against the wall, raise our hands and then they frisked us and took away all valuables: wallets, rings, watches, etc. They were cursing our Serb mothers and claimed that not a single one of us would get out of the camp alive. Then they kicked us with their booted feet, beat us with their fists, butts and barrels, with metal pipes, batons, pieces of wood i.e. wooden handles of axes and shovels, laths and everything else that they could take into their hands. They hit us on all body parts, and especially in the areas of our kidneys, backs, spines and loins.

After they placed us in the cells, the Croatian soldiers took out one arrested person from each of the cells.

They took out N.D. from my cell. After a while N. was returned to the cell. He was bruised all over, blood-stained and beaten up and it then dawned on me that he had been taken to be interrogated and as they did this they beat him up mercilessly.

They took me out and into a room where a man lay on the floor covered by a blanket with only his feet showing. A Croatian soldier told me just as I went into the room pointing at the one lying on the floor and probably dead "this will be your fate too unless you tell me all I ask you." He asked me who was the leader of the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) in Kupres, who were the SDS leaders at Donji and Gornji Malovan and in other villages, to tell the names of SDS members.

The same soldier told me to lie on the floor on my back. He approached me, kneeled on my breast and took out a knife and placed it against my throat. He kept the knife pressed against my throat but I do not know how long it all lasted. I foamed at the mouth and the soldier stood up and ordered me to stand up too. He ordered me to kneel, took a handle some 80 cm long and 5-6 cm in diameter and started beating me on the back. After the first blow I fainted and fell down and when I came round I was all wet and the Croatian soldier was holding me by the lapels. He had probably splashed water on me and then taken me up from the floor. He brought me, holding me by the jacket, to the cell where I had been placed, then kicked me in the back and I fell down on the concrete floor.

I spent 5 - 6 days in the same cell at LORA. All those in the cell were so beaten up that they could not stand up. We tried to raise one another. We stayed there 5-6 days and then were tied up and taken to Zadar at night. It is noteworthy that prior to our departure for Zadar Petar Spremo, father's name Slavko, resident of Begovo Selo, date of birth unknown to me, died at LORA. Petar was a young man. I know that he worked as a repairman at the elementary school. Petar had died at LORA because he had been beaten ruthlessly there.

As we stepped out of the truck we passed through a cordon of Croatian soldiers who beat us mercilessly. They beat us with pieces of wood, kicked us with their feet, hit us with their fists, with their rifle butts and barrels and with their batons. After that they placed us in a large room on the ground floor all 65 of us, i.e. 57 because 8 had been taken away during our trip. We lay on the bare floor in that room and stayed there 6 - 7 days. We were not given any water and were tormented by terrible thirst.

Once a day we were given a slice of bread and a little tea and that was all. On the last day of our stay in that barracks the Croatian soldiers first tied us up then beat us up until we fainted and then put us all on a truck which took us to Duvno. During the ride, the truck very often, probably on purpose, suddenly braked so that we smashed our heads against one another inside and were all blood-stained as a result.

We were driven to Eminovo Selo near Duvno and placed in a stable. We lay in that stable on bare soil and at night Croatian soldiers would take us out and beat us there until we fainted. They made us kneel and brought some women who beat us with various objects they had in their hands. A woman had a pitchfork and stabbed with it M.S. in his thigh of his right or left leg.

I don't know exactly how long we stayed in that stable but I think it was 5 - 6 days. During that time, many times, and particularly late at night, I was taken out to be beaten like other arrested persons and would return to the room on all fours for I could not walk after the beating. Once or twice we were given a little slice of bread and a little meat paste from a can or a little salami.

They placed us in a garage at Vrgorac and we stayed there several days. During that time we lay on the muddy concrete floor. We were given food every second or third day and only once a small slice of bread each. In early May 1992, I do not know the exact date, Croatian soldiers entered the room where we were locked up at Vrgorac and beat us all up but Mile Spremo, father's name Vojko, resident of Begovo Selo, born around 1945 was beaten the most. They beat him until he died.

From that garage in Vrgorac we were transferred to Ljubuški and placed in the notorious Austrian prison where there was a detention camp in 1941 as well.

They made us sing songs like "Here comes the dawn here comes the day", to greet Croatian soldiers with the salute "Ready for the Homeland", to move on our bare knees over gravel- covered camp yard.

