Radovan Karadzic in the courtroom

Radovan Karadzic wants to re-open the defense case six months after he has rested it. In his motion, Karadzic notes that in the meantime he has received new evidence which, in his view, might assist him in his defense. The evidence in question is a cable sent by General James Jones, deputy chief of US military command in Europe and chief of staff of the joint forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Karadzic’s defense has found the cable among the documents pertaining to the war in BH that the CIA made available on the Internet in October 2013. In June 2014, the document was sent to the accused. The cable contains information about the responsibility of the Muslim side for UNPROFOR casualties in Sarajevo during the war in BH, Karadzic explained. In Karadzic’s view, this indicates that the Muslims were responsible for the ‘artillery and sniper incidents’ listed in the indictment against him.

Karadzic notes that the correspondence with the US authorities shows the document was authentic. According to Karadzic, the cable is relevant for his trial. Consequently, Karadzic wants to tender the document into evidence without calling any witnesses, but under seal in order to meet the demands of the US government. If the prosecution wishes to cross-examine General Jones, the defense is prepared to call him as its witness, provided that the US government grants such a demand.

The artillery and sniper terror against the Sarajevo citizens is one of the four joint criminal enterprises Karadzic is charged with. Karadzic is also indicted for genocide and other crimes in the BH municipalities in 1992, taking UN staff hostage in the spring of 1995 and the genocide in Srebrenica in July 1995. The closing arguments at his trial are slated for 29 September 2014.

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