A FOCA CONCENTRATION CAMP SURVIVOR TESTIFIED BEFORE BOSNIAN STATE COURT

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 31,2007) - A Foca concentration camp survivor testified yesterday before the Bosnian State Court at the trial of Serbian war criminals Mitar Rasevic and Savo Todovic.Witness has asked that, as an additional protective measure, his face not be made visible to the public. The witness stated that, during his detention in the Foca concentration camp from April to August 1992, he noticed that between 80 and 100 detaind Bosnian civilians disappeared. They were all taken away by the genocidal Serbian aggressor's soldiers.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor charges Serbian war criminals Mitar Rasevic and Savo Todovic, on the basis of command and individual responsibility, with having committed the crimes against Bosnian civilians in the eastern Bosnian town of Foca,during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

"I thought, if I was to be killed, I would rather see that happen immediately, instead of having to live through all those things. I heard painful screams echoing late at night. They (the genocidal Serbian aggressor's soldiers) used to beat and batter (the detained Bosnian civilians) and shoot," the witness recalled.

"It was like I could see all that through the walls – the sound of cars, shooting and then a splash of water," he said.

According to this witness, between 80 and 100 deteaind Bosnian civilians were executed by the genocidal Serbian aggressor in the Foca concentration camp in this way. Witness stated that, apart from the murders, severe beatings were also performed by the Serbian aggressor's soldiers. Although the witness was not exposed to such tortures, he said he was told about it by others who had been maltreated.

"Burilo was a headsman. He would beat people up so much that they could hardly regain consciousness. We also heard some bad things about Obrenovic, Maric, Vukovic and Pljevacic," the witness said, naming some concentration camp guards whose names he heard while he was detained in the Foca concentration camp.

Witness considers Serbian war criminals Mitar Rasevic and Savo Todovic to be responsible for the happenings in the Foca concentration camp, as they "coordinated all activities" during frequent absences of the Foca concentration camp commander - the convicted Serbian war criminal Milorad Krnojelac.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) sentenced Serbian war criminal Milorad Krnojelac to 15 years imprisonment for crimes committed in the eastern Bosnian town of Foca,during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The trial before the Bosnian State Court of Serbian war criminals Mitar Rasevic and Savo Todovic is due to continue on November 13.