I wish to point out as well that at Ljubuški I saw Croatian soldiers carve the four S's on the breasts of the captured former YPA soldiers with their knives. I remember that the young man I saw undergoing this was from Ruma but I do not know either his name or his surname.

I know that at LORA Croatian soldiers tortured their victims by tying electric wires to various body parts which caused excruciating pain.

They beat up the arrested persons with chains, pieces of underground electric conductors, etc.

4.8. Witness 382/96 testifies:

... My husband was the first to be ordered to get off the truck upon their arrival at LORA. As it was wintertime he had a furcap on and therefore was conspicuous and caught the eye of the Croatian soldiers who started beating him savagely and hit his head against the truck persistently telling him he should confess to being a Chetnik. After a short while, as he was beaten up all over my husband stated that he was a Chetnik,however, despite it all, Croatian soldiers continued to beat him even more fiercely. My husband lost consciousness as a result of the blows to his head and according to other captives who were watching all this bloody foam appeared at his mouth. Then two Croatian soldiers put him on his feet between themselves and allegedly took him to hospital.

Later on I learnt from priest Z.P., who was also detained at LORA and who was exchanged later on, that he saw my husband several days later that he was unconscious and was talking nonsense. He told me that a day or two later they allegedly took him to hospital again and they did this twice but did not bring him back after the second time and nobody has seen him since.

After this incident I vainly sought together with my daughter to find my husband and find out what happened but I was not successful until 16 December 1992 when the representatives of the International Red Cross came to my house and told me that my husband had died at the hospital in Firule, Split and brought some medical documents...

4.9. Witness 333/96-6, a driver from Kupres, testifies about the ill-treatment and torture of arrested Serbs in Croatian camps:

... We stayed at LORA for several days. Almost every hour they would take one of us out of the cell and beat us mostly on the soles of our feet and palms of our hands. They only beat me up, but I heard others say that they had been tortured and ill- treated in various ways.

They took me out of the cell once and I heard them say that they would slap me on the face ten times. So they did. They slapped me so hard I fell down after the seventh blow. They then took me to a fountain and washed me and then returned me to my cell. As a result of these blows, I was unable to open my eyes....

4.10. Witness 420/95, priest from Kupres, testifies about the torment of the arrested Serbs during their torture in Croatian camps.

... They drove us to a concrete garage and kicked us out of the truck one by one. Croatian soldiers would wait for us to get off and then beat us with wooden stakes. They then put us all in a concrete garage 3 times 4 meters large. We could hardly all get inside. Then they locked the door up and threw tear gas so that we started suffocating. We were locked up in this garage for 2 - 3 days and from there we were transported by trucks to Split, i.e. the detention camp LORA.

On our way through the town of Split they took us out of the truck several times and beat us up every single time. On one occasion they shaved my beard without a drop of water and carved my face with a knife.

Upon our arrival at LORA, we got off the truck one by one and went through a cordon of guards who beat us with their batons mercilessly.

The guards and Croatian soldiers and the Blackshirts entered the cell every day and beat us non-stop with their batons. I was beaten and ill-treated in particular, I received hundreds of blows and whenever I fainted they would drag me in that state along the camp corridors.

At LORA we were daily exposed to beatings and torture,humiliation and various other forms of inhumane treatment. On one occasion, they brought me in a room tied up my eyes and put me on a chair, then attached some wires to my temples and splashed water on me and simultaneously turned on the electricity. After such torture they would take me back to the cell where I was beaten and then one day they tied me against the cell bars as if crucified and kept me that way for three days.

The guards also took it out on us by forcing us to fight each other, to commit unnatural debauchery and they forced me to have sexual intercourse with a Serb woman from Kupres. Her name is Z. I could not do this and received some more beating as a result. After that the Croatian guards told Z. to pretend she was a horse and then told me to mount her.

Witnesses 333/95-4, 333/95-10, 333/95-20, 426/96- 50, 426/96-53, 426/96-63, 547/96-29 and 547/96-39 also testify about inhumane treatment, grave pain, torture and cruel liquidations during arrest, transportation, lock-up and stay at Croatian detention camps in the territory of B/H and Croatia.

5

The witnesses have the following to say about the consequences of stay of citizens of Kupres in detention camps in the period from 7 April to 15 May 1992.

5.1. Witness 426/96-53 testifies:

... During my stay in the mentioned camps I had a right rib fracture, a spine injury, a thorax injury. I was examined at Banja Luka and have medical documents about it...

