Hague Tribunal
A former Kosovo Liberation Army member and follower of Ibrahim Rugova is testifying as the second witness for the prosecution before proceedings in The Hague against Hashim Thaci, former commander of the ethnic Albanian paramilitary, and three co-defendants.
The protected witness confirmed that KLA leadership took responsibility for attacks on Serbian police in public statements from 1997, and labeled Rugova and his Democratic League of Kosovo as "pacifists" whose time in the fight for an independent Kosovo had passed.
The prosecutors referred to the these statements in their opening arguments as proof that the KLA headquarters, to which the accused belonged, had command and control over the formations that executed the attacks.
Thaci's co-defendants in crimes against ethnic Albanians, Serbs and Roma are KLA headquarters members Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi.
According to the witness' testimony, Selimi advocated armed combat at the funeral of one ethnic Albanian by saying it was time to listen to the KLA because the pacifists could not do any more and because nothing could be achieved with words.
To get full access to all content of interest see our
Subscription offer
Or
Register for free
And read up to 5 articles each month.
Already have an account? Please Log in.