BOSNIA: AHMICI: REACTIONS TO BLASKIC TRIAL VERDICT

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(3 Mar 2000) Serbo-Croat/Nat

There was joy and relief on Friday in the Bosnian village of Ahmici when the War Crimes Tribunal sentenced Croat General Tihomir Blaskic to 45 years in prison.

More than 100 inhabitants of the town were killed in a rampage by Croatian army troops commanded by Blaskic.

APTN released exclusive pictures of that carnage in 1993 on Friday.

People living in the Bosnian village of Ahmici watched their local television news bulletins waiting to hear the verdict on Croat General Tihomir Blaskic.

These people are relatives of those killed in the massacre at Ahmici during the Bosnian war.

Troops commanded by General Tihomir Blaskic destroyed the village in April 1993.

Prosecutors in the Hague said Blaskic ordered the horrific rampage that killed more than 100 men, women and children and emptied this Bosnian village of every one of its Muslim inhabitants.

Blaskic was found guilty on 20 counts of war crimes and sentenced to 45 years in jail.

Relatives of victims said they were pleased with the verdict.

SOUNDBITE: (Bosnian)
"In principle I am very pleased. This can give us motivation to keep on living, but still it cannot bring my relatives back to life."
SUPER CAPTION: Sulejman Peter

People here still can't forget what happened.

SOUNDBITE: (Bosnian)
"My whole family was burnt in the basement here. Blaskic was involved in all this that happened. I hope he feels at least a little of our pain right now."
SUPER CAPTION: Hasreta Ahmic

Some victims were burned alive and children were gunned down in front of parents and grandparents back in April 1993.

The Bosnian government cautiously welcomed the verdict, but insisted that more alleged masterminds of the massacres against Muslims in the war need to be brought to justice.

Among those suspected of such crimes include former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and his military chief Ratko Mladic.

But for the people of Ahmici - nothing will compensate for the fact that they have lost their loved ones.

Their local mosque was also destroyed during the massacre in 1993 - so they gathered in Vitez to pray for the souls of their dead family members.

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