5.2. Witness 42/96-51 testifies:

Before I was arrested I weighed 110 kgs and reduced my weight to 75 kgs. My two right ribs were fractured, and now I feel pain in the spine area, kidneys and other parts of my body...

5.3. Witness 426/96-63 says:

...After the exchange the physicians established that my two ribs were fractured as well as the bones in my nose. I had a large number of injuries in all parts of my body but mostly in the head area which is why I fainted several times. Even now I feel excruciating pain in my head.

I remember well that they broke both of N.K.'s forearms in several places. We had to help N. relieve himself for he could not do it himself...

5.4. Witness 333/95-23 testifies:

It took me about a year to recover from the consequences at Banja Luka. I still feel these consequences. I have all the necessary medical documents to prove this. When I was taken captive I weighed 94 kgs and when I was released only 58 kgs...

5.5. Witness 334/97-19 states:

...They broke my left forearm, my lef shin, 4 left ribs and they knocked out 9 teeth from my upper and lower jaws.

After the exchange I stayed at the Military Medical Academy (VMA) for 21 days and I think they have all the medical documents attesting to the injuries I sustained during my stay in Croatian camps.

I feel terrible consequences of the injuries sustained even today...

5.6. Witness 547/96-40 testifies:

... During my stay at the camp from 6 April until 15 May 1992 I received blows which cause terrible pain in the area of the breast, back, legs and all other parts of the body.

5.7. Witness 547/96-29 testifies:

... They beat me particularly in the area of the kidneys so that ever since both my kidney have been damaged as a result of their blows.

I wish to point out once again that even today I feel terrible pain in the area of the kidneys and my back as a result of the blows I received during my stay in the mentioned detention camps...

5.8. Witness 426/96-51 states:

During my stay in the mentioned camps they fractured two right ribs and my spine, kidneys and other parts of the body are still painful even today...

5.9. Witness 333/96-4 testifies:

...Apart from the many injuries which I sustained I think the worst was the one I received during the beating on the firing range in Split because I was then hit in the head with a bowling ball, I was gravely injured and had a bloody wound and I lost a lot of blood...

5.10. Witness 333/96-6 testifies about the consequences of the blows he received in the head and face during his stay at the camp in Ljubuški:

... As a result of these blows I could not open either eye. My sight deteriorated after this so I had to have an operation on my right eye on 13 December 1995 at the Municipal Hospital in Subotica. To prove this I have with me the letter of discharge from the Eye Ward of that hospital, record number 616...

5.11. Witness 333/96-10 testifies:

...As a result of torture and beatings as well as conditions of stay at the camps my health status has seriously deteriorated.

These are some of the medical documents, seven in total, which show that my 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th ribs were fractured on the left side of which some were fragmented and some dislocated. Three right ribs were fractured as well.

My vertebra are injured, and as a result of all I have experienced I have a high blood pressure, Angina Pectoris and other physical and mental changes.

A number of Serbs were killed in the course of terrible torture or died following sadistic torture in Croatian camps:

2. Petar Zubić, tortured at the detention camp LORA in Split and then murdered (evidence: 333/96-6).

4. Mile Spremo, born in 1946 at Begovo Selo, father's name Vojko, died 23 April 1992 during torture at the camp in Vrgorac in the territory of the Republic of Croatia (evidence: 281/97-3, 281/97-5 - enclosure 27 - autopsy report).

5. Petar Spremo, born in 1945 at Begovo Selo, father's name Slavko, died following horrendous torture at the camp LORA in Split in the Republic of Croatia (evidence 453/96-5, 281/97-3).

6. Andjelko Šerbez, died following terrible beatings at the camp in Ljubuško, his body was doused in petrol and burnt (evidence: 234/95-6).

COMMANDERS:

2. Davor Glasnović, alias Filipović, Commander of the Croatian unit "Yellow Ants" which captured Kupres on 6 April 1992 (evidence 373/94-3, 333/95-23, 234/95-6)

ACTUAL PERPETRATORS

6. Mirko Barišić,

7. Bošković, captain of the former YPA, one of the torturers at Vrgorac (evidence 333/95-23, 333/96-10).

8. Mirko Bulut, took part in crimes against the Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 333/95-22, 117/95-8).

