THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
CASE NO. IT-02-59-I
THE PROSECUTOR OF THE TRIBUNAL
AGAINST
DARKO MRDJA
____________________________________
INDICTMENT
____________________________________
The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, pursuant to her authority under Article 18 of the Statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia ("the Statute of the Tribunal"), charges:
DARKO MRDJA
with CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY and VIOLATIONS OF THE LAWS OR CUSTOMS OF WAR as set forth below:
THE ACCUSED:
1. Darko MRDJA, nickname "Dado," son of Milenko, was born on 28 June 1967, in Zagreb, Croatia. He grew up in Tukovi, in the municipality of Prijedor in Bosnia and Herzegovina and had worked at the nearby mine in Omarska. In 1992 during the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina he was a member of a special police unit, known as an "Intervention Squad," serving under the Bosnian Serb authorities in Prijedor.
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
2. On 21 August 1992 an armed conflict was taking place in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
3. The crimes charged in this indictment were part of a widespread and systematic attack on the civilian population, principally Muslim and Croat, of Prijedor municipality.
4. Darko MRDJA is individually criminally responsible pursuant to Article 7(1) of the Statute of the Tribunal for the crimes referred to in Articles 3 and 5 of the Statute of the Tribunal as alleged in this indictment, which he planned, instigated, ordered, committed or in whose planning, preparation or execution he otherwise aided and abetted.
5. Darko MRDJA on 21 August 1992 was required to abide by the laws and customs governing the conduct of armed conflicts, including the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the additional protocols thereto.
STATEMENT OF THE FACTS
6. In the spring of 1992 armed conflict broke out in northwestern Bosnia, including the municipalities of Prijedor and Skender Vakuf. Armed forces aligned with the Serbian Democratic Party ("SDS") who sought to join that territory to the Yugoslavia or to keep it in an independent Serbian state (Republika Srpska) attacked non-Serb civilian populations and battled forces that supported the government in Sarajevo.
7. As part of their efforts to sever territory from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian Serb forces under the leadership of the SDS carried out widespread and systematic attacks on the civilian population of this region. Non-Serb civilians were detained in various facilities, including the Omarska, Keraterm and Trnopolje camps in Prijedor municipality.
8. On 21 August 1992, a group of non-Serb prisoners detained in the Trnopolje camp were told that they would be "exchanged," and transported to Travnik, a city then under the control of forces loyal to the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Buses arrived at the camp that morning and many prisoners boarded the buses.
9. That same morning, many hundreds or perhaps more than a thousand civilian men, women and children gathered in the village of Tukovi, also in Prijedor Municipality. They had also been told that a convoy would be organized that day to Travnik. Darko MRDJA was present in Tukovi when the civilians were loaded onto the convoy and was observed to give orders to other police officers present.
10. The two groups of vehicles from Tukovi and Trnopolje joined into one convoy at the town of Kozarac and proceeded in the direction of Travnik. Police or soldiers, including Darko MRDJA, accompanied the convoy throughout the journey.
11. After passing the town of Skender Vakuf, the convoy drove over Vlasic Mountain toward the front line. At one point along the mountain road, the convoy stopped in a wooded area. Darko MRDJA was present along with several other men in uniforms. He ordered and participated in the separation of a group of military-aged non-Serb men. The remainder of the convoy, consisting largely of women, children and elderly, continued on to Travnik.
12. Darko MRDJA and a group of police from his Intervention Squad ordered these non-Serb men, who had been separated, to enter two buses. There were far more men than seats and the prisoners were packed into all available space on the buses. After driving a short distance, the buses stopped at a location called Koricanske Stijene, where there is a sheer rock face on one side of the road and a steep cliff on the other.
13. Prisoners were ordered to leave the bus with their heads down and to kneel at the edge of the cliff. Darko MRDJA said, "Here is where we do the exchange, the living for the living, and the dead…."
