Gotovina et al Judgement Volume I - ICTY

39276forces. 155 Gotovina was the operational commander during Operation Storm andcontinued as such during Operations Mistral and Southern Movement, commanding theHV and elements of the HVO who joined the HV after they moved into Bosnia-Herzegovina. 156 According to Rajčić, Gotovina was held in high esteem by HV officersand troops. 157 General Červenko, the Chief of the Main Staff, was Gotovina’simmediate superior. 158 The Special Police units of the MUP operated in between the twoMDs of Gospić and Split, under the command of Markač. 15973. With regard to the Split MD, Ljiljana Botteri, Assistant Commander for LegalAffairs of the Split MD during and after Operation Storm, 160 testified that sometime atthe end of 1992, General Ante Gotovina took over the command of what was then theSplit Operative Zone and later in 1993 became the Split MD. 161 To Botteri’s knowledgethere was no transfer of power from Gotovina to any other military authority duringOperation Storm and its aftermath. 162 Botteri listed Gotovina’s command staff, whichincluded the Chief of Staff, Rahim Ademi. 163 The Chief of Staff’s assistants included:Joško Bonacin (Intelligence); Rajčić (Artillery); and Jure Šundov (Home Guard). 164According to Botteri, it was common practice in the Split MD Command that themembers of the command staff or the Chief of Staff’s assistants would write orders intheir respective area of expertise which Gotovina would review and sign. 165 Botteri alsotestified that at other times individuals were authorized to sign on Gotovina’s behalf ifnecessary. 16674. Botteri testified that the Split MD consisted of the 4th Guards Brigade thoughduring Operation Storm a number of additional military units were subordinated to the155 Marko Rajčić, T. 16454-16455.156 Marko Rajčić, T. 16560-16561; D1429 (Protocol of meeting of 25 September 1999).157 Marko Rajčić, T. 16454.158 Marko Rajčić, T. 16564.159 Marko Rajčić, T. 16563-16564.160 P1005 (Ljiljana Botteri, witness statement, 20 January 2004), paras 11, 30-31; P1006 (Ljiljana Botteri,witness statement, 8 November 2007), para. 15; P1017 (Report on disciplinary measures and penalties forthe third quarter of 1995, signed by Ljiljana Botteri), p. 1.161 P1005 (Ljiljana Botteri, witness statement, 20 January 2004), paras 15, 28, 46.162 P1005 (Ljiljana Botteri, witness statement, 20 January 2004), para. 46; P1006 (Ljiljana Botteri,witness statement, 8 November 2007), para. 23.163 P1005 (Ljiljana Botteri, witness statement, 20 January 2004), paras 29, 46.164 P1005 (Ljiljana Botteri, witness statement, 20 January 2004), para. 29.165 Ljiljana Botteri, T. 10931.166 Ljiljana Botteri, T. 10931-10932.39Case No.: IT-06-90-T 15 April 2011 `