ZAPISI SA NJUJORŠKOG PROCESA HRVATSKOJ DESETERKI od 16. 2. do 15. 5. 1982.

ZAPISI SA NJUJORŠKOG PROCESA HRVATSKOJ (10) DESETORKI (od 16. 2. do 15. 5. 1982.)


(U nastavcima ću iznositi izvještaje sa suda u New York-u Hrvatima i članovima Hrvatskog Narodonog Otpora, HNO. Većim djelom ovi izvještaji su izlazili u hrvatskoj iseljenčkoj novini Hrvatski Tjednik iz Australije. Sve izvještaje ću u cijelosti prepisivati, sve izvore vjerno označiti tako da se ovu vrlo ozboljnu povijestnu stvar hrvatske političke emigracije nebi izvrglo ruglu i nekim sumnjama zbog nedostatka izvora. Gdje god se ukaže potreba za bolje razumijevanje samih izvještaja, ja ću nastojati dopuniti taj nedostatak mojim sjećanjima i informacijama, jer sam bio jedan od tih desetorice Hrvata. Na sudu sam iz sata u sat vodio neku vrstu zapisnika/dnevnika, te ću se po potrbi tim bilješkama/bilježnicama poslužiti u opisima ovih nastavaka. Bit će ih mnogo. Ja ću biti strpljiv ovo prepisivati, a vas molim budite strpljivi ovo čitati. Iz ovih sudskih izvještaja po prvi puta poslije tri desetljeća Hrvati će imati priliku saznati ZAŠTO JE UOPĆE DOŠLO DO NJUJORŠKOG PROCESA ČLANOVIMA HRVATSKOG NARODNOG OTPORA, HNO. Otporaš.)

ZAVRŠNA RIJEČ ANTE LJUBASA NA SUDU U NEW YORK-u, srijeda 30 lipnja 1982.

(Na stranicama ovog Foruma i na zahtijev nekih mojih prijatelja, pa i onih koji se ne smatraju mojim prijateljima, ali bi svakako željeli znati kako je i zašto došlo do njujorškog procesa Hrvatskoj Desetorki (10), članovima Hrvatskog Narodnog Otpora, HNO.; počet ću iznositi SUDSKE ZAPISNIKE OVE HRVATSKE DESETORKE. Zapisnik ili zapisnici neće biti kronološki opisivani, ali ću zato donositi sve moguće izvore, kako ne bi došlo do neke zabune. Ja sam bio taj koji sam od prvog dana kada sam ušao u utorak 16 veljače 1982. godine u jednu veliku i prostranu sudsku dvoranu, odmah odlučio voditi jednu vrstu zapisnika ili dnevnika.

Kao povijestni dio ovog suda za hrvatski narod, nastojat ću opisati izgled sudske dvorane:

Ulazi se na dupla vrata. Vrata su bila na polovini dvorane, tj. zida. Na lijevu i na desnu stranu poredane su klupe na koja su mogla sjesti desetak osoba. Sredinom je bio prolaz širok meter i nešto, kojim se je išlo do mjesta sudije. Bilo je nekih desetak redova klupa. Pred zadnjim redom je bio jedna drveni zid, ograda, visine nekih meter i 20 cm., što je bio znak da nitko ne može proći dalje od te ograde. Tu na dnu tog prolaza je bila kapija kroz koju su mogli proći do sudnice samo Sudac, sudsko osoblje, tižitelji, porota, sudski zapisničar, FBI, dvojica tumači, optužena hrvatska (10) desetorka, njihovi odsvjetnici. Po redosljedu: (1) Ante Ljubas, (2) Ranko Primorac, (3) Mile Markić, (4) Anđelko Jakić, (5) Ivan Mišetić, (6) Milan Bagarić, (7) Vinko Logarušić, (8) Miro Biošić, (9) Mile Boban i (10) Drago Sudar. Porota je bila na desnu stranu i sastojala se je od 12 porotnika, u dva reda po šest, i zadnji red od šest kao pomoćnici. Na desnu stranu za jednu stepenicu se diže i tu je stolica za svjedočenje. Pred svjedokom je stol i mikrofon da ga se bolje čuje kada govori. Pred svjedočanskom klupom je stol za javnog tužitelja odakle on govori i optužuje. Na desnu strana svjedoka je Sudac koji vedri i oblači. Nadam se da sam prikazao položaj sudske dvorane najbolje kako sam znao.