14. The police began firing their guns at the men. Several jumped or were pushed over the cliff before they were shot and survived the fall. Prisoners from the other bus were then brought off the bus in smaller groups and shot at the edge of the cliff. Witnesses estimate more than two hundred men were killed by the shots or the fall, although the exact number that died is unknown. "Annex A" lists 228 names that were reported to be those of men last seen on this convoy. Twelve men are known to have survived the shooting and the fall.
CHARGES
16. On 21 August 1992, on a road over Vlasic Mountain in the Municipality of Skender Vakuf, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Darko MRDJA, acting in concert with others who shared his intent, planned, instigated, ordered, committed, or otherwise aided and abetted the planning, preparation, or execution of the killing of over two hundred men on a convoy originating from Trnopolje and Tukovi and heading for Travnik. Twelve men among those that the accused and his accomplices intended to kill fell or jumped down a cliff and survived the massacre.
17. By the above described conduct, Darko MRDJA committed:
COUNT 1:
EXTERMINATION, A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY, punishable under Article 5(b) and 7(1) of the Statute of the Tribunal; and
COUNT 2:
MURDER, A VIOLATION OF THE LAWS OR CUSTOMS OF WAR, as recognized by Article 3(1)(a) of the Geneva Convention of 1949, punishable under Articles 3, and 7(1) of the Statute of the Tribunal.
COUNT 3:
INHUMANE ACTS (Attempted Murder), a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY, punishable under Articles 5(i) and 7(1) of the Statute of the Tribunal.
____________________
Carla Del Ponte
Prosecutor
Dated this 16th day of April, 2002
At The Hague
The Netherlands
ANNEX A
NAMES OF THOSE MISSING FROM 21 AUGUST 1992 CONVOY OVER VLASIC MOUNTAIN
|
Victim's Name |
Father's Name |
D.O.B. |
|
|
1 |
ALIC, Ilijaz |
Idriz |
12.07.1971 |
|
2 |
ALIC, Mujo |
Alija |
14.09.1963 |
|
3 |
ALIC, Sead |
Rifet |
18.03.1963 |
|
4 |
ALISIC, Armin |
- |
- |
|
5 |
ALISIC, Edin |
Mehmed |
16.04.1966 |
|
6 |
ANTUNOVIC, Dominko |
- |
- |
|
7 |
ARIFAGIC, Enver |
Avdo |
19.06.1944 |
|
8 |
ARIFAGIC, Mehmed |
Ekrem |
03.05.1973 |
|
9 |
AVDIC, Rasim |
Suljo |
10.04.1939 |
|
10 |
AVDIC, Sead |
Ibrahim |
08.10.1950 |
|
11 |
