War crimes trial, witness relates how he heard the screams of the victims in the burnt truck

The trial against accused Darko Tasic was brought under strict security measures, with the presence of around 10 guards and police, while there were moments of tension during the trial.

It took intervention by Chief Justice Artan Sejran to calm the situation between witness Kadri Muharremi and accused Darko Tasic.

In their trial against accused Darko Tasic, indicted for War Crimes of Krusha Minor in March 1999, special prosecution proposed witnesses have continued their confessions.

On Thursday at the Basic Court Prizren as the next witness was presented by Kadri Muharrem, from Krusha e Vogel, who answered questions posed by local prosecutor Drita Hajdari from the special prosecutor's ranks.

While for accused Darko Tasic, who had so far protected lawyer Dejan Vasic, the same will be second defender, while the same will continue to protect lawyer Ljubomir Pantovic, lawyer from Mitrovica.

During the time she was giving answers to special prosecutor Drita Hajdari's questions, witness Kadri Muharremi declared, among other things, ”... with about 25 o'clock in the morning from Darko Tasic's house, Srecko Tasic, from there shooting at my grenade house, with autoblinda, while not even 15 meters from the house of Darko Tasic, where the highway station was, and shooting at the Egyptian house like Muharrem Muharrem Muharrej, while on March 25th, I saw the homes of Mahmburg and his sons were burned.

The witness further confessed that”... on March 25th, afternoon, the houses of the Hajdari, Darko Tasic, along with his brother and father, I saw them going to Vuco Petkovic's house, as they sat there on the terrace, drank and celebrated just as after the wedding, were wearing police uniforms”.

As for accused Tasic, the witness added that”... My brother, Sadie Emerlaher, told me that Darko Tasic and Brother Sveta, and Father Srecko Tasic, had taken Sejdiu from home and sent him to take over with other people”.

Furthermore, prosecutor Drita Hajdari continued to ask her questions about what she saw on March 26th, reports KALLXO.com.

Witness Kadri Muharrem about the March 26th stated that” at a moment during a discussion with Sava Nikolic I addressed you, Sava you can stop by, while Sava told me how many Savas were talking to me about the Belgrade Tower of Krusha”.

Kadri Muharrem further along in his confession, added that”... on the 26th day of 14:30, on the Drin River, I've been away about 100 meters, I've seen where Darko Tasic along with his brother Sveta Tasic, I think gas was placed in the truck, then they set fire to the fire, there were live people in the truck, and we've heard the screams of people, and there's been shooting, and the truck's been covered, and I haven't seen people inside, and this truck has been stuck around half a day.

At one point witness Kadri Muharremi declared”... Until that day, on the 26th,27th of March 1999, when I had no heart to do anything wrong to someone, but I swear to you that day if I had the opportunity and had no weapons without killing them, you knew what bad and what massacre these people did to us for Krusha”

Prosecutor Drita Hajdari asked the witness to calm down despite his concerns and try to answer the questions posed by him.

Furthermore, witness Kadri Muharremi continued to present questions to defendant Darko Tasic lawyer Ljubomir Pantovic.

Lawyer Pantovic, his questions had been related to moments when the witness claimed to have seen accused Darko Tasip burn the truck, and on 3-4 cases confronted the witness with his earlier statement given before Elux prosecutors.

Witness Kadri Muharremi in the Avoak Forests stated”... it's true that I've seen Darko Tasic plundering while I was in the truck, while the truck was moving not too fast, while the truck I was in hasn't been completely covered”.

Witness even when lawyer Pantovic confronted his earlier statements, witness Kadri Muharremi pointed out that”... I've already mentioned that the truck came, which was driven by Sveta Tasic, and when they tried to push the truck into the Drin River, then they hit the gas station, Sta Tasip had the can and hunted it, while Darko drove the truck and the tractor, from this spot of the event I was about 100x1 m, KXcomcom reports.

For the witness the question was also accused Darko Tasic, the same one had his remarks regarding the witness's statement, because the same man has earlier claimed to have talked to some police in front of his house, while now declaring he has not spoken.

When witness Kadri Muharremi was clarifying his statement, Aquisitor Darko Tasic intervened, while witness Muharrem addressed” when I spoke to him to dismiss”, as the chairman of the court intervened to prevent further discussions between the witness and the accused.

While accused Darko Tasic was asking witness questions, accused Tasic himself added that” I have personally seen those women walk into the truck on their own without any help from”.

Drita Hajdari insisted that this phrase and this statement of the accused be recorded in the record, with her insistence on declaring the accused Tasic's statement in the process, while the lawyer Pantovic suggested to accused Tasic not to continue with further questions or statements.

Also during the time when accused Tasic posed the same questions and statements of the event, the chairman of the court, Artan Syran, warned them several times that these remarks and statements could be presented at the time when the same provides his own protection.

At the end of the day's schedule, the court interrupted the hearing to continue on Friday with other witnesses in the order proposed by the special prosecutor's indictment.

Local prosecutor Drita Hajdari represents the Special Prosecutor's Act.

According to the Special Prosecutor's Act, Darko Tashilq between 15th and March 26, 1999, in the neighbourhood known as the former sector “Heydari”, in Krusha Minor, Prizren, in his quality as a member of Yugoslavia's Police Reserve Forces, in co-ordination with other still unintended leaders took part in the seizures of property, looting, illegal and deliberate destruction of property (states) and property theft.

According to the indictment, all of this was not justified with military needs, resulting in the burning of homes, the taking of vehicles, agricultural machinery, and other valuable items belonging to Kasum Hajdari, as well as other family members.

With these actions in accordance with the indictment, Tasic is accused of committing the criminal act of plunder, deliberate destruction and serious assault on human dignity.