30 May 2013 - ICTY

49352
control. 4537 The assistant Minister alleged that Martić was acting pursuant to influence from
Belgrade and that Martić wanted to create an autonomous province or republic for the Serbs
living in Croatia. 4538 The next day the witness went to Knin where Martić told him that he had
organized the united police force of the SAO Krajina and that any officers who would respect
the laws of Yugoslavia could stay on the force. 4539
2142. In relation to the Accused’s presence in the Krajina at the relevant time, the Trial
Chamber recalls Babić’s evidence reviewed in chapter 6.3.2 in relation to the Golubić camp,
that Martić introduced him to Stanišić in 1990, in a café near Knin. Babić further stated that
he met Simatović for the first time in April 1991, when he came together with Stanišić to
Babić’s new apartment in Knin, to check whether it was not tapped by the army. 4540 He
understood Stanišić to be Simatović’s superior. 4541 Simatović was present in the SAO Krajina
from April to 8 August 1991. 4542
2143. The Stanišić Defence and the Simatović Defence dispute the credibility of Witness JF-
039 and the reliability of his evidence, in particular in relation to the role of Simatović in the
SAO Krajina. In this respect, the Simatović Defence points to inconsistencies in his evidence
and indications that he may have been involved in smuggling and argues that his own
involvement may have motivated him to fabricate his account of the events in order to conceal
his very role therein. 4543 It argues that Witness JF-039’s evidence about MUP vehicles
transporting weapons to Martić in Knin is implausible. 4544 It further submits that Witness
DSF-014, who was well informed about the events in Knin, testified that he had never heard
of police officers abandoning the Knin police station at the time, as recounted by Witness JF-
039. 4545 However, in view of the overall assessment of Witness DFS-014’s reliability outlined
as low in chapter 2, the Trial Chamber does not consider his evidence to be a challenge to
Witness JF-039’s evidence.
4537 P420 (Witness JF-038, Martić transcript, 31 March-4 April 2006), pp. 3048, 3071; Witness JF-038, T.4913.
4538 P420 (Witness JF-038, Martić transcript, 31 March-4 April 2006), pp. 3049, 3057, 3129.
4539 P420 (Witness JF-038, Martić transcript, 31 March-4 April 2006), pp. 3062, 3068-3069, 3072-3073.
4540 P1877 (Milan Babić, Martić transcript, 15-17, 20-21 February, and 2-3, and 6 March 2006), p. 1523; P1878
(Milan Babić, Slobodan Milošević transcript, 18-22, 25-26 November, and 2-4, 6, and 9 December 2002), p.
13118.
4541 P1877 (Milan Babić, Martić transcript, 15-17, 20-21 February, and 2-3, and 6 March 2006), p. 1392; P1878
(Milan Babić, Slobodan Milošević transcript, 18-22, 25-26 November, and 2-4, 6, and 9 December 2002), p.
13118; P1879 (Milan Babić, Krajišnik transcript, 2-4, and 7 June 2004), pp. 3341-3342.
4542 P1878 (Milan Babić, Slobodan Milošević transcript, 18-22, 25-26 November, and 2-4, 6, and 9 December
2002), p. 13128.
4543 Simatović Defence Final Trial Brief, 14 December 2012, paras 209, 212-219.
4544 Simatović Defence Final Trial Brief, 14 December 2012, paras 204-208, 212.
4545 Simatović Defence Final Trial Brief, 14 December 2012, paras 210-211.
Case No. IT-03-69-T 766
30 May 2013