AVDIC, Sejad |
Ibrahim |
11.01.1955 |
|
12 |
BAHONJIC, Esad |
- |
- |
|
13 |
BAJRIC, Serif |
Ramo |
16.12.1941 |
|
14 |
BALIC, Jusuf |
Selim |
10.01.1951 |
|
15 |
BASIC, Rasim |
Muharem |
18.07.1941 |
|
16 |
BERISA, Razim |
Smail |
15.09.1964 |
|
17 |
BESIC, Becir |
Adem |
07.04.1931 |
|
18 |
BESIC, Beso |
- |
- |
|
19 |
BESIC, Mustafa |
Ibrahim |
10.05.1944 |
|
20 |
BESIC, Nedjib |
- |
- |
|
21 |
BESIC, Nermin |
Izet |
21.09.1969 |
|
22 |
BESIC, Nihad |
Meho |
22.04.1971 |
|
23 |
BESIC, Sead |
Adem |
06.12.1965 |
|
24 |
BESIC, Sead |
Safet |
12.06.1969 |
|
25 |
BESIC, Zilhad |
Hamid |
01.03.1941 |
|
26 |
BESLAGIC, Suvad |
Mustafa |
23.07.1965 |
|
27 |
BLAZEVIC, Ahmet |
Hamdija |
30.09.1962 |
|
28 |
BLAZEVIC, Elvir |
Avdo |
08.08.1972 |
|
29 |
BLAZEVIC, Esad |
Seifija |
10.05.1967 |
|
30 |
BLAZEVIC, Fadil |
Ibrahim |
22.12.1952 |
|
31 |
BLAZEVIC, Fikret |
Himzo |
04.11.1962 |
|
32 |
BLAZEVIC, Mustafa |
Edhem |
25.07.1964 |
|
33 |
BLAZEVIC, Serif |
Suljo |
09.03.1947 |
|
34 |
BLAZEVIC, Sero |
- |
- |
|
35 |
BLAZEVIC, Suad |
- |
- |
|
36 |
BRKIC, Ako |
- |
- |
|
37 |
CAUSEVIC, Besim |
Smail |
19.08.1952 |
|
38 |
CAUSEVIC, Nedzad |
Smail |
10.12.1964 |
|
39 |
CAUSEVIC, Nizvet |
- |
- |
|
40 |
CERIC, Sulejman |
Sadik |
10.04.1941 |
|
41 |
CIRKIN, Sulejman |
- |
- |
|
42 |
COLIC, Hamdija |
Muho |
03.12.1961 |
|
43 |
COLIC, Hasan |
Dzemal |
15.05.1971 |
|
44 |
CORALIC, Emin |
Hasan |
26.09.1950 |
|
45 |
CRNIC, Uzeir |
Dervis |
16.07.1937 |
|
46 |
CUSTIC, Hilmija |
Mehmed |
26.01.1960 |
|
47 |
CUSTIC, Ismet |
Mehmed |
21.07.1968 |
|
48 |
DERGIC, Admir |
Dzemal |
04.04.1971 |
|
49 |
DERGIC, Sead |
- |
- |
|
50 |
DONLAGIC, Emir |
Kemal |
15.10.1973 |
|
51 |
DRAGULJIC, Anto |
- |
- |
|
52 |
DURACAK, Asim |
- |
- |
|
53 |
DURATOVIC, Fadil |
Fehim |
07.09.1956 |
|
54 |
DUROCAK, Abaz |
- |
- |
|
55 |
DUROCAK, Esef |
- |
- |
|
56 |
EGIC, Mersud |
- |
- |
|
57 |
ELEZOVIC, Edin |
Muharem |
21.09.1968 |
|
58 |
ELEZOVIC, Elvis |
- |
- |
|
59 |
ELEZOVIC, Emir |
Muharem |
14.01.1970 |
|
60 |
ELEZOVIC, Fahrudin |
Kasim |
05.06.1947 |
|
61 |
ELEZOVIC, Hajrudin |
Salih |
20.06.1947 |
|
62 |
ELEZOVIC, Jasmin |
Hajrudin |
05.03.1971 |
|
63 |
ELEZOVIC, Midhad |
- |
- |
|
64 |
ELEZOVIC, Saban |
Serif |
29.05.1950 |
|
65 |
EMANOVIC, Samir |
- |
- |
|
66 |
FAZLIC, Almir |
Refik |
10.02.1960 |
|
67 |
FAZLIC, Emir |
Muharem |
30.05.1970 |
