ANNEX2

 

 

 

 

INFORMATION ON FOREIGN MERCENARIES

 

 

 

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

COMMITTEE FOR COMPILING DATA ON CRIMES

AGAINST HUMANITY AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

Ref. 1/0-387/1-94

Date: October 27, 1994

Belgrade, Vlajkovićeva 10

Tel. 330-369, 341-107

Fax: 334-133

 

INFORMATION ON FOREIGN MERCENARIES

PARTICIPATING IN THE WAR ON THE TERRITORY OF FORMER SFRY

I PARTICIPANTS IN THE CROATIAN ARMY OPERATIONS AT "MEDAK POCKET"

1. Rick Grauwert: Born in Den Helder, the Netherlands, age about 27, finished the Royal Military School in the Netherlands. As a professional soldier he had served in the Dutch Army in the rank of sergeant. Towards the end of 1991 he was hired as a mercenary by the Croatian Army and stationed in Perušić. He was one of the mercenaries in the Croatian Army who committed war crimes against the Serb civilians and the wounded in the Medak Pocket. He was demobilized from the Croatian Army allegedly under the pressure from the West, whereafter he tried to obtain a Croatian citizenship. Having failed to do that, he has returned to Holland and is currently working as a truck driver in his hometown.

2. Raymond Van der Linden: Born in Roosen Dal, the Netherlands, age about 35. Towards the end of 1991 he was hired as a mercenary in the Croatian Army and stationed in Perušić. He was one of the perpetrators of war crimes against the Serb civilians and the wounded in the Medak Pocket. For some time he was a member of HOS and after that he joined the 104th HVO Brigade and took part in war operations in the region of Bosanska Posavina. After he had been wounded, he was cured in a hospital in Zagreb. He acquired a Croatian citizenship and is living now in Gospić with his wife Tanja from Velika Gorica.

3. Andre Van der Aart: Born in Lissen, the Netherlands, age about 29. He used to be a member of the Dutch contingent of UNO forces in Lebanon in the rank of corporal. Towards the end of 1991 he was hired as a mercenary in the Croatian Army and stationed in Perušić. He was one of the perpetrators of war crimes against the Serb civilians and the wounded in the Medak Pocket. He is currently living in his hometown in Holland.

4. Mark Molenaar: Born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, age about 24. He used to serve in the Dutch contingent of NATO forces stationed at the Seedorf base in Germany. Towards the end of 1991 he was hired as a mercenary by the Croatian Army and stationed in Perušić. He was one of the perpetrators of war crimes against the Serb civilians and the wounded in the Medak Pocket. Following demobilization, he returned to Holland. 5. Edwin Hoovens: Born in Vendlo, the Netherlands, age about 26. Used to be a truck driver in the Dutch Army. Towards the end of 1991 he was hired as a mercenary by the Croatian Army and stationed in Perušić. He was one of the perpetrators of war crimes against the Serb civilians and the wounded in the Medak Pocket. He was wounded while he was a member of the Croatian Army. He had returned to Holland wherefrom he allegedly left for Israel and is currently working in a kibutz.

6. Martin de Porres: Born in Ambon, Indonesia, age about 33, used to be a sergeant in the Dutch Army. Formerly a student of theology. Towards the end of 1991 he was hired as a mercenary in the Croatian Army and stationed in Perušić. He was one of the perpetrators of war crimes against the Serb civilians and the wounded in the Medak Pocket. After he had been demobilized, he returned to Holland and is allegedly now a monk in Arrnem.

7. Joost van Dijk: Born in Den Boch, the Netherlands, age about 26. Used to be a professional soldier in the Dutch Army for 4 years, specializes in mines and explosives. Towards the end of 1991 he was hired as a mercenary in the Croatian Army and stationed in Perušić. He was one of the perpetrators of war crimes against the Serb civilians and the wounded in the Medak Pocket. Upon demobilization, he returned to Holland. He had been treated for alcohol addiction and is at present allegedly in Kazakhstan as a volunteer.

8. Tom Chitum: Born in Whoopaki Lake, USA, age about 46, fought in Vietnam as a member of the US Army. Towards the end of 1991 he was hired as a mercenary in the Croatian Army and stationed in Perušić. He was one of the perpetrators of war crimes against the Serb civilians and the wounded in the Medak Pocket. He abandoned the Croatian Army following the leave he had been granted in 1993.

10. Ellijas Laslo: Born in Hungary, served in the parachute regiment of the Hungarian Army. As a mercenary for the Croatian Army, he joined HOS and then the 104th HVO Brigade and participated in the fighting in Bosanska Posavina. He was one of the perpetrators of war crimes against the Serb civilians and the wounded in the Medak Pocket.

