The last prosecution witness at the trial of Momcilo Perisic contends that 3,638 shell casings found at execution sites near Srebrenica had been manufactured ‘primarily’ in Serbia. Replying to a judge, Selsky said that 378 bullet casings were confirmed to have been manufactured in the Prvi Partizan ammunition factory in Uzice


The prosecution rested its case after the evidence of senior investigator Garry Selsky at the trial of chief of the VJ General Staff Momcilo Perisic. Selsky was asked by the prosecution to analyze the shell casings discovered at the execution sites near Srebrenica. Selsky drafted a special declaration on the topic.

Last week the Trial Chamber decided to admit the declaration into evidence. Selsky was called to be examined by the defense. The Trial Chamber’s decision states that 3,638 shell casings were found in execution sites near Srebrenica, ‘primarily’ manufactured in the Prvi Partizan factory in Uzice, Serbia. The prosecution is using this evidence to prove that Perisic contributed to crimes in Srebrenica by providing arms and ammunition to Bosnian Serbs.

In the cross-examination, the defense lawyer noted that the witness’s report was ‘incomplete’. The report didn’t identify the ammunition manufactured before 1993. Selsky explained his task was to ‘inspect and look for casings manufactured in the period relevant for the indictment’, that is after 1993 when Perisic took over as the chief of the VJ General Staff. The defense also noted that 2,900 of a total of 3,638 casing found near Srebrenica were manufactured before 1992.

Presiding judge Moloto then calculated that only 378 of the total number of casings found had been manufactured in the Prvi Partizan factory in Uzice after 1992. The witness confirmed this. According to the defense, this amounts to only 10.4 percent of the total number of casings the witness notes in his report. The witness explained that for the rest of the bullet casings there either were no data about where and when they were manufactured or the markings indicate they were manufactured elsewhere.

The defense also tried to contest the witness’s expertise. The defense lawyer noted that Selsky didn’t check if any contracts for the sale of arms and ammunition were ever signed between Republika Srpska and the Prvi Partizan factory in Uzice. According to the defense, Selsky failed to establish who in Srebrenica used bullets manufactured in Serbia.

The trial of General Perisic continues on Friday, with a pre-defense conference. By then it will most probably be known when the defense intends to deliver its opening statement, how many witnesses it will call and how long it expects to take to complete its case.

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