|
68 |
FAZLIC, Ismet |
Dedo |
12.06.1955 |
|
69 |
FAZLIC, Jasim |
Ismet |
31.05.1950 |
|
70 |
FAZLIC, Mirsad |
Ismet |
30.07.1963 |
|
71 |
FORIC, Zijad |
Rasim |
19.11.1954 |
|
72 |
GARIBOVIC, Dervis |
- |
- |
|
73 |
GARIBOVIC, Esad |
- |
- |
|
74 |
GARIBOVIC, Kemal |
Hamdija |
12.05.1948 |
|
75 |
GARIBOVIC, Midhet |
- |
- |
|
76 |
GARIBOVIC, Samir |
Sadik |
06.01.1973 |
|
77 |
GARIBOVIC, Sefik |
Osman |
14.04.1957 |
|
78 |
GARIBOVIC, Taib |
Arif |
06.06.1958 |
|
79 |
GARIBOVIC, Vasif |
Atif |
27.08.1957 |
|
80 |
GARIBOVIC, Zuhdija |
Emin |
15.07.1966 |
|
81 |
GRABIC, Muhamed |
Abaz |
22.06.1971 |
|
82 |
GRABIC, Mustafa |
Meho |
02.07.1969 |
|
83 |
GRABIC, Vejsil |
Meho |
28.03.1971 |
|
84 |
GUTIC, Mirsad |
Hasan |
15.09.1968 |
|
85 |
HANKIC, Husein |
Salih |
04.10.1948 |
|
86 |
HASANAGIC, Osman |
Hasan |
02.04.1957 |
|
87 |
HEGIC, Mesud |
Avdo |
27.04.1955 |
|
88 |
HEGIC, Mesud |
Mehmed |
07.11.1957 |
|
89 |
HIRKIC, Ismet |
Husein |
22.08.1950 |
|
90 |
HIRKIC, Rifet |
Husein |
16.02.1960 |
|
91 |
HIRKIC, Sefik |
Husein |
15.06.1966 |
|
92 |
HODZIC, Midhet |
Fehim |
24.04.1966 |
|
93 |
HODZIC, Mirsad |
Hilmija |
14.12.1957 |
|
94 |
HODZIC, Rasim |
Redzep |
25.06.1955 |
|
95 |
HOPOVAC, Hamed |
Camil |
18.05.1953 |
|
96 |
HOROVIC, Emsud |
- |
- |
|
97 |
HOROZOVIC, Emsud |
Alija |
12.08.1957 |
|
98 |
HRNIC, Harun |
Mumin |
28.08.1967 |
|
99 |
HRNIC, Jasko |
- |
- |
|
100 |
HRUSTIC, Mahmut |
Sefer |
19.12.1971 |
|
101 |
HRUSTIC, Maso |
- |
- |
|
102 |
HUSKANOVIC, Zijad |
Muharem |
02.01.1966 |
|
103 |
ICIC, Hajro |
Huska |
13.05.1946 |
|
104 |
ICIC, Sabahudin |
Hajro |
24.06.1971 |
|
105 |
IRKIC, Ismet |
- |
- |
|
106 |
IRKIC, Rifet |
- |
- |
|
107 |
IRKIC, Sefik |
- |
- |
|
108 |
JAKUPOVIC, Armin |
Mustafa |
01.07.1967 |
|
109 |
JAKUPOVIC, Dedo |
Bego |
02.09.1903 |
|
110 |
JAKUPOVIC, Dedo |
Mustafa |
20.10.1950 |
|
111 |
JAKUPOVIC, Jasmin |
Kemal |
24.12.1973 |
|
112 |
JAKUPOVIC, Kemal |
Jusuf |
13.06.1946 |
|
113 |
JASKIC, Fehret |
Jasim |
31.07.1960 |
|
114 |
JEZERKIC, Ahmet |
Avdo |
30.12.1952 |
|
115 |
JUJIC, Sulejman |
- |
- |
|
116 |
JUSUFAGIC, Edin |
- |
- |
|
117 |
JUSUFAGIC, Mesud |
- |
- |
|
118 |
JUSUFAGIC, Senad |
Latif |
11.10.1965 |
|
119 |
JUSUFAGIC, Zijad |
- |
- |
|
120 |
KADIRIC, Sejad |
Mustafa |
24.10.1950 |
|
121 |
KADIRIC, Zuhdija |
Meho |
01.02.1959 |
|
122 |
KAHRIMANOVIC, Almir |