U sažtim crticama sam zapisivao svakog svjedoka, ime i prezime, što je i o čemu je svjedočio/govorio, koliko dugo, itd. Imam nekoliko tih ispisanih teka. Jedne pralike sudac Constance Motley me je pozvala preko mojeg odvjetnika Dennis Roberts-a da joj pokažem šta sve pišem. Kada sam joj rekao da ja sve ovo pišem za našu hrvatsku povijest, jer za mene je ovaj proces povijestnog značenja, te da ću ja jednog dana o ovome pisati. Kada joj je moj odvjetnik sve lijepo pojasnio, odobrila je moje pisanje, tako da nikada više nisam bio ometan mojim pisanjem. Mnogim mojim bilješkama se je koristio Drago Sudar u svojim izvještajima hrvatskim novinama, posebice Hrvatskom Tjedniku iz Australije. Drago je u sudnici sjedio meni na lijevu stranu. Ja sam se branio sa slobode dok Drago nije. Zato bih ja dao bilješke Dragi a on, dok je u pritvoru i samoći bi napisao izvještaj sa suda. Drago Sudar je vrlo vjerno i uvjerljivo iznosio svoje izvještaje sa suda.

Prenosim iz Hrvatskog Tjednika iz Australije, br. 244 od 27 srpnja 1982., strana 6 završnu riječ Ante Ljubasa na engleskom jeziku. Kako sam bio jedan od te HRVATSKE DESETORKE (10) na njujorškom sudu od prvog do zadnjeg dana, mnoge su mi stvari poznate, a i zapisnik sam u sažetom smislu vodio. Sud u New York-u toj Hrvatskoj Desetorki (10) je počeo u utorak 16 veljače 1982. a završio u subotu 15 svibnja 1982. Taj dan sud je pronašao šestoricu Hrvata krivima a četvoricu je oslobodio svih optužbih. Šest optuženih Hrvata: Ante Ljubas, Mile Markić, Milan Bagarić, (iz Chicaga) Ranko Primorac, (Los Angeles) Vinko Logarušić, (Cleveland) i Drago Sudar (Toronto, Kanada) su pronađeni krivima i dobili 180 godina zatovra SAMO I JEDINO ZATO ŠTO SU NEIZMJERNO VOLJELI HRVATSKU. Sud je taj dan – 15 svibnja – zakazao za 30 lipnja 1982. godine sastanak svih odvjetnika, optuženika za izricanje kazne. Sudnica je bila dupkom puna Hrvata iz njujorške zaseobine. Ja sam za taj dan došao iz San Francisca u New York na sud kako bih mogao dijeliti i tugu i veselje mojih suboraca, koje skoro nikada više nisam imao priliku vidjeti.

Kako sam već rekao da je sudnica bila dupkom puna, ponajviše Hrvata a bilo je i novinara i raznih izvjestitelja sa kamerama za razne izvijestiteljske mreže. Sudija, žena, Constance Motley je pred sobom na stolu imala šest (6) ovećih žutih omotnica. Uzme prvu omotnicu na kojoj je ime optuženika, prozove ga i dadne mu priliku da sada može u svoju korist i svoju obranu reći što god hoće. Tako se je to redalo do zadnjeg Vinka Logarušića. Sudac Constance Motley je rekla Vinku Logarušiću da može reći sada sve što želi u svoju korist. Vinko ju je samo zapitao: Slavni sude hoće li moj govor utjecati na moju već pripremljenu osudu ili ne. Sudac Constance Motley je s ponosom dogovorila DA NE. Onda je Vinko Logarušić njoj odgovorio: DA ON U TOM SLUČAJU NEMA ŠTA REĆI. Na svako i pojedinačno izricanje osude i dugogodišnje robije, nas nekoliko Hrvata u sudnicu počeli smo gangu pjevati. Tek tada su se kamere počele prema nama “gangarima” okrećati, našto je sudija bila ogorčena i sudskim auktoritetom nam zabranila pjevanje i bilo kakav između nas razgovor.

Sada prepisujem u cijelosti završnu riječ Ante Ljubasa. Mogao bih ja to prevesti i na hrvatski, ali za sada neću. Neću zato što bih želio da i moja djeca, moji prijatelji i njihovi prijatelji ovo pročitaju na engleskom i da se tako upoznaju kako su i zašto Hrvati dobili 180 godine robije u slodoljubljivoj zemlji Ameriki. Poslije ovoga ću iznijeti i završnu riječ drugog optuženog Ranka Pimorca. Mile Boban, Otporaš.)

FINAL WORD OF ANTE LJUBAS IN NEW YORK COURT

30. 6. 1982.

Your Honour!

