Romanian Revolution “Battle Log” Declassified

The Log, declassified, is now filed in the “Timisoara Revolution” case tried by the Romanian High Court of Justice.

The document indicates that the communist regime used Securitate officers and special units, infiltrated among insurgents, in a bid to "cast the blame on the army."

"The introduction in several hotspots of military units in mixed teams, together with law enforcement units (Securitate troops, militia, USLA, frontier police), specializing in forceful repressive actions, the infiltration among insurgents of Securitate people who acted with great ability and covertly firing upon insurgents, were methods deliberately used so that the parties responsible for shooting people would be practically impossible to establish, and to cast the blame for a great deal of the events occurring in those days in Timisoara on the army," states one of the conclusions of a report sent to Parliament by the Ministry of National Defense, in 1990, included in the Log submitted with the High Court of Justice.

Another Information report issued by the Ministry of National Defense, compiled by commander Marcu Dumitru in Arad, said he signaled the presence of "unknown military forces" among his troops.

"Among our forces there are signals of unknown military units who were carrying very powerful flashlights and who shined the lights on the balconies, after which they fired on the balconies dressed as civilians. There were signals of Securitate and Militia units on all points where we had troops. We do not know the missions that these individuals were supposed to carry out," the commander reported.

In addition, colonel Nicolae Predonescu reported that “the city of Timisoara, during the revolution, between December 16 and 20, 1989, was characterized by complete oblivion regarding the real situation, amplified by obvious taunting of the army, militia and Securitate, performed by forces unknown to us, visible in turbulence groups that directly attacked people.”

The note on the activity unfolded in Timisoara, between December 17 and 22, 1989, written by general-major Dumitru Ionescu, reveals the same state of confusion.

"Because of the actions of groups of drugged people, organized and fitted with incendiary devices, firearms, knives, stones, ranged stabbing weapons, etc., and led by individuals with outstanding authority and training in such aspects, the situation created was hard to describe and equally hard to comprehend: devastating flames, theft, rumors, terror, chaos, anarchy, explosions, damage and death would rule the population and military forces, on and off, until the morning of December 19."

At the same time, the colonel recounts that on December 17, around 15.00, General Vasilea Milea called him and told him intelligence revealed that "groups of armed individuals were planning to attack the army units.”

"The order was for defense to be made by any means necessary. Fire, if called for, would be executed in accordance with legal provisions: verbal warning, warning shot, fire on the legs."

In the "Battle Log" there are also elements indicating that "the disturbance was caused by terrorist elements serving the interests of capitalist countries.”

Thus, in an analysis on the manner in which events unfolded on December 16 and December 17, the conclusion was that, in Timisoara, "numerous foreign elements were involved, specializing in diversion and terrorism actions. In order to obtain information regarding these elements, special groups were called in from the recon battalion within the Intelligence Division of the General Military Staff."

At the same time, in Timisoara, thousands of Patriotic Guard people were called in from counties Olt and Dolj. Those who arrived by train in the Timisoara-Est station did not get off the train and went back, while those who got off in the Timisoara Nord train station fraternized with the insurgents.

Some of the Securitate officers infiltrated among insurgents were exposed. Such is the case at the 6 Martie Plant, where a group of young workers, with ages between 13 and 18, attacked the military.

At 6 Martie, platoon leader Major Buligescu Stelian was exposed and surrendered to Securitate by major Macri, who, after identifying him, allowed him to return to base. At the car plant, soldier Viorel T. was caught by the workers on site and surrendered to the Securitate officer who sent him back to base, according to the Log, on December 19, at 09.00 local time.

The log containing all military operations unfolded between December 16 and 21, 1989 in Timisoara was submitted in the case where generals Stanculescu and Chitac are tried for genocide, in the High Court of Justice.

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