Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
92ZAGREB2173
1992-10-27 16:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:  

CYGOOL: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA-

Tags:  PHUM PREF HR 
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UNCLASSIFIED LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 05 ZAGREB 02173 

SIPDIS

USEC BRUSSELS
DIA WASHDC
JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5/J-2//
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1007


LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 05 ZAGREB 02173


DEPT FOR EUR, L, IO, HA
-
USVIENNA FOR USDEL CSCE

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREF HR PREF HR PREF HR
SUBJECT: CYGOOL: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA-
HERCEGOVINA - CASES OF N.B., J.A., H.C.,
S.B., AND H.E.; KERATERM CAMP PERSONNEL

REF: ZAGREB 2170

------------------------
INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
------------------------

UNCLASSIFIED LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 05 ZAGREB 02173 SIPDIS USEC BRUSSELS DIA WASHDC JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5/J-2// WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1007 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 05 ZAGREB 02173 DEPT FOR EUR, L, IO, HA - USVIENNA FOR USDEL CSCE E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREF HR PREF HR PREF HR SUBJECT: CYGOOL: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA- HERCEGOVINA - CASES OF N.B., J.A., H.C., S.B., AND H.E.; KERATERM CAMP PERSONNEL REF: ZAGREB 2170 -------------- INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) THIS IS ONE IN A SERIES OF REPORTS OF SPECIFIC AND GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA AND HERCEGOVINA (B-H) BASED ON PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH THE SUBJECTS NAMED. THE SUBJECTS IN THIS REPORT AGREED TO SPEAK ONLY AFTER RECEIVING ASSURANCES THAT THEIR NAMES WOULD NOT/NOT BE USED PUBLICLY FOR FEAR THAT THAT WOULD ENDANGER THE LIVES OF FAMILY MEMBERS LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02173 01 OF 05 271601Z STILL IN SERBIAN-CONTROLLED AREAS IN B-H. ¶2. (LOU) NURIJA BESIC IS A 27-YEAR-OLD BUTCHER FROM KOZARAC. JUSUF ARIFAGIC IS A 31-YEAR-OLD MECHANIC FROM KOZARAC. HUSEIN CUSKIC IS A 35-YEAR-OLD BUILDER FROM TRNOPOLJE. SUAD BAJRIC IS A 40-YEAR-OLD TEXTILE WORKER FROM KAMICANI. HASIB ELKAZ IS A 52-YEAR-OLD BLUE-COLLAR WORKER FROM KOZARAC. ¶3. (U) EACH OF THESE SUBJECTS IS IDENTIFIED BELOW BY HIS INITIALS. ALL FIVE ARE BOSNIAN MUSLIMS TEMPORARILY IN THE KARLOVAC TRANSIT FACILITY FOR EX-DETAINEES. THEY WERE INTERNED IN KERATERM CAMP FOR ROUGHLY TWO MONTHS, FROM MID-JUNE TO EARLY AUGUST. THEY IDENTIFIED VARIOUS SENIOR OFFICERS AND GUARDS AT THE CAMP. ALL FIVE SUBJECTS CLAIM TO HAVE WITNESSED SEVERE BEATINGS, TORTURE, AND KILLINGS. TWO OF THESE SUBJECTS PROVIDED CORROBORATING TESTIMONY REGARDING THE MASS KILLING AT KERATERM ON JULY 24 (REFTEL). ONE SUBJECT PROVIDED NOTEWORTHY SECOND-HAND TESTIMONY FROM A CLOSE RELATIVE WHO HAD WITNESSED ELABORATE STEPS TAKEN TO DISGUISE THE CONTENTS OF A MASS GRAVE IN THE VILLAGE OF TOMARSICA NEAR OMARSKA (PARA 16, BELOW). THE SUBJECTS WERE INTERVIEWED SEPARATELY ON OCTOBER 9, 10, AND 13 IN KARLOVAC AND EACH WAS JUDGED CREDIBLE. END INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY. -------------- THE SUBJECTS -------------- LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE �
A; PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02173 01 OF 05 271601Z ¶4. (U) N.B. IS A 27-YEAR-OLD BUTCHER. J. A. IS A 31-YEAR-OLD MECHANIC. H.C. IS A 35-YEAR-OLD BUILDER. S.B. IS A 40-YEAR-OLD TEXTILE WORKER. H.E. IS A LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNN LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02173 02 OF 05 271603Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 CISA-02 EB-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 PA-01 PRS-01 P-01 RP-10 SIL-00 SP-00 SR-00 SS-00 STR-17 TRSE-00 /075W -------------- 730A2D 271623Z /38 P 271600Z OCT 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2496 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02173 02 OF 05 271603Z USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2289 USEC BRUSSELS DIA WASHDC JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5/J-2// WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1008 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 02 OF 05 ZAGREB 02173 E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREF HR PREF HR PREF HR 52-YEAR-OLD BLUE-COLLAR WORKER. ALL FIVE ARE BOSNIAN MUSLIMS FROM VILLAGES IN THE PRIJEDOR REGION. ALL ARRIVED AT KERATERM CAMP IN MID-JUNE AND SPENT ABOUT TWO MONTHS THERE BEFORE BEING TRANSFERRED TO TRNOPOLJE IN EARLY AUGUST. -------------- KERATERM SENIOR OFFICERS -------------- ¶5. (U) J.A. AND H.E. IDENTIFIED THREE PERSONS WHO WERE SENIOR OFFICERS AT KERATERM. ALTHOUGH THEY DISAGREED ON THE PRECISE POSITIONS OF THESE THREE OFFICERS, J.A. AND H.E. IDENTIFIED THE SAME THREE INDIVIDUALS. J.A. IDENTIFIED DRASKO DOSEN (NICKNAMED KAJIN) AS THE COMMANDER OF KERATERM AT LEAST FROM LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02173 02 OF 05 271603Z JUNE 14 TO JULY 15. (H.E., ON THE OTHER HAND, THOUGHT DOSEN HAD BEEN ONE OF THE THREE SHIFT LEADERS.) GUARDS AT KERATERM TOLD THE PRISONERS THAT DOSEN WAS WANTED BY THE CROATS FOR CRIMES HE HAD COMMITTED DURING THE SERBO-CROATIAN WAR. DOSEN IS IN HIS MID-THIRITIES, FROM LTHE VILLAGES OF JUTRUGOSKA, NEAR PRIJEDOR. ¶6. (U) J.A. IDENTIFIED KOMJENOVIC (FNU - POSSIBLY IVICA; NICKNAMED KOLA) AS THE SECOND COMMANDER OF KERATERM, TAKING OVER FROM DOSEN ON JULY 15 AND REMAINING UNTIL EARLY AUGUST. (H.E. THOUGHT KOMJENOVIC WAS ANOTHER OF THE THREE SHIFT LEADERS.) J.A. AND H.E., AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER EX-PRISONERS, BELIEVE KOMJENOVIC GAVE THE ORDER TO SHOOT AT THE JULY 24 MASS KILLING AT KERATERM (REFTEL, AND BELOW). KOMJENOVIC IS ALSO ABOUT THIRTY AND IS FROM THE VILLAGE OF LJUBIJA. ¶7. (U) J.A. IDENTIFIED DUSKO SIKIRIC (NICKNAMED KOMMANDANT) AS THE THIRD CAMP COMMANDER IN SEQUENCE, INSTALLED JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE J.A. LEFT KERATERM. (H.E. BELIEVED THAT SIKIRIC WAS ALL ALONG "THE" OFFICIAL