The evidence presented against an East Ridge man will prove that nearly 30 years ago he was a sadistic guard who brutally tortured Bosnian prisoners of war, prosecutor Elizabeth Nielsen argued Tuesday.
Sead Miljković’s trial began in Chattanooga federal court for alleged crimes that occurred over 5,000 miles away and went unprosecuted for almost three decades — a case that both prosecutors and defense attorneys have repeatedly labeled as unique.
Miljković is being tried on two counts of torture for allegedly beating two unarmed men, Emir Pehlić and Ibro Nuhanović, from 1994 to 1995 during the Bosnian War.
“He was tormenting prisoners for his amusement,” Nielsen said during opening statements.
Miljković was also charged with a third count of torture, but it was dismissed and cannot be brought against him again. The United States was unable to bring the third victim from Bosnia to Chattanooga for trial, prosecutor Jay Woods said Tuesday.
A war broke out in Bosnia after the country declared independence in March 1992 from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Certain Bosnian Muslims opposed the nation’s new central government and established their own self-proclaimed government group, Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia.
Miljković’s hometown was Velika Kladusa, which became the headquarters of the province, Nielsen said.
Miljković was allegedly stationed as a prison guard at the nearby Old Fort, which was a reconstructed castle on a hill that overlooked the town. Prisoners of war were brought there to perform forced labor, Nielsen said.
It was a civil war in which family members, friends and neighbors were against each other, Nielsen said. At least one of the victims allegedly knew Miljković and went to school with him.
Pehlić allegedly was beaten with a rubber baton, and his head was forcefully pushed down toward a bayonet in order to make him believe his throat would be impaled. Nuhanović was allegedly beaten with bats and sticks and forced to fight other prisoners.
The men have traveled halfway around the world to recount to jurors the worst minutes and days of their lives, Nielsen said.
Once the war ended, Miljković allegedly came to America using the fake name Sead Dukic.
He lived in East Ridge for about 24 years.
When federal agents searched his home, they found a framed photo of Old Fort where he served as a prison guard.
“To this day, the defendant has been proudly displaying the crime scene where he tortured prisoners of war,” Nielsen said.
Defense attorney Bryan Hoss argued during opening statements the victims have repeatedly changed their stories. Each new version implicates his client, Miljković, further.
“Why make it up?” Hoss said. “The answer is simple. It’s money.”
One of the victim’s has never identified Miljković in a photo lineup, Hoss argued. There are also no medical records or photos of the alleged injuries in this case.
He has never been charged in Bosnia in connection with either victim, and the first individuals to claim they were tortured by him brought forward the information decades after the war, Hoss said.
Witnesses and victims in this case have deep biases, and Miljković was on the losing side of a war, Hoss said.
Even if Miljković did beat prisoners, it doesn’t automatically rise to the level of torture, he said.
The trial will continue through Friday and may push into Monday, according to Woods. Miljković is expected to be tried separately on three counts of passport fraud.
Contact Sofia Saric at ssaric@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476.