Edhem |
11.05.1963 |
|
123 |
KAHRIMANOVIC, Dursum |
Fehim |
08.01.1958 |
|
124 |
KAHRIMANOVIC, Ermin |
- |
- |
|
125 |
KAHRIMANOVIC, Huzeir |
Muharem |
20.03.1954 |
|
126 |
KAHRIMANOVIC, Mehmed |
Sulejman |
04.09.1964 |
|
127 |
KAHRIMANOVIC, Rifet |
Abid |
08.05.1959 |
|
128 |
KAPETANOVIC, Alija |
Mustafa |
01.08.1970 |
|
129 |
KARABASIC, Dervis |
Osman |
26.01.1970 |
|
130 |
KARABASIC, Osman |
Dervis |
05.01.1943 |
|
131 |
KARABASIC, Samir |
Dedo |
20.06.1972 |
|
132 |
KARABASIC, Sead |
- | - |
|
133 |
KARARIC, Elvir |
Kadir |
23.02.1976 |
|
134 |
KARARIC, Emir |
- |
- |
|
135 |
KARARIC, Hasan |
Redzep |
13.12.1913 |
|
136 |
KARARIC, Ishak |
Ahmet |
29.05.1959 |
|
137 |
KARARIC, Kadir |
Husein |
01.07.1947 |
|
138 |
KARARIC, Zebir |
- |
- |
|
139 |
KARBASIC, Dedo |
- |
- |
|
140 |
KAUKOVIC, Elvin |
Mehmed |
01.04.1972 |
|
141 |
KESIC, Adem |
- |
- |
|
142 |
KESIC, Hamdo |
- |
- |
|
143 |
KESIC, Sefer |
- |
- |
|
144 |
KESIC, Senad |
Hasan |
15.06.1964 |
|
145 |
KILIC, Nihad |
Ahmet |
18.09.1961 |
|
146 |
KLJAJIC, Meho |
Ahmet |
01.06.1954 |
|
147 |
KLJAJIC, Sakib |
Ahmet |
29.06.1962 |
|
148 |
KLJAJIC, Suad |
Meho |
16.07.1973 |
|
149 |
KRKIC, Ahmet |
Salih |
23.01.1943 |
|
150 |
KUBURAS, Sabahudin |
Casim |
04.10.1972 |
|
151 |
KULASIC, Abaz |
Omer |
01.11.1950 |
|
152 |
KULASIC, Ferzija |
- |
- |
|
153 |
KUSURAN, Muamer |
Mehmed |
25.10.1965 |
|
154 |
MAHMULJIN, Ibrahim |
Arif |
11.05.1963 |
|
155 |
MAROSLIC, Fikret |
Himzo |
28.07.1971 |
|
157 |
MAROSLIC, Himzo |
Redzo |
15.03.1945 |
|
158 |
MAROSLIC, Ramo |
Meho |
11.10.1941 |
|
159 |
MAROSLIC, Velid |
Ramo |
28.06.1972 |
|
160 |
MAROSLIC, Zabir |
- |
- |
|
161 |
MEDIC, Ejub |
Abaz |
28.10.1954 |
|
162 |
MEDIC, Sefik |
Hilmija |
19.09.1949 |
|
163 |
MEHMEDAGIC, Alija |
Beco |
27.04.1951 |
|
164 |
MEHMEDAGIC, Osman |
Husein |
12.10.1956 |
|
165 |
MEMIC, Asmir |
Meho |
27.03.1963 |
|
166 |
MEMIC, Nihad |
Sulejman |
16.06.1973 |
|
167 |
MERDZIC, Samir |
Rizvo |
24.07.1970 |
|
168 |
MRKALJ, Himzo |
Omer |
02.11.1942 |
|
169 |
MUJKANOVIC, Edin |
Osman |
23.10.1966 |
|
170 |
MUJKANOVIC, Fahrudin |
Redzep |
26.09.1963 |
|
171 |
MUJKANOVIC, Fikret |
Edhem |
16.11.1961 |
|
172 |
MUJKANOVIC, Senad |
Esad |
22.01.1971 |
|
173 |
MUJKANOVIC, Vasif |
Mahmut |
17.03.1960 |
|
174 |
MURACEHAJIC, Fudo |
- |
- |
|
175 |
MURACEHAJIC, Meho |
- |
- |
|
176 |
MURANOVIC, Ahmet |
