Bosnia Serb denies Srebrenica role

Jokic has denied four charges including crimes against humanity

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Bosnian Serb army officer Dragan Jokic has pleaded not guilty at The Hague to having had any part in the Srebrenica massacre.

Lieutenant-Colonel Jokic, who handed himself over to the international war crimes tribunal last week, denied four counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity during a brief initial court appearance on Tuesday.

Dressed in a dark green suit, shirt and tie, the 43-year-old nervously clenched his hands together as U.N. Judge Liu Daqun of China asked him to enter his plea.

IN-DEPTH Srebrenica: Five days of evil   • Survivor's Story   • Gallery   • Massacre background   • Rebuilding Srebrenica   • Prayers for the dead   • Grief of the widows   • Mass grave found   • War crimes defendants   • Profile: Radko Mladic   • Profile: Radovan Karadzic

About 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed at Srebrenica in 1995 in what is regarded as one of the worst massacres to have occurred since the end of World War II.

Srebrenica had been under U.N. protection when it fell to Serb forces in July 1995.

Jokic served near the Bosnian town during the three-and-a-half year Balkan war.

Prosecutors allege that Jokic, a major at the time, assisted in the killings and subsequent burials of victims by providing the army with excavators, spotlights and communication devices.

"Lights from the engineering machinery illuminated the execution and burial sites during the executions," the indictment said, the Associated Press reported.

He is also alleged in the indictment to have issued or transmitted reports to superiors on the progress of the overall murder operation.

The indictment adds that Muslims were shot by firing squad in areas controlled by the Zvornik brigade, part of the Drina Corps, over several months.

Jokic served as wartime head of the engineering section of the Zvornik brigade in the 15,000-strong Drina Corps under Bosnian Serb General Radislav Krstic, the prosecution says.

The general was found guilty of genocide earlier this month and sentenced to 46 years in prison.