9. Bariša Vila alias Bare, veterinarian, from Viline Kuće, born 18 October 1962 at Viline Kuće, municipality of Kupres, father's name Marko and mother's name Andja nee Ivković (evidence:492/96).

11. Zoran Vila, born in 1960, father's name Matko, took part in crimes against the Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97- 3).

13. Ilija Vila, took part in the crimes against the Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 194/97-5 enclosure 8).

18. Nikola Vila, took part in the crimes against the Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence:194/97-5 - enclosures 6 and 7).

19. Vlado ..., alias Vukovarac, stood out during the torture of the arrested Kupres citizens at LORA (evidence 333/95-23).

21. Dara ..., the woman who stabbed Mile Spremo with a pitchfork (evidence 333/95-23).

25. Branko Žulj, alias Bane, born in the village of Zloselo, father's name Franja, took part in the killings of Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 373/94-1, 281/97-3).

26. Božo Žulj, from Zloselo, Municipality of Kupres, born on 19 September 1951 at Zloselo, father's name Dane mother's name draga, married, took part in the killings of Kupres Serbs in May 1992 (evidence:373094-1).

27. Ivica Žulj, alias Iko, driver from Kupres, M. Tita bb, born 17 October 1960 at Zloselo, father's name Frane and mother's name Ruža, nee Mihaljević, married, a father of one, took part in the killings of Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 373/94-1, 194/97/5 enclosure 8, 281097-4).

29. Žućo,, village of Ploče, municipality of Gornji Vakuf, stood out during the torture of the arrested Kupres citizens at LORA (evidence 333/95-23).

31. Ivo Zrno, born 1 January 1955 at Šuica, took part in the crimes against the Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 492/96).

32. Ivica Zrno, born 16 September 1971 at Šuica, father's name Mila, took part in the crimes against Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 492/96).

35. Mario Zrno, born 24 January 1971 at the village of Šujica, father's name Ante, took part in crimes against Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 492/96).

36. Marko Ivić, driver from Zloselo, municipality of Kupres, born 28 September 1959 at Zloselo, father's name Pera, mother's name Franjka nee Dumančić.

38. Mujuka Elez (Helez), born in 1966 at Donje Ravno, father's name Mujo, took part in the killings of Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97-2, 281/97-4).

39. Branko Ereš, stood out particularly during the torture of captured Serbs in the camp at Ljubuški (evidence: 234/95-6).

42. Mario Ivković, took part in the crimes against Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence:117/95-8).

43. Rasim Jahić, police officer in Kupres, resident of Kupres, at No. 25 Maršala Tita Str., born on 24 April 1953 in the village of Kukavice, municipality of Kupres, father's name Džafa, mother's name Biha nee Ugarak, took part in crimes against the Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 117/95-8, 492/96).

44. Ivan Jezičić, locksmith from Kupres, at 14 Ul. JNA Str., born on 23 October 1967 in the village of Mlakva, municipality of Kupres, father's name Boža, mother's name Slava nee Kekić, took part in crimes against the Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 492/96).

45. Ante Jelić alias Antić, resident of Kupres, born on 14 September 1939 at Jurići, municipality of Kupres, father's name Joza, mother's name Ana nee Bušić, married, father of two, took part in the killings of Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 117/95-1).

46. Miroslav Kampinski, haulier from Kupres, Ul. Omladinska bb, born on 7 July 1947 in Bugojno, father's name Marijan, mother's name Iva, married, took part in the killings of Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 373/94-1, 194/95-8 enclosure 6).

48. Ibro Kmetaš, born in 1958 in the village of Donje Ravno, father's name Mujo, took part in the killings of Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4).

49. Hamdija Kmetaš, born in 1952 in the village of Donje Ravno, father's name Djaluga, took part in the crimes against Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4).

52. Ivan Kuna, born in 1952 in the village of Osmanlije, father's name Andjelko, took part in crimes against Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4).

54. Dragun Ledić, police employee in Kupres, address: Kupres, Viline Kuće bb, municipality of Kupres, born 13 June 1965, father's name emanuel, mother's name Stanka nee Šimić, married, father ofthree (evidence: 281/97-3, 281/97-4).

58. Ivo Lozančić, alias Ćiva, was on a Croatian tank which attacked Kupres, took part in crimes against the Serbs in Kupres (evidence: 333/95-22).

61.Božo Lončar, one of the drivers who drove the truck transporting the citizens of Kupres from one camp to another (evidence 333/95-23)

62. man known as Makedonac (Macedonian), stood out during the torture of captured citizens of Kupres at LORA (evidence 333/95- 23, 426/95-51).