CAMP COMMANDER.) SIKIRIC WAS OVER FORTY YEARS OLD AND USED TO BE THE HEAD OF THE CELPAK PAPER FACTORY IN PRIJEDOR. H.E. SAID SIKIRIC OFTEN WATCHED THE GUARDS BEAT THE PRISONERS. -------------- GUARDS -------------- LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02173 02 OF 05 271603Z ¶8. (U) H.E. SAID KERATERM HAD THREE GUARD SHIFTS. A SHIFT RAN FROM SIX AM TO SIX PM. H.E., WHO MAINTAINED (ABOVE) THAT KOMJENOVIC AND DOSEN WERE TWO SHIFT LEADERS, COULD NOT REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE THIRD SHIFT LEADER. ACCORDING TO H.E., HOWEVER, THIS THIRD SHIFT LEADER WAS THE WORST. WHEN THIS THIRD SHIFT LEADER HAD THE NIGHT SHIFT, A MINIMUM OF THREE MEN WERE BEATEN NIGHTLY, WITH AT LEAST ONE DYING. LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNN LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02173 03 OF 05 280114Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 CISA-02 EB-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 PA-01 PRS-01 P-01 RP-10 SIL-00 SP-00 SR-00 SS-00 STR-17 TRSE-00 /075W -------------- 733C3A 280136Z /65 P 271600Z OCT 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2497 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2290 USEC BRUSSELS LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02173 03 OF 05 280114Z DIA WASHDC JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5/J-2// WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1009 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 03 OF 05 ZAGREB 02173 DEPT FOR EUR, L, IO, HA E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREF HR PREF HR PREF HR ¶9. (U) J.A. IDENTIFIED THREE GUARDS HE SAW TORTURE OTHER PRISONERS: A PAIR OF TWIN BROTHERS NAMED BANOVIC (FIRST NAMES BSELIEVED TO BE PETROBRAG AND ZELJKO) AND A MAN NAMED KONDIC (FNU). J.A. SAID KONDIC OFTEN PARTICIPATED IN THE "NIGHTLY GAMES" WITH THE PRISONERS. S.B. SAID THAT ONE NIGHT KONDIC HAD CALLED FOR EMSUD BAHONJIC TO COME OUT OF THE "DORMITORY," WHEREUPON KONDIC BEAT HIM. S.B. SAID HE SAW BAHONJIC'S BODY IN FRONT OF THE DORMITORY DOOR THE NEXT MORNING. ALL HIS TEETH HAD BEEN COMPLETELY KNOCKED OUT BY A PIPE, AND HIS KNEE CAP HAD BEEN DEEPLY GOUGED WITH A KNIFE. -------------- SPECIFIC INCIDENTS -------------- ¶10. (U) N.B., S.B., AND H.C. IDENTIFIED ZORAN ZIGIC AS ONE OF THE MOST BRUTAL GUARDS AT THE CAMP. ZIGIC IS A TAXI DRIVER FROM PRIJEDOR. S.B. SAID THAT ON HIS (S.B.'S) SECOND DAY IN THE CAMP ZIGIC CALLED OUT LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02173 03 OF 05 280114Z THE NAMES OF FORTY PRISONERS FROM THE VILLAGE OF KAMICANI, INCLUDING S.B. ZIGIC SCREAMED AT THEM, UNDER FOURTEEN WITH ZIGIC BEAT SEVERAL OF THE MEN OUTSIDE THE DORMITORY WITH A POLICE BATON. THE PRISONERS WERE ASKED WHO HAD KEPT FIREARMS AT HOME. S.B.'S NEIGHBOR IDENTIFIED S.B. THEN S.B. AND ANOTHER PRISONER WERE BEATEN BRUTALLY BY ZIGIC AND ONE OF THE BANOVIC TWINS. THEY USED THICK ELECTRIC CABLES AND TRUNCHEONS ALL OVER S.B.'S BODY. HE WAS BEATEN TWO MORE TIMES. ¶11. (U) ON THE OCCASION OF S.B.'S THIRD BEATING, THREE DAYS LATER, THE TWO GUARDS DOING THE BEATING YELLED AT HIM ABOUT HIS SUPPOSED INVOLVEMENT