Mušan Topalovic
Encyclopedia
Mušan "Caco" Topalović was commander of the 10th Mountain Brigade
in the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Caco was also a smuggler, thief and gangster
inside the besieged capital Sarajevo
. Topalović was also formerly a rock music
ian.
Caco only became a brigade commander because of the confusion of the Yugoslav secession crisis
in the spring of 1992. He managed to form his own brigade while the Bosnian government
pursued a peaceful resolution. His brigade was infamous for rounding up citizens and forcing them to dig defensive positions in his areas of responsibility.
s and took several dozen civilians as hostages. A total of 17 people were killed, in the most brutal ways, on that day by Caco and his men. In the attempt to arrest him: police officers Admir Hebib (1969–1993), Kemal Kojić (1960–1993), Dragan Miljanović (1967–1993), Slaven Markešić (1965–1993), Srđan Bosiljčić (1963–1993), Elvir Šovšić (1974–1993), Hamid Humić (1959–1993), Jasmin Čamidžija (1968–1993), Izet Karšić (1959–1993) and eight civilian
hostages were killed.
Caco later surrendered after receiving guarantees from the Presidency that he wouldn't be killed. He ended up dead.
In the official version of the event issued by the Government, Caco was killed while attempting escape, but was supposedly beaten by Admir Hebib's father, Avdo Hebib, a high ranking commander in the ARBIH and shot to death by the comrades of the dead police officers. Caco's brother Emir, brother-in-law
Behudin and another soldier were arrested and beaten, but were released at the time. Several members of his brigade were later charged with war crimes in Sarajevo courts.
close to the Sarajevo Olympic Stadium. In 1996 under pressure from various groups the Bosnian government revealed the location of his grave, and his remains were exhumed. On December 2, 1996 he was given a war hero's burial which was broadcast on television
and attended by approximately 12,000 people in Sarajevo, mostly members of the Green Berets and other quasi-formal military formations. He was buried in the cemetery for soldiers killed during the war.This was condemned by many veterans and families of fallen ones, as he never fought on a front line nor did any of the men under his direct command.
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
in the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Caco was also a smuggler, thief and gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
inside the besieged capital Sarajevo
Siege of Sarajevo
The Siege of Sarajevo is the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. Serb forces of the Republika Srpska and the Yugoslav People's Army besieged Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996 during the Bosnian War.After Bosnia...
. Topalović was also formerly a rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
ian.
Caco only became a brigade commander because of the confusion of the Yugoslav secession crisis
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
in the spring of 1992. He managed to form his own brigade while the Bosnian government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
pursued a peaceful resolution. His brigade was infamous for rounding up citizens and forcing them to dig defensive positions in his areas of responsibility.
Death
Caco's excesses, brutal crimes against civilians and refusal to have the 10th Mountain Brigade fall under the ARBIH chain of command led the Bosnian government to attempt to arrest him on October 26, 1993. During the operation, Caco and a few of his associates killed 9 police officerPolice officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s and took several dozen civilians as hostages. A total of 17 people were killed, in the most brutal ways, on that day by Caco and his men. In the attempt to arrest him: police officers Admir Hebib (1969–1993), Kemal Kojić (1960–1993), Dragan Miljanović (1967–1993), Slaven Markešić (1965–1993), Srđan Bosiljčić (1963–1993), Elvir Šovšić (1974–1993), Hamid Humić (1959–1993), Jasmin Čamidžija (1968–1993), Izet Karšić (1959–1993) and eight civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
hostages were killed.
Caco later surrendered after receiving guarantees from the Presidency that he wouldn't be killed. He ended up dead.
In the official version of the event issued by the Government, Caco was killed while attempting escape, but was supposedly beaten by Admir Hebib's father, Avdo Hebib, a high ranking commander in the ARBIH and shot to death by the comrades of the dead police officers. Caco's brother Emir, brother-in-law
Brother-in-law
A brother-in-law is the brother of one's spouse, the husband of one's sibling, or the husband of one's spouse's sibling.-See also:*Affinity *Sister-in-law*Brothers in Law , a 1955 British comedy novel...
Behudin and another soldier were arrested and beaten, but were released at the time. Several members of his brigade were later charged with war crimes in Sarajevo courts.
Funeral
Caco was buried in a grave marked N.N.Nomen nescio
Nomen nescio, abbreviated to N.N., is used to signify an anonymous or non-specific person. From Latin nomen, name, and nescire, not to know, be ignorant of. Together, I do not know the name....
close to the Sarajevo Olympic Stadium. In 1996 under pressure from various groups the Bosnian government revealed the location of his grave, and his remains were exhumed. On December 2, 1996 he was given a war hero's burial which was broadcast on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and attended by approximately 12,000 people in Sarajevo, mostly members of the Green Berets and other quasi-formal military formations. He was buried in the cemetery for soldiers killed during the war.This was condemned by many veterans and families of fallen ones, as he never fought on a front line nor did any of the men under his direct command.
See also
- Ismet BajramovićIsmet BajramovicIsmet "Ćelo" Bajramović was a Bosnian soldier and reputed organized crime figure from Sarajevo. During the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and specifically the siege of Sarajevo, Bajramović played a key role in the defense of the city in the early days of the war.Bajramović was born in Sarajevo...
- Ramiz DelalićRamiz DelalićRamiz Delalić , widely known by his nickname Ćelo is known as commander of 9th Mountain Brigade in Sarajevo, and also as main suspect who stood trial before a local court for the killing of Nikola Gardović on March 1, 1992 during a Serb wedding in front of the old Orthodox Church in Sarajevo - an...
- Jusuf PrazinaJusuf PrazinaJusuf "Juka" Prazina was a Sarajevan gangster and paramilitary warlord during the Bosnian war.A troubled teen, Prazina's youth allegedly contained numerous stays in various jails and correctional facilities of the former Yugoslavia...
- Kazani Expose - BH Federal TV - Youtube Clip (In Bosnian/Serbo-Croatian) - WARNING:Contains Graphic Footage