No Delic Trial This Year

The trial of Rasim Delic, the former commander of the main staff of the Army of Bosnia and Hercegovina, will start at the beginning of 2007 at the earliest, the pre-trial Judge Kristher Thelin announced at a status conference this week.



Delic is charged with responsibility for murder, rape and cruel treatment by soldiers under his command.



His alleged crimes include failing to take proper steps to punish the perpetrators of a massacre of Bosnian Croats in Maline in 1993, and failing to address cruel treatment and murders committed at the camp of the army's El Mujahid unit in Kamenica in 1995.



An expanded indictment filed against him last year also includes crimes allegedly committed in the Neretva valley, Bugojno and central Bosnia.



The prosecution is currently seeking permission for an additional expansion of the indictment. Instead of just accusing Delic of command responsibility for crimes by failing to prevent them or punish the perpetrators, this document would also accuse him of individual responsibility.



Judge Thelin said a decision will be announced soon at to whether or not Delic will have to face this latest proposed version of the indictment.



Prosecutors reported at the status conference that their case against Delic is expected to include 75 live witnesses and to last approximately six months.