11. Johannes Tilder: Born on October 25, 1963 in Enkhuzen, the Netherlands. Attended the Royal Military School in Holland, served as an officer in the Dutch Army, graduated from the Special Military School, where he completed a reconnaisance and parachute course. He was a member of the Dutch Battalion of NATO in Germany, the Seedorf base. He stayed in Germany from 1985 to 1990 when he joined the French Foreign Legion. He left the Legion by the end of 1990 and returned to Holland. Towards the end of 1991 he was hired as a mercenary by the Croatian Army via a branch organization of "Croatian Relief" in Holland. His engagement as a mercenery for the Croatian Army was mediated by "Nederlandse Werk Gemenschap" organization, together with a pro-fascit party "Centrum Democraten". He arrived in Croatia on November 22, 1991. He was given his first instructions by the Ministry of Defence where he was received by Jure Martinović. Thereafter, he was placed at the disposal of the Croatian Army in Gospić where he reported to the then Commander of Military Police, Tihomir Orešković. He held the Croatian Army rank of lieutenant, deputy commander of the reconnaisance and sabotage detachment of the 9th Guard Mechanized Brigade. He was one of the perpetrators of war crimes against the Serb civilians and the wounded in the Medak Pocket. Killed?

 

II OTHER MERCENARIES IN THE CROATIAN ARMY

12. Bart Velt: Born in Haarlem, the Netherlands, age about 30. Used to be a radio operator in the Dutch Army contingent attached to the UNO forces in Sinai. Towards the end of 1991 he was hired as a mercenary in the Croatian Army and stationed in Perušić. After demobilization he returned to Holland and is currently working in his hometown.

13. Johannes Stelling: Born in Drachten, the Netherlands, age about 28, hired as a mercenary for the Croatian Army by the beginning of 1992. Served as a reconnaisance officer in the Croatian Army. Following demobilization, he stayed for some time in Herzegovina and Livno. By the end of 1992 he returned to Holland and is now living in his hometown.

14. Ronald Geurts: Born in Utrecht, the Netherlands, age about 27, served in the Dutch Army. By the end of 1991 he joined the Croatian Army and was stationed in the army barracks in Perušić, allegedly as a journalist. He did some shooting with a video camera and sent his reports to the Dutch Television via Zagreb. In the spring of 1994 he was working in a restaurant in Maksimir, Zagreb.

15. Peter van Eekeren: A citizen of Holland. By the end of 1991 he was hired as a mercenary for the Croatian Army and acted as an instructor in Jastrebarsko. He also sent reports to the Dutch Television.

16. Mustafa N., called "Africa", originally from Sudan, reportedly attended the Maritime College in Rijeka. Served with the Croatian Army as an interpreter for Johannes Tilder and also as an instructor in the Croatian Army brigade. Allegedly he is currently employed as an interpreter for the European Community Mission in Ogulin.

17. An Englishman, unidentified, hired for the Croatian Army in the First Brigade in Samobor.

18. A Canadian, undientified, hired for the Croatian Army as a colonel in the area of Zadar.

19. Henk Joling: A citizen of Holland, married to a Croat woman residing in Holland. Owns a small export-import company in Zagreb. Served as an intermediary between the Croatian Ministry of Defence and the Dutch mercenaries seeking engagement by the Croatian Army. III MERCENARIES IN THE SO-CALLED INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE

20. The so-called "International Brigade" was established in Zagreb at the beginning of war and consisted of foreign mercenaries and foreigners of the Croat origin. There were many Germans from the former GDR, Englishmen, Americans, Frenchmen, Austrians, etc. in the Brigade. Most of its operations were carried out in Slavonia, in the vicinity of Osijek. Allegedly, the commander of the Brigade was a captain Hans, the citizen of Germany.

IV MERCENARIES IN THE CROATIAN ARMY WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE OPERATIONS ON THE TERRITORY OF THE SO-CALLED BiH IN THE REGION OF BOSANSKA POSAVINA

21. Uslisti (Aleksandrovič) Sergei: Born on July 18, 1963 in Omskaya District, former USSR. Used to be a member of the 101st HVO brigade which took part in the operations in Bosanska Posavina.

22. Trishin (Borisovič) Aleksei: Born on July 6, 1964 in Novi Sibirsk, former USSR. Used to be a member of the 101st HVO brigade which took part in the operations in Bosanska Posavina.

23. Wolfgand Niedereuger, a citizen of Austria, used to be hired for the Croat army in the so-called BiH, a fact published in the Austrian press.

24. Krup Štefan, a citizen of Austria from Korushka, participated in the Croat army operations near Mostar.

V FOREIGN MERCENARIES ON THE SIDE OF CROAT FORCES IN HERZEGOVINA, FORMER BIH

25. On July 20, 1992, an unidentified German citizen was one of the perpetrators of the murder of Milena Laganjin, a Serb woman, in the camp established for Serbs at the school "Ivan Goran Kovačić" in Livno.