- |
- |
|
177 |
MURANOVIC, Samir |
Salih |
05.08.1968 |
|
178 |
MURATCEHAJIC, Idriz or |
Hase or Haso |
27.09.1958 |
|
179 |
MURATCEHAJIC, Mehmed |
Dervis |
12.08.1960 |
|
180 |
MURATCEHAJIC, Mujo |
- |
- |
|
181 |
MURCEHAJIC, Fuad |
Dervis |
28.07.1952 |
|
182 |
MURCEHAJIC, Meho |
- |
- |
|
183 |
MUSKANOVIC, Abdulah |
Avdo |
- |
|
184 |
ORUC, Refik |
Osman |
28.07.1970 |
|
185 |
PARATUSIC, Zijad |
Sulejman |
10.10.1954 |
|
186 |
PERVANIC, Mesud |
Omer |
01.06.1956 |
|
187 |
PICIC, Fehro |
Rame |
- |
|
188 |
RIZVANCEVIC, Faik |
Osman |
10.09.1963 |
|
189 |
SABANOVIC, Almir |
Resid |
14.07.1974 |
|
190 |
SADIC, Nail |
Kemal |
27.05.1950 |
|
191 |
SAHBAZ, Nijaz |
- |
- |
|
192 |
SALDUMOVIC, Jasmin |
Mehmed |
12.06.1970 |
|
193 |
SALUMOVIC, Bajazit |
- |
- |
|
194 |
SELIMOVIC, Said |
Hamed |
29.08.1968 |
|
195 |
SELIMOVIC, Zilhad |
Huska |
12.05.1964 |
|
196 |
SINANAGIC, Ermin |
Jusuf |
26.12.1963 |
|
197 |
SIVAC, Edin |
Munib |
01.07.1966 |
|
198 |
SIVAC, Merzuk |
Ibrahim |
30.01.1961 |
|
199 |
SIVAC, Mujo |
Salko |
03.01.1940 |
|
200 |
SIVAC, Nedzad |
Munib |
04.07.1971 |
|
201 |
SIVAC, Safet |
Dzemal |
06.10.1971 |
|
202 |
SIVAC, Zuhdija |
- |
- |
|
203 |
SLJIVAR, Omer |
Halil |
29.06.1963 |
|
204 |
SLJIVAR, Omer |
Imsir |
03.12.1960 |
|
205 |
SLUJKANOVIC, Fikret |
Smajla |
- |
|
206 |
SUSIC, Nihad |
- |
18.09.1971 |
|
207 |
TADZIC, Zijad |
Ibrahim |
26.02.1953 |
|
208 |
TALIC, Mehmedalija |
Ibrahim |
26.07.1953 |
|
209 |
TRNJANIN, Sakib |
Bejdo |
12.02.1953 |
|
210 |
TRNJANIN, Zijad |
Ibrahim |
18.08.1946 |
|
211 |
TURKANOVIC, Senad |
Hamdija |
03.06.1961 |
|
212 |
TURKANOVIC, Suad |
Hamdija |
26.01.1960 |
|
213 |
VEHABOVIC, Mirsad |
Miralem |
11.02.1966 |
|
214 |
VEHABOVIC, Seid |
Miralem |
28.04.1967 |
|
215 |
VELIC, Ekrem |
Zuhdija |
15.06.1967 |
|
216 |
VELIC, Fadil |
Ramo |
09.03.1963 |
|
217 |
VELIC, Muhamed |
Hasan |
19.08.1966 |
|
218 |
VELIC, Zijad |
Paso |
12.03.1973 |
|
219 |
ZAHIROVIC, Ziko |
Husein |
22.07.1962 |
|
220 |
ZERIC, Ismet |
- |
- |
|
221 |
ZERIC, Ferid |
Karanfil |
14.05.1959 |
|
222 |
ZERIC, Refik |
Idriz |
15.08.1955 |
|
223 |
ZERIC, Sakib |
Idriz |
16.06.1967 |
|
224 |
ZULIC, Esad |
Alija |
09.05.1957 |
|
225 |
ZULIC, Mesud |
Uzeir |
08.01.1966 |
|
226 |
ZULIC, Mirsad |
Alija |
03.11.1961 |
|
227 |
ZULIC, Nedzad |
Latif |
02.06.1970 |
|
228 |
ZULIC, Suad |
Alija |
16.03.1965 |