63. Ivo Maleš, salesman, from Kupres, address Ul. Druge krajiške brigade bb, born on 25 March 1936 in Kupres, father's name Mija mother's name Doma nee Santro, married, father of three, took part in the killings of Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 194/97-5 enclosure 8, 281/97-4)

66. Smail Mandžuka, alias Smajo, physician from Kupres, address Ul. Sime Šolaje bb, born on 25 January 1959 in Kupres, father's name Ahmet, mother's name Remza nee Terzić, took part in the killing of a Kupres Serb in May 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4).

67. Dragan Matić, commander of the camp at Duvno, took part in the torture of prisoners (evidence: 333/95-23).

69. Nedjo Macić, resident of Ljubuški, stood out in particular during the torture and ill-treatment of captured Serbs in the camp at Ljubuški (evidence: 234/95-6).

70. Mijo Mil, resident of Kupres, took part in the killings of Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence:492/96).

71. Nedo Milićević, stood out in particular during the torture of the captured Serbs in the camp at Ljubuški (evidence: 234/95-6).

75. Frane Mioč, took part in crimes against the Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 117/95-8).

76. Iko Mihaljević, took part in crimes against the Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence:194/97-5 - enclosure 6).

77. Musa ... from Široki Breg near Lištica, beat the captured Serbs at the camp LORA (evidence: 333/95-20).

78. Ivan Pavić, born in 1956 at Zloselo, father's name Marko, took part in the killings of Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4)

80. Drago Perić, alias Vrića (evidence 333/95-23).

81. Ante Perković alias Peco, police officer from Kupres, address. Ul. 27. jula bb, born on 11 November 1954 in the village of Botun, municipality of Kupres, father's name Jandra, mother's name Slavka nee Lozančić, took part in the killings of Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 492/96, 281/97-4).

83. Ekrem Pilić, car mechanic, employed with the company ŠIP Kupres, resident of Kupres, address. Ul. M. Tita 1/1, born 1 December 1945 in Bugojno, father's name Edhem, mother's name Zlatka nee Žujko, married, father of two, took part in the killing of a Kupres Serb in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4).

84. Safet Pilić, alias Safo, resident of Kupres, address No 23 Ul. Druge proleterske brigade Str., owner of a driving school in Kupres, born on 27 July 1949 in Kupres, father's name Edhem, mother's name Zlatka nee Žuljko, married, father of two, took part in the killing of Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4).

89. Zoran Radić, alias Zeko, a Croat from Kupres, born in the village of Otinovci near Kupres, ordered the murder of Laza Kontić, took part in the killings of Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 34/96).

92. Ljupko Radić, alias Švabin, metalworker, resident of Goravci, municipality of Kupres where he was born on 1 February 1960 father's name Stipe, mother's name Finka nee Čičak took part in crimes against the Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 492/96).

95. Rambo, the cruellest man during the torture of the arrested citizens of Kupres in LORA (evidence 333/95-23).

96. Amir Ramčić, resident of Kupres, address Ul. II proleterske brigade bb, born on 14 May 1965 in Kupres, father's name Muja, mother's name Zlata nee Husić, married, took part in crimes against Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4).

97. Ruždija Ramčić, resident of kupres, address Ul. II proleterske brigade 15, born on 23 August 1966 in Bugojno, father's name Mjo, mother's name Zlata nee Husić, married, took part in the killings of Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 333/95-23, 281/97-4).

99. Marko Rebrina, alias Markica, took part in the killings of Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 117/95-8)

101. Jandra Rebrina, alias Skičo, took part in the crimes against the Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence:117/95-8)

104. Mladen Solin, stood out in particular during the torture of the captured Serbs in the detention camp at Ljubuški (evidence: 234/95-6)

106. Ivica Sušec, stood out in particular in the torture of the captured Serbs in the detention camp at Ljubuški (evidence: 234/95-6).