IN THE SHOOTING ON THE SERB VILLAGE OF BALTEN. S.B. TRIED TO DEFEND HIMSELF AND A SCUFFLE ENSUED. ONE OF THE BANOVIC TWINS PULLED OUT A KNIFE AND APPEARED INTENT ON GOUGING OUT S.B'S EYE. S.B. MANAGED TO PUSH BANOVIC'S HAND AWAY. BANOVIC THEN SLASHED THE RIGHT SIDE OF S.B.'S NECK. NEXT BANOVIC FIRED A PISTOL (UNLOADED AS IT TURNED OUT) POINT-BLANK AT S.B.'S TEMPLE. S.B. THEN "CONFESSED" TO HAVING FIRED ON BALTEN, ALTHOUGH IN FACT HE HAD NOT DONE SO. BANOVIC THEN TRIED TO CUT OFF S.B.'S EAR, BUT S.B. AGAIN DEFLECTED THE KNIFE. THEN BANOVIC STABBED S.B. IN HIS LEFT THIGH, TWISTED THE KNIFE, AND PULLED OUT A PIECE OF S.B.'S FLESH. BANOVIC DID THE SAME TO S.B.'S RIGHT THIGH. S.B. SHOWED EMBOFF THE SCARS. S.B. SAID THE CUTS WERE ABOUT TEN CENTIMETERS DEEP. ¶12. (U) AFTER THE KNIFINGS, S.B. HAD SAT IN LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02173 03 OF 05 280114Z EXCRUCIATING PAIN FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES WITH BLOOD SOAKING HIS PANTS. THE GUARDS ORDERED HIM TO MARCH TO THE BATHROOM AND CLEAN HIMSELF UP. S.B. MANAGED TO BANDAGE HIS LEGS WITH STRIPS RIPPED FROM HIS LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNN LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02173 04 OF 05 271606Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01 CISA-02 EB-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 PA-01 PRS-01 P-01 RP-10 SDEL-00 SIL-00 SP-00 SR-00 SS-00 STR-17 TRSE-00 /076W -------------- 730FEA 271708Z /43 P 271600Z OCT 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2498 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2291 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02173 04 OF 05 271606Z USEC BRUSSELS DIA WASHDC JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5/J-2// WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1010 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 04 OF 05 ZAGREB 02173 E.O. 12356: N/A BLOODY TROUSERS. S.B. ESTIMATED HE LOST MORE THAN ONE-AND-A-HALF LITERS OF BLOOD THAT DAY. A FEW NIGHTS LATER, THE GUARD ZIGIC AGAIN CALLED INTO THE "DORMITORY" FOR S.B. TO COME OUT, BUT S.B. REFUSED TO ANSWER. ZIGIC ORDERED OTHERS TO FIND HIM. AT THE DOOR, ZIGIC ASKED HIM, "WHERE ARE YOU FROM?" "KAMICANI," SAID S.B. "YOU FOUGHT AT BALTEN?", ZIGIC QUESTIONED. S.B. REPLIED THAT HE HAD NOT AND THAT HIS HOUSE WAS ON THE BORDER OF KAMICANI AND KOZARAC. S.B. SAID ZIGIC, STRANGELY, NEVER CAME FOR HIM AGAIN. ¶13. (U) H.C. SAID ZIGIC AND A GUARD NAMED DUSAN KNEZEVIC (NICKNAMED DUCA) BEAT HIM WITH A POLICE BATON THAT HAD A SPIKED LEAD BALL ATTACHED TO IT. SIGIC AND KNEZEVIC SINGLED OUT PRISONERS WHO RECEIVED PACKAGES FROM THEIR WIVES AND FAMILIES. THEY GAVE THE PRISONERS THE PACKET AND THEN BEAT THEM FIERCELY. N.B. SAID ZIGIC AND THE GUARD DUCA BEAT PEOPLE NIGHTLY. THEY WOULD CAME TO THE DORMITORY AND CALL OR PEOPLE. ALMOST INEVITABLY ONE OR TWO OF THE TORTURED PRISONERS DIED, ESPECIALLY WHEN DUCA PARTICIPATED. THEY USED RIFLE BUTTS, BATONS WITH LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02173 04 OF 05 271606Z SPIKED BALLS, HEAVY WIRE CABLES, AND BASEBALL BATS. -------------- MASS MURDER JULY 