Gotovina et al Judgement Volume I - ICTY

385771406. The HV Main Staff directive on Operation Storm of 26 June 1995 noted that theSVK had positioned its light artillery and ammunition up to ten kilometres behind theline at several locations, including in the Benkovac barracks. 53931407. According to the order for attack of 4 August 1995, the task for the 134th HomeGuard Regiment was to launch an organized attack, using the forces of the 134th HomeGuard Regiment (2nd Infantry Battalion) in the area of responsibility, onto the villagesof Velim, Morpolača, Biovičino Selo, Vinterinci, and Šopot, all in Benkovacmunicipality. The task was to destroy the enemy’s forces at the frontline in cooperationwith the 7th Infantry Battalion and the 113th HV Brigade. 5394 In a report to, amongothers, the Split MD dated 23 August 1995, Commander Colonel Josip Čerina of the134th Home Guard Regiment stated that on 4 August 1995, his Regiment had nosupport from the Zadar OG, except for the shelling of the general area of Benkovacwithout monitoring, and the message at 5:30 a.m.: “Is anything falling onBenkovac?”. 53951408. Mile Mrkšić, the commander of the SVK Main Staff from May 1995, 5396testified that when he toured the Benkovac position, he saw that there were no combatelements in the town, as they were all on the front lines or on other lines of defence. 5397There were barracks in Benkovac, although Mrkšić did not know whether it was inuse. 5398 The Trial Chamber has also considered evidence of this witness, reviewed inchapter 4.4.3.1409. Kosta Novaković, who was a member of the SVK General Staff and assistantcommander to Mile Mrkšić during Operation Storm, 5399 testified that on 4 August 1995in the Slobodan Macura barracks, which was located on the edge of Benkovac town inthe direction of Zadar, there were no combat units, but there were logistics support unitssuch as the medical corps, kitchen staff, a quartermaster’s premises and a technical and5393 D956 (HV Main Staff directive on Operation Storm, Staff General Janko Bobetko, 26 June 1995), pp.1, 3.5394 D1443 (Order to attack of 134th Home Guard Regiment commander to units, 4 August 1995), p. 3.5395 P1200 (Report to the Split MD on carrying out a combat task, Josip Čerina, 23 August 1995), pp. 2, 8.5396 Mile Mrkšić, T. 18751, 18993.5397 Mile Mrkšić, T. 19057.5398 Mile Mrkšić, T. 19057-190585399 P1092 (Kosta Novaković, witness statement, 5 April 2001), pp. 1-2; P1093 (Kosta Novaković,witness statement, 8 March 2007), paras 4-5; Kosta Novaković, T. 11708, 11711, 11775-11776, 11858.738Case No.: IT-06-90-T 15 April 2011 `