30 May 2013 - ICTY

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6.5.2 The Accused directed and organized the formation of the Skorpions
1919. According to the Indictment, the Accused directed and organized the formation of the
Skorpions. 3874 In this respect, the Trial Chamber has received evidence from Goran Stoparić,
Witness JF-024, Witness JF-029, Witness C-015, Petar Djukić, Borivoje Savić, and Aco
Drača, and has reviewed relevant documentary evidence. Evidence on any further support
rendered to the Skorpions will be considered below, in the relevant sections of this chapter.
1920. Goran Stoparić, a former member of the Skorpions, 3875 testified that he had asked an
officer at the Skorpions’ headquarters in Đeletovci about how the unit had been established,
and was told that it was a special unit of the SDB, formed as a satellite unit of the Red Berets
to secure the oil fields of the Serbian national oil company, and to guard the RSK border with
Croatia. 3876 The establishment of the unit took place at a meeting in Novi Sad which was
attended by Mihalj Kertes, Dule Filipović, Slobodan Grahovac, Slobodan Medić, Radovan
Stojičić a.k.a. Badža, Rajo Božović, Zivko Sokolovački, Milan Milanović a.k.a. Mrgud, and
others, some three months before he joined it in late 1992 or early 1993. 3877 Mrgud personally
designated Medić as commander of this unit. 3878 The witness testified that he became an
instructor and commander of the special reconnaissance unit within the Skorpions. 3879 He
further testified that members of the Skorpions had their own military booklets, and did not
have any Serbian MUP DB identification cards. 3880 The witness was issued a red
identification booklet by the Skorpions which contained stamps certified by the Serbian
MUP. 3881
1921. Witness JF-029, who was a high-ranking official in the SAO SBWS and RSK MoD
from 1991 to April 1996, 3882 testified that pursuant to a request from Petar Golubović, director
3874 Indictment, paras 4, 15(b). In para. 4, the Indictment alleges that the Accused established or assisted in the
establishment of the Skorpions unit. In its Final Trial Brief, the Prosecution alleges that the Accused formed the
Skorpions unit. (See Prosecution Final Trial Brief, 14 December 2012, paras 187, 194, 610, 641.) The Trial
Chamber understands this wording to reflect the aforementioned Indictment charges.
3875 P1702 (Goran Stoparić, witness statement, 24 November 2003), para. 68; Goran Stoparić, T. 10327.
3876 P1702 (Goran Stoparić, witness statement, 24 November 2003), paras 68-70, 72, 78; Goran Stoparić, T.
1027, 10333, 10419, 10492-10493.
3877 P1702 (Goran Stoparić, witness statement, 24 November 2003), paras 69-70; Goran Stoparić, T. 10327,
10419, 10493.
3878 Goran Stoparić, T. 10419.
3879 P1702 (Goran Stoparić, witness statement, 24 November 2003), paras 68, 72.
3880 Witness JF-029, T. 10217.
3881 P1702 (Goran Stoparić, witness statement, 24 November 2003), para. 78; Goran Stoparić, T. 10437-10439.
3882 Witness JF-029, T. 10004-10007, 10083, 10089, 10156; P1665 (Pseudonym sheet, Witness JF-029); P1668
(Table of documents reviewed by Witness JF-029 with comments, 7 December 2010), pp. 5, 8-9, 11; P1678
(Order appointing Witness JF-029 to a position within the MoD, signed by Goran Hadžić on behalf of Ilija
Kojić, 19 December 1991); P1685 (RSK MoD Decision assigning Witness JF-029 a position, signed by Minister
Colonel Stojan Španović, 1 February 1993); P1689 (RSK Government Decision assigning Witness JF-029 a
Case No. IT-03-69-T 676
30 May 2013