UNITED NATIONS International Tribunal for the Case No. IT-04-82-T Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of Date: 10 July 2008 International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 Original: English IN TRIAL CHAMBER II Before: Judge Kevin Parker, Presiding Judge Christine Van Den Wyngaert Judge Krister Thelin Registrar: Mr Hans Holthuis Judgement of: 10 July 2008 PROSECUTOR v. LJUBE BO[KOSKI JOHAN TAR^ULOVSKI PUBLIC JUDGEMENT The Office of the Prosecutor: Mr Dan Saxon Ms Antoinette Issa Ms Meritxell Regue Ms Joanne Motoike Ms Nisha Valabhji Mr Gerard Dobbyn Mr Matthias Neuner Counsel for the Accused: Ms Edina Re{idovi} and Mr Guénaël Mettraux for Ljube Bo{koski Mr Antonio Apostolski and Ms Jasmina @ivkovi} for Johan Tar~ulovski CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................1 II. CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING THE EVALUATION OF EVIDENCE........................5 III. CONTEXT .................................................................................................................................10 IV. EVENTS IN LJUBOTEN AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.......................................................13 A. EVENTS OF 12 AUGUST 2001 AND THE FOLLOWING DAYS ..........................................................13 B. MACEDONIAN ARMY UNITS INVOLVED IN THE EVENTS IN LJUBOTEN..........................................40 C. EVENTS OF 10 AUGUST 2001......................................................................................................41 D. EVENTS OF 11 AUGUST 2001......................................................................................................48 E. WERE THE EVENTS IN LJUBOTEN JUSTIFIED BY MILITARY NECESSITY?.....................................54 1. NLA presence and logistics base in Ljuboten........................................................................56 2. Macedonian army stationed near Ljuboten............................................................................59 3. Possible NLA target positions in Ljuboten on 12 August .....................................................61 4. Conclusion .............................................................................................................................74 V. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF ARTICLE 3 OF THE STATUTE.................................77 A. ARMED CONFLICT ......................................................................................................................77 1. Law ........................................................................................................................................77 (a) Intensity.................................................................................................................................. 79 (b) Organisation of the armed group ........................................................................................... 88 2. Findings..................................................................................................................................93 (a) Intensity of the conflict .......................................................................................................... 94 (b) Organisation of the armed group ......................................................................................... 115 3. Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................132 B. NEXUS BETWEEN THE ALLEGED ACTS OF THE ACCUSED AND THE ARMED CONFLICT ................132 C. THE TADI} CONDITIONS ............................................................................................................134 D. WHETHER THE VICTIMS WERE TAKING AN ACTIVE PART IN HOSTILITIES...................................135 VI. THE CHARGES......................................................................................................................137 A. MURDER (COUNT 1).................................................................................................................137 1. Law ......................................................................................................................................137 2. Findings................................................................................................................................137 (a) Rami Jusufi........................................................................................................................... 137 (b) Sulejman Bajrami................................................................................................................. 141 (c) Muharem Ramadani ............................................................................................................. 144 (d) Atulla Qaili........................................................................................................................... 147 (e) Xhelal Bajrami, Bajram Jashari and Kadri Jashari............................................................... 149 3. Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................154 B. WANTON DESTRUCTION (COUNT 2)..........................................................................................155 1. Law ......................................................................................................................................155 2. Findings................................................................................................................................157 3. Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................164 C. CRUEL TREATMENT (COUNT 3).................................................................................................164 1. Law ......................................................................................................................................165 2. Findings................................................................................................................................165 3. Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................169 VII. RESPONSIBILITY................................................................................................................170 A. LAW .........................................................................................................................................170 1. Responsibility under Article 7(1).........................................................................................170 (a) Committing through participation in a joint criminal enterprise.......................................... 170 (b) Planning ............................................................................................................................... 172 (c) Instigating............................................................................................................................. 172 (d) Ordering ............................................................................................................................... 173 (e) Aiding and abetting .............................................................................................................. 173 2. Responsibility under Article 7(3) of the Statute ..................................................................174 (a) Superior-subordinate relationship ........................................................................................ 175 (b) Mental element: the superior knew or had reason to know ................................................. 177 (c) Necessary and reasonable measures..................................................................................... 178 B. FINDINGS ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LJUBE BO{KOSKI...........................................................179 1. Role of Ljube Bo{koski in the events of 12 August ............................................................179 2. Notification to the investigative judge.................................................................................183 3. Investigative efforts at the Ministry of Interior....................................................................185 (a) Commission established on 13 August 2001 ....................................................................... 185 (b) Other information received by Ljube Bo{koski in August/September 2001 ....................... 189 (c) Other matters........................................................................................................................ 192 (d) Other “investigations”.......................................................................................................... 194 (i) Working group on war crimes .......................................................................................... 194 (ii) The work of Ms Sofija Galeva-Petrovska........................................................................ 196 (iii) The Zoran Jovanovski Commission ............................................................................... 198 4. Responsibility of Ljube Bo{koski........................................................................................198 (a) Organisational structure of the Ministry of Interior ............................................................. 198 (i) Regional and local