My address to the court will be made up of facts which the indictment, and the United States Attorney faild to mention. Eight years before his death the French philosopher Rousseau put forward his definition of Justice; that one man may receive a gold medal and the other the death penalty for the same actions.

In 1980. the German news-magazine “Der Špiegel” carried a report of its interview with Lybian President Kaddaffi which touched upon the same issue. Kaddaffi replied to a question concerning the assassination of Lybian dissidents in exile by referring to the assassinations carried out by Yugoslavia’s UDBA agents in Germany and United States. Those who would even dare to express vocal opposition to the regime of terror that controls my country Croatia, were targets. Personal friends of my own, boyhood companions, were singled out and cruelly cut down.

America did not cry stop! Nor did the United States Attorney who paraded various witness’ before this court. No! As Kaddffi correctly indicated, Tito’s reputation in the West did not suffer. Because at the time in question, it suited sections of United States Government to cozy up to Tito. It is as a result of such political manipulations that I am before this court today.

I stand here innocent of wrongdoing. I know deep in my heart, deep in my conscience that I have done no wrong. Croatian Cardinal Stepinac was judged as a traitor by the Jugoslavian regime; denounced as a “terrorist to the highest degree”. Many good and loyal communists came forward and revealed to the court his traitorous plots against the State and his people. Well, the court assured the safety of the “people” by convicting this criminal Cardinal and placed him in remote confinement, where his “terrorism” could not continue. The court sang out its mercy by sentencing Cardinal Stepinac to only sixteen years of imprisonment. It proclaimed its magnanimity by indicating how in other countries the Cardinal would have been executed immediately. The three most prominent Cardinals in the Eastern Block: Polish Cardinal Wishinsky, Hungarian Cardinal Myncenty, and Croatian Cardinal Stepinac, during the 1950s were all sentenced to long terms of inprisonment for theirs terroristic and treasonable activities: loving their countries and freedom. Their convictions were assured by perjured testimony. My conviction has been produced by similar means, and for similar reasons.

No, Your Honour! Truth and love of liberty does not change. Political alliances do. Politicians make strange bedfellows, and it is because of such an alliance that I have been placed before this court, to face charges.

In recent years 56 Croatian dissidents have been murdered by UDBA throughout the so called Democratic countries of the West, some of those deaths have taken place here in the United States. But not one assassin has been brought before an American Court. Ask yourself why! Is it because the United States investigative agencies are unaware of the perpetrators? Or, is it because America is attempting to woo Yugoslavia to some degree from under Soviet influence?

I do not ask this question in a flippant way. I humbly search for a true answer. I ask this question out of a feeling of a great wrong having been committed in this-court-room, under the flags which hung when I took the Oath of Allegiance. For, this Court, in the name of American people, has found us guilty, and I know that this decision is wrong. We have been convicted not by the testimony of innocent and impartial witnesses, but by the perjured testimony of a self confessed murderer, and other people who have admitted to terrible crimes. We have been accused of false charges, and convicted with false evidence, of the very crimes carried out by those who accused us and bore witness against us.

When I took my oath of allegiance to become an American citizen I walked away from that ceremony feeling that I had a wonderful opportunity – and responsibility – in front of me; that of upholding the constitution of the United States to the letter. I was jubilant and excited for I felt as if I had achieved a marvelous dream; that of becoming a citizen in a true democracy.

When I made the journey from Europe to this country, my mind was still vibrating from the horrors of WWII and the experience by my own family at the reemergence of Yugoslavia. I did not come to this country out of any sense of adventure, or to seek any great wealth. I choose to come to the USA to experience for myself the meaning of freedom, democracy and equal rights. I was fully prepared to uphold my oath of allegiance I made to this country. I have kept my promise to America and her people. Why has Amerika broken her promise to me, and found me guilty of a crime which I heve not committed?

In many ways this trial has put the American legal system on trial, and twelve people have brought in a misguided verdict of guilty. The US Attorney has managed to convince twelve civilians that we should be convicted, and they pronounced their verdict. I do not condemn those twelve people, I do not look to them with hate in my heart, nor do I say this to mitigate your predetermined prison sentence. I am ready to go to prison and serve any sentence this court imposes upon me without malice. But, I will have this court-room knowing that I have committed no crime. I shall serve my sentence in the true knowledge that I am punished only because of my love for Croatia and her people.

I must borrow the words from Dr. Martin Luther King. He once said: “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. That is why the right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant” (end quote). I again emphasize that I am not guilty of the crimes for which I have been charged. America will not protect her own freedom by sacrificing the freedom of others.