109.Ambrozije Turalija, took part in crimes against Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 382/96-2)

110.Drago Turalija, alias Šakan, born in 1953 in Begovo Selo, father's name Pera, worked as a game warden, took part in crimes against Serbs in Kupres in 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4)

112. Pero Turalija, born in 1959 in Begovo Selo, father's name Karlo, took part in crimes against the Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4)

113. Tomislav Turalija, agricultural technician, father's name Toma, resident of Begovo Selo, born 1956 in the suburb of Kupres Viline Kuće, took part in crimes against Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4)

114. Tomo Turalija alias Tomi born in 1955 in Begovo Selo father's name Pero, took part in crimes against Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence: 281/97-4)

115. Franjo ..., a policeman before the war, took part in the torture of the captured Serbs in Zadar (evidence: 333/95-23)

117. Ibro Horozović, resident of Kupres, address Ul II proleterske brigade bb, born 3 May 1953 in Bili Potok municipality of Kupres, father's name Osman, mother's name Hamida nee Ćurić, married (evidence: 194/97-5 - enclosure 8, 281/97-4)

118. Enes Huseinbegović, born in 1960 in Kupres, took part in crimes against Kupres Serbs in April 1992 (evidence:281/97-4)

121. Josip Čolić alias Jopa, born in 1956 in the village of Osmanlije, father's name Mirko, took part in crimes against Serbs in Kupres in April 1992 (evidence 281/97-4).

127. Unidentified soldier, large, with a prominent moustache, black-haired and dark-skinned, killed Stevo Lugonja and Drago Čelebić (evidence: 333/96-4).

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

COMITTEE FOR COLLECTING DATA ON

CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST HUMANITY

AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

MINUTES ON HEARING OF WITNESS P.R. (34/96-1) WHO TESTIFIES

ON SUFFERINGS OF KUPRES SERBS FROM APRIL 6 TO MAY 14, 1992

MINUTES ON HEARING OF WITNESS

done on December 27, 1995, before the investigating judge of the District Court of Novi Sad, in the criminal procedure against perpetrator NN for his criminal offence under

Article 141 of the Criminal Code of Yugoslavia K37

Investigating judge Witness

Savo Đurđić in person

Note-taker Present at the Hearing

Vanja Đurić-Marijanski Public Prosecutor

Begun at 1.20 p.m.

The witness was warned that he was to tell the truth and that he should not keep silent about anything, he was warned of the consequences of making a false statement, and that he was not obligated to give answers to some questions if by doing so he would bring upon himself or his next-of-kin great shame, considerable material damage or prosecution (under Art. 229 of the Law on Criminal Procedure), and the witness gave the following answers to the general questions below:

1) Name and Surname P R

2) Father's name

3) Occupation

4) Residence

5) Place of birth Rilić, municipality of Kupres

6) Born in 1951

7) Relation to defendant and the injured party

Whereupon the witness gave the following testimony:

The witness, upon being duly warned of his obligation to tell the truth, made the following statement:

They then detained other people, but I did not witness any more killings. At 7 p.m., the campaign was over. We were taken on foot to the workshop of the Kupres textiles factory, where we found several detained Kupres inhabitants. Altogether, we were 74 and they took our personal data. We were neither tortured nor harassed there. Dr Marko VILA, also from Kupres, came and asked if we were hungry or sick, as he had come to help, but also threatened us saying he knew what we, the Serbs, wanted.

Upon our arrival in Šujice, we had our hands tied with wire and then had to move to Gornji Brišnik, near Duvno. We were beaten there with all kinds of things - stakes, pieces of wood, rifles and hands and kicked us with their feet. The 74 of us were then placed into a small garage, size of 4 x 3 sq. m. We were threatened that they would throw a bomb into the garage. A commander arrived then in a car. He said that we should have been killed, but that he would save us and exchange us for prisoners of the other side. We were all placed on a truck and driven to Split, to the prison in the former barracks "Lora". When we arrived, they beat us there with their hands and legs. A soldier beat Petar SPREMO with the butt of his rifle, Spremo fell down and fainted. After ten minutes, we saw no more of him, and a year later, his dead body was exchanged, I saw it in Kupres, where he was buried.

We reached Eminovo selo near Duvno. From there, they took us to Mt. Vran, determined to liquidate us.

The truck took us towards Imotski. We reached the village of Vrgorac, and the interrogation was resumed. It was Croatian Easter, Catholic Easter. They called Milo SPREMO, kicked him with their feet until he succumbed and died in front of us all. A year later, his body was exchanged, and before the exchange, he was buried at Vrgorac. They claimed that he had taken part in arming the Serbs, which this civilian denied.

This is all I have to say.I have been listening to the minutes when taken, I do not have any request as to listen to it read, I have no comments concerning the minutes, I do not have anything to add, and I am hereby signing it as my own statement.

