Stumbling out of the starting gate

The international community's support for prosecuting war criminals gets the most publicity here and abroad, for it is the priority of hearts and minds. But in fact most of America's money, to name just one donor, goes towards dismantling the all-powerful organized crime element in Bosnia. Simply put, it's wise investing. From their perspective, war crimes cases are a decade old and serve only to heal old wounds. But breaking the mafia's stranglehold on the economy opens the way for investment and, ultimately, gives a better return on the dollar.

Recently I attended the trial of a former Bosnian President, accused of widespread corruption and involvement in Croat crime syndicates. He was sacked last year by the international quasi-dictator, the High Representative Paddy Ashdown, and brought before the Court. Nevertheless, he remains a major player in Bosnian politics. In fact, just today he was quoted in the newspaper after leaving a negotiation session on reforming the constitution. Such is life here, where thieves and murderers help formulate the country's founding principles.

I understood relatively little of the trial discussion when I was there, but I will relate a brief episode which demonstrates how the court system here is only just learning how to tackle these immensely sensitive cases. It would be unfair not to mention first that the Court is overall praised for how it has handled the cases thus far. But once and a while someone slips up and reminds us that we're only just getting out of the starting gate.

The defense was questioning a police officer on the witness stand. At one point, the attorney stood up and said he would like to discuss a confidential police document which indirectly reveals the location of a protected witness. Could the public please be asked to leave the coutroom? So we filed out and waited in the lobby. 20 minutes later we were called back in.

I had only just sat down and put on my earphones when the policeman, in the middle of answering a question, said: "No, I was not made aware of (so and so's) location in Norway at the time. I was..." He was interrupted by the lawyer, who groaned audibly, but it was too late.

I swear, the judge had a look on his face that told me if it were appropriate in a high profile, public coutroom, he would have banged his head against the desk repeatedly and yelled, "Aww, COME ON! You can't be SERIOUS!!"

We were taken aside after the session and reminded to keep our mouths shut. Which is why Norway is not the actual country; in fact, it's... -- just kidding.