Irish observer gives evidence in Milosevic trial

Irish observer gives evidence in Milosevic trial
Beta - February 27, 2003

THE HAGUE -- Thursday – Irish general Colm Mangan took the stand today in the trial of Slobodan Milosevic at the Hague Tribunal.

Mangan told the court that he had no information from which he could conclude that Milosevic and Serbia had any kind of connection with the Yugoslav Army attacks on Dubrovnik in the autumn of 1991.

“When I arrived here I wasn’t convinced, nor did I have proof, that you personally were connected with the attack on Dubrovnik,” he said under cross-examination.

Mangan, who was part of an international observer mission in the Croatian coastal resort from the beginning of October, 1991, told the court that the town had no organised defence.

The only armed Croats, he said, were uniformed police or civilians.

Replying to a question on the Yugoslav Army leadership’s involvement in the siege of Dubrovnik, Mangan replied that he would be surprised if such an attack had not been co-ordinated with the general staff.

The eventual ceasefire was negotiated with Belgrade, not the field command outside Dubrovnik, he added.