Terminated at 2.10 p.m.

INVESTIGATING JUDGE NOTE-TAKER WITNESS

Caption below the photo: Laza Kontić, who was wearing military uniform, was captured and had his right ear cut off, before receiving a lethal blow, most probably with a mace.

CROATIAN DEMOCRATIC COMMUNITY

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - KUPRES CLASSIFIED

HEADQUARTERS KUPRES

November 8, 1991

ORDER

All commanders of companies, independent platoons and other detachments are ordered to carry out the training of their units from 9th to 10th November in the following fields:

- infantry small and long arms

- (...original unclear) shooting

- infantry tools.

Commanders in charge of the training are obliged to inform Zdravko Mančić on the venue and time of the training.

This Order to be communicated to:

Commanders of companies

Commanders of independent platoons

Commanders of independent detachments

Zdravko Dumančić

Franjo Smoljo

The Archives

Commander of

Headquarters

Marko Vila

Order issued by Marko Vila, commander in charge of the Croatian Democratic Community of Kupres paramilitary formations Headquarters, from November 8, 1991, on carrying out practical military training and live ammunition shooting.

No 0210

PASS

for entering the Educational Center of the

Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Croatia

ROBERT ZADRO

This PASS is valid with Identity Card No. 56092. The pass is valid until its revocation. If lost, to be reportered immediately.

Signed by

(unclear)

No 065

PASS

FOR ENTERING THE UNIT IN CHARGE OF SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS OF THE

MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

ROBERT ZADRO

This Pass is valid if shown with Identity Card No 56092. The pass is valid until its revocation. Its loss to be reported without delay.

These passes were found on 10th April 1992, on Croatian soldier Robert Zadro, member of the unit for special purposes of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, who died in combat.

The corpse of Trifko Pavlović, shop assistant, born in 1957. He was killed on April 6, 1992, at the threshold of his home in Kupres, most probably with a mace, whereby the nave of his head was smashed.

The corpse of Trifko Pavlović, shop assistant, born in 1957. He was killed on April 6, 1992, at the threshold of his home in Kupres, most probably with a mace, whereby the nave of his head was smashed.

Stevo Lugonja, driver from Kupres, was taken out of his house, he had his right eye gouged out with mercury, and was executed afterwards, on April 6, 1992.

REPUBLIC OF CROATIA CLASSIFIED

MUNICIPALITY OF OSIJEK CONFIDENTIAL

196th brigade II.Batallion HV*R*

CARD

WITH PERSONAL DATA OF A MEMBER OF A HV*R* UNIT. Company:1

1. Unique Register Number of Citizens: 710951305054

2. Name: BRANKA

3. Father's name: IVAN

4. Family name: MRAVUNAC

5. Her records kept in: MUNICIPALITY OF OSIJEK

6. No. of Identity Card: 348795

7. No. of official card: 1542

8. Date of birth: October 7, 1951

9. Place of birth: KOPRIVNICA

10. Municipality: KOPRIVNICA

11. Nationality: CROATIAN

12. Permanent residence: OSIJEK

13. Address: SJENJAK 20

14. Telephone no: 46-427

15. Office Phone No:

16. Date of call in the unit: July 20,1991

17. Date of leaving the unit:

18. Education: Completed secondary school

19. Occupation: nurse

20. Enterprise: Health center

21. Position in the guard: Medical unit

22. Type of weapon given: Pistol CZ

23. Serial No: 274870

24. Brigade: 106

25. Batallion: 2

26. Company: 1

27. Platoon: 4

28. Detachment: 4

29. Rank:

30. VES:

31. VES No: 0

32. Uniform: Y

33. Uniform size: 54

34. Boots: Y

35. Boots size: 40

36. Helmet: N

37. Blood type: BRH+

38. Leave of absence (dates):

39. Health status: healthy Y

sick-mobile N

sick-immobile N

wounded - heavily N

wounded - lightly N

40. Imprisoned: N

41. Number of children: 3

42. Marital status: married Y

single N

43. In case of death inform: HUSBAND BRANISLAV MRAVUNAC

SJENJAK 20

OSIJEK

TEL. 46-427

HV*R*

Personal Card of Branka Mravunac, member of the 2nd batallion of the 106th Osijek Brigade of the Army of the Republic of Croatia, who fought near Kupres.