Judgement - Halilovic (Part 2/2) - 16 November 2005

For more information: http://icty.org/x/cases/halilovic/tju...

The indictment against Sefer Halilovic concerns murders alleged to have been committed by troops belonging to the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina ("ABiH") in the villages of Grabovica and Uzdol in the Jablanica and Prozor areas in Herzegovina in September 1993 during a military operation allegedly called "Operation Neretva". The Prosecution alleges that Sefer Halilovic was the commander of this operation and as such the troops involved in the "Operation Neretva" were under his command and control.

The Prosecution alleges that "the Operation" was commanded and co-ordinated from a Forward Command Post or "IKM" in Jablanica. One axis of attack, which was in the area where Grabovica is situated, was commanded by Zulfikar Ališpago and involved parts of units from the ABiH 1st Corps. These units came from the 9th Motorised Brigade, the 10th Mountain Brigade and the 2nd Independent Battalion. Another axis of attack, which was in the area where Uzdol is situated, involved the Prozor Independent Battalion and was commanded by Enver Buza.

It is alleged that Sefer Halilovic, knowing of the 9th and the 10th Brigades' "notorious reputations for being criminal and uncontrolled in behaviour", ordered the deployment of parts of units of these brigades to Herzegovina. It is further alleged that between the 7th and 8th of September 1993 the unit of the 9th Brigade and a part of the unit of the 10th Brigade as well as the 2nd Independent Battalion were billeted in the village of Grabovica.