I believe, that we, the accused, have not been tried as individual, but rather, we have been herded, into the position we have found ourselves in, by sinister forces that do not seek justice but instead political expediency. The aim of this trial was to destroy and injecting fear into every Croatian who dares to oppose the State Department policy of salvaging Yugoslavia. For supporting that fear and confusion in Croatian communities through USA, US Assistant Attorney Stuart J. Baskin made public a list of so-called co-conspirators or co-racketeers. One man from that list Mr. Nikola Stedul wrote one letter to Mr. Baskin asking him about WHY his name has been on that list.

FOR THIS COURT AND HONORABLE JUDGE CONSTANCE MOTLEY I AM INTRODUCING MR. N. STEDUL LETTER:

(Tog istog Nikolu Štedula je predsjednice RH Kolinda Grabar Kitarović nedavno primila u svoj ured, dala mu odlikovanje za sve njegove zasluge koje je on sa svojim suborcima u hrvatskoj političkoj emigraciji učino za promicanje hrvatskog imena i u borbi za oslobođenje Hrvatske od Jugoslavije i za Obnovu Hrvatske Države. Mile Boban, Otporaš.)

3rd Oct., 1981.
Stuart J. Baskin,
Assistant United States Attorney,
One St. Andrew’s Plaza,
New York, New York 10007.

Re: Indictment – SS 81 Cr. 402 (CBM)

Sir,

Today I have received (trough a friend) a copy of a list of names issued by you on the 26th August, 1981. together with your statement accusing those listed, on behalf of your government, of being agents, servants, employees, co-conspirators and / or co-tacketeers”, associated with the indictment SS 81 Cr. 402 (CBM).

It is indeed a very black day for me to learn that a person’s name can be added to such a list without it being necessary for your office to at least have the dignity to let such a person know he is being named on an indictment. I am absolutely appalled to think that I am being accused of a crime by your office and yet I have had to rely on the good graces of a friend to let me know. How does the law operate in the United States of America?

The purpose of this letter is to ask you to clarify my position. I have been named publicly by your office as some kind of “racketeer”. I would therefore ask you to either arrange a hearing which it will be possible for me to attend in order to defend myself, or else take my name from the List. And since the List has become public knowledge, I would ask you to be kind enough to publicly renounce your accusation unless you intend to go through with it.

I wonder if your are fully aware, Mr. Baskin, of the implications and seriousness of these lists you and your government are so freely distributing? I happen to come from a police state (meaning Yugoslavia, mo. Otporaš.) where almost every person is on some kind of a list or another. Is America truly embarking upon the idea of a police state? I would have though your profession would have been the bulwark against the advance of the police state, instead of actually speeding up the process by allowing yourselfs to be used to prepare senseless accusations which are the hallmark of the police state or the middle-age which-hunts.

In your Statement your are conveniently hiding behind the law and your government by saying that your government receives the right to “modify, constrict or expand upon its proof as new evidence is developed”. Such an ambiguous and open-ended clause is not only designed to give you “legal” protection against libel and false accusation, but also allows the charges to be perpetually on an “order book” for your government’s future use whenever Yugoslavia falls into another new crisis. Let’s face the facts, Mr. baskin. You are spreading your irresponsible Lists and accusations in the name of the Law; Hitler, Stalin and the likes were also conveniently hiding behind the Law.

But the multiplicities of laws to suit the occasion did not begin with the U.S.A., Stalin or Hitler. The problem was baffling Cornelius Tacitus, a first century Roman politician and historian, when he said: “When the state is most corrupt, then the Laws are most multiplied”.

You have one of the most powerful government in history and the law of that government behind you, Mr. Baskin; I have mu conscience which I would not trade for anything. Lyndon B. Johnoson had the following thoughts on conscience: “One man alone with his conscience – whether in the laboratory, or the classroom, or on the street corner – is to be jealously guarded from the thousand who, believing him wrong, would deny his right to search and his right to speak the truth. On that fact we have built a free and great and diverse country.”

Are the foundations of this “free and great diverse country” now crumbling under the laws which are juggled to safeguard dictatorships around the world?

Yours sincerely,
Nikola Stedul.

May the conflicts among the countries and amog the people be destroyed and may love and the awareness of universal brotherhood arise among all people.

Long live true freedom and justice!
Long live to Croatian people!

Ante Ljubas.

(Nastavlja se. Idući opis je završna riječ Ranka Primorca na hrvatskom jeziku. UZORNI GOVOR RANKA PRIMORCA PRIJE PRESUDE

Prepisao Otporaš.)