CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN THE "SREBRENICA SEVEN" TRIAL

GENOCIDE JUDGEMENT EXPECTED IN
THE 'SREBRENICA SEVEN' TRIAL

PHOTO of the accused in the 'Srebrenica Seven' trial: Vujadin Popovic, Ljubisa Beara, Drago Nikolic, Ljubomir Borovcanin, Vinko Pandurevic, Radivoje Miletic and Milan Gvero.

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic (aka: Dragan David Dabic) has asked the UN war crimes tribunal to delay his trial by 10 months "to avoid the injustice of a hasty trial." The tribunal plans to start downsizing its operations in 2010, and Karadzic knows it. In a bid to delay the trial against him, Karadzic already submitted more than 100 pre-trial motions and briefs. We hope judges deny his request and stop his trial-delaying tactics.

Meanwhile, prosecution continued with its closing arguments in a trial against seven Bosnian Serbs accused of genocide against the Bosniak population of Eastern Bosnia.

"The prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt that the five accused officers – Vujadin Popovic, Ljubisa Beara, Ljubomir Borovcanin, Drago Nikolic and Vinko Pandurevic – are responsible for genocide against the Muslim population in Eastern Bosnia," prosecutor Lada Soljan said in its closing arguments.

Prosecutor Nelson Thayer said that two other defendants, generals Milan Gvero and Radivoje Miletic, had played an important role in the joint criminal enterprise aimed at the permanent elimination of the Bosniaks trapped in the enclaves of Srebrenica and Zepa. He added that the prosecution proved beyond any doubt their involvement in these crimes.

Prosecutor Peter McCloskey told the judges that the seven accused "deserved to be put in the dock because they deliberately ignored their duty, and allowed the crimes to be committed, failed to prevent crimes and to help the victims, and deliberately chose to participate in this terrible crime."

The prosecution continues with its closing argument and the prosecutor Kweke Vanderpuye will be presenting arguments about the responsibility of Vujadin Popovic, Ljubisa Beara, Vinko Pandurevic and Ljubomir Borovcanin for genocide in Srebrenica and Zepa.

SREBRENICA 1992-1995: From 1992-1995 Serbs from heavily militarized villages around Srebrenica had forced approximately 40,000 Bosnian Muslim refugees to live in the Srebrenica ghetto with little or no means of survival. Furthermore, Serbs around Srebrenica had terrorized Srebrenica population by constantly attacking neighbouring Bosnian Muslim villages. In July 1995 the Bosnian Serb army staged a brutal takeover of Srebrenica and its surrounding area, where they proceeded to perpetrate genocide. Bosnian Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 Bosniaks, and summarily executed at least 8,372 Bosnian Muslims - boys, men, and elderly.