26. At the beginning of 1992, a number of mercenaries were attached to the Croat forces in Livno from Germany, England, Spain and Argentina. Also noticed among them was a black man. They all wore uniforms with the RH insignia (Republic of Croatia).

VI FOREIGN MERCENARIES IN THE SO-CALLED BIH, MEMBERS OF MOSLEM MILITARY FORCES AND CROAT MILITARY FORCES

a) In mid-September 1992, between Tešanj and Teslić, a group of 43 mercenaries, mujaheddin, mainly from Saudi Arabia, took part in the operations against the army of the Republic of Srpska on the side of Moslem military forces. The following persons were identified:

27. Abu Isak, commander of the group, born in Mecca,

28. Abu Xerib, deputy commander of the group, born in Mecca, 29. Seih Abu Sulejman, in charge of religious matters.

The above mentioned mercenaries crossed the Austrian-Slovenian border by the beginning of August 1992 and a few days later they crossed the border of Croatia. In Kamensko, they received a certificate from imam Šefik Omerbašić which stated that they had been dispatched to BiH for investigating the possibilities for delivering humanitarian aid. Films and photographs showing the heads of decapitated Serbs were found on some of them.

b) The following persons fought on the Derventa front on the side of military forces of the former BiH:

30. An unidentified Arab,

31. Venzhou Zhejiang, Chinese, a citizen of France,

32. Abid Abu Safijahsi, a citizen of Jordan, used to have a permanent foreigner's residence in Derventa.

c) In Hrasnica:

33. Naser N., a citizen of Bahrein, in collusion with a group of foreigners, organized the procurement and delivery of arms to the warehouses in Pazarić and Hrasnica. This deal was supported by "Mešihat" from Zagreb.

A special unit was stationed in the region of Hrasnica, under the name of "Black Swans", composed of mercenaries - professionals from the USA, France, Italy and elsewhere.

d) The following person fought on the side of the military forces of the so-called BiH in the broader area of Prijedor:

34. Ostruk Mahmut, a citizen of Turkey.

e) About 30 Turkish citizens, together with the members of the territorial defence of the so-called BiH, participated in the attack on Ilijaš and Čakrčići. Among them were allegedly about twenty Turkish women whose duty was to strengthen their morals.

f) The below mentioned foreign mercenaries who fought on the side of the miitary forces of the so-called BiH were treated in the Zenica hospital:

35. Ibu Raha, a citizen of Saudi Arabia

36. Shaker Al Sharif, a citizen of Syria

37. Abu Falah, a citizen of Egypt

38. Abu Amin, a citizen of Egypt

39. Ijas Medini, a citizen of Saudi Arabia

40. Abu El Zubeir, a citizen of Saudi Arabia

41. Abdurahman Abu Sarahudin, a citizen of Saudi Arabia

42. Twelve unidentified citizens of Islamic countries.

g) Around thrity foreign mercenaries - Italians, Germans, Frenchmen and others - were accommodated in the Buna bungalows, the property of Aluminum Works from Mostar. h) Unidentified citizens of Germany, Great Britain and the USA were members of HOS in the region of Čapljina.

i) Mercenaries, members of HOS, at the infamous camp for Serbs in Dretelj.

43. Joe N., a citizen of the USA, posing as a journalist, spoke no Serbian, age about 48, about 180 cm tall, slim, with brown hair,participated in the rape of Serb women in the camp for Serbs in Dretelj.

A few Poles and Germans were members of Croat military forces in the so-called BiH in Dretelj.

VII

By the beginning of September 1992, 250 mujaheddin ("holy warriors of Jihad") arrived in the so-called BiH from Turkey, Iran, Bahrein and Qatar. They were accommodated in the building of the Pensioners' Home in Babina rijeka near Zenica and in Kakanj. Their transfer to the former BiH had been arranged by Muhamed Čengić, Vice Prime Minister of the Government of the so-called BiH.

VIII

Mercenaries from the French Foreign Legion and other foreign citizens were members of the so-called "Frankopan" battalion established and trained in Kumrovec near Zagreb. They fought in Herzegovina, the region of Mostar. The sole purpose of this detachment was to carry out sabotage and terrorist actions on the territory of the Republic of Srpska, with the motto "No prisoners".

IX

Mercenaries from the French Foreign Legion and other foreign citizens were members of the so-called 4th independent battalion of the Croatian Army under the name of "Zrinski". They had also been prepared and trained in Kumrovec near Zagreb. For a time they were operating in the broader area of Tomislavgrad (Duvno).