24 -------------- ¶14. (U) N.B. PROVIDED SEPARATE TESTIMONY REGARDING THE JULY 24 MASS MURDER OF OVER ONE HUNDRED PRISONERS (REFTEL). PRISONERS WERE KEPT IN FOUR SEPARATE ROOMS AT KERATERM. N.B. WAS IN ROOM TWO. ROOM THREE IS WHERE PRISONERS WERE MOST SEVERELY TORTURED AND WHERE THE MASSACRE OCCURRED. THE DETAILS OF N.B.'S STORY AGREE WITH THE ACCOUNTS GIVEN IN REFTEL. FROM A WINDOW IN ROOM TWO, N.B. SAW THE GUARD SHIFT CHANGE ON SCHEDULE AT SIX PM. BUT THEN IT CHANGED AGAIN TWO HOURS LATER. MORE GUARDS WERE STATIONED IN FRONT OF THE ROOMS. N.B. SAID THE GUARDS HAD AUTOMATIC RIFLES. WHEN THE DISTURBANCES STARTED BECAUSE OF THE INSUFFERABLE CONDITIONS IN THE ROOM, THE GUARDS FIRED A FEW SHOTS. N.B. HEARD A VOICE SHOUT, "DON'T SHOOT WITHOUT AN ORDER FROM KOLA," (KOMJENOVIC). WHEN THE RIOTING GREW WORSE. N.B. HEARD KOMJENOVIC SAY, "FIRE|" N.B. HEARD RAPID GUNFIRE AND SCREAMS. ¶15. (U) THE FOLLOWING DAY GUARDS CHOSE TWO PRISONERS FROM ROOMS ONE AND TWO EACH TO REMOVE THE DEAD. THESE PRISONERS COUNTED 99 DEAD AND 42 WOUNDED, N.B. REPORTED. THEY WERE ORDERED TO PUT THE WOUNDED ON THE SAME TRUCK AS THE DEAD. THE TRUCK WAS LABELED PRIJEDOR AUTOTRANSPORT. NONE OF THE WOUNDED OR THE DRIVER OF THE TRUCK (ANOTHER PRISONER) WAS SEEN AGAIN. N.B. SAID A SIMILAR INCIDENT HAPPENED IN THE SAME LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02173 04 OF 05 271606Z ROOM THE NEXT DAY, IN WHICH 21 DIED AND FIVE WERE WOUNDED. LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNN LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02173 05 OF 05 271607Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01 CISA-02 EB-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 PA-01 PRS-01 P-01 RP-10 SDEL-00 SIL-00 SP-00 SR-00 SS-00 STR-17 TRSE-00 /076W -------------- 731000 271709Z /43 P 271600Z OCT 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2499 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2292 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02173 05 OF 05 271607Z USEC BRUSSELS DIA WASHDC JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5/J-2// WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1011 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 05 OF 05 ZAGREB 02173 E.O. 12356: N/A ¶16. (U) H.C. BELIEVES THE BODIES WERE BURIED IN THE VILLAGE OF TOMARSICA, NEAR OMARSKA, IN AN AREA CALLED DEPUNIJA. H.C.'S UNCLE HAS A HOUSE NEAR THIS AREA AND SAW THE FOLLOWING INCIDENT. FROM HIS WINDOW, H.C.'S UNCLE COULD SEE A FEW HUNDRED METERS AWAY THROUGH THE WOODS. HE TOLD H.C. HE HAD WATCHED A TRUCK UNLOAD MANY DEAD BODIES INTO A VERY DEEP PIT. THE BODIES HAD THEN BEEN COVERED OVER WITH UP TO SEVEN OR EIGHT METERS OF SOIL. A FEW DAYS LATER, H.C.'S UNCLE CONTINUED, TRUCKS CAME AGAIN AND MANY ANIMAL CORPSES WERE UNLOADED INTO THE PIT. THEN A LAYER OF SOIL WAS LAID ON TOP OF THE ANIMAL CORPSES. H.C.'S UNCLE HAD SPECULATED THAT THE BURIED ANIMAL CORPSES WERE INTENDED TO SIDETRACK ANY EVENTUAL INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT LAY BURIED IN THIS SPOT. NEITZKE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNN

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