Sopi says there has been political divisions between KLA and LDK

That statement, Sopi did when asked by Jakup Krasniqi's lawyer, Shymala Alagedra whether there is any policy behind it U n CK that those in LDK were considered co-bortionists, reports “Justice Vow”.

“In the area where I have acted, there is no political divisions and there is no policy but the liberation war, and there is no political disagreement between the ranks of the Kosovo Liberation Army. Everyone is behind for party and politics the fair liberation war and the liberation of our country”, the witness said.

Sopi said it is true that a large part of the KLA members were members of the LDK in the area where it operated.

Additional questions were repeated by the prosecutor, as were the court represented by Judge Christoph Barthe.

In the judge's questions, the witness said he is still chairman of the War Veterans Organisation for the Pristina branch.

So completed the testimony of this witness. The hearing went on vacation for 30 minutes to prepare for the 99th witness hearing.

Sopi: KLA has been a volunteer army, unable to have order and discipline

(altering, 13:05 p.m. ) Witness Fatmir Sopi said at The Hague today that the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK) was a volunteer army, and there has been no possibility of order and discipline.

That statement, Sopi did by answering Hashim Thaci's defence questions, represented by lawyer Sophie Menegon.

The Kosovo Liberation Army was a voluntary army, its source in the people. It was as a result of the centuries-old suffering of our people under captivity, and the Kosovo Liberation Army is the largest project of Albanians following Albania's declaration of independence, which with its fair and liberation fight won the support of our entire democratic world, our people, from the United States, the United Kingdom and the states of the European Union. With its fair fight, the Kosovo Liberation Army enabled the liberation of our country”, Sopi said.

His word was interrupted by the chief judge, warning him that he should respond briefly with a yes or no.

Sopi said that prior to the creation of 153 Brigade, which happened in February 99, they didn't need to take orders from someone but acted depending on the situation.

He claimed that it was possible for those who wanted to be locked up in the army to buy their own uniforms.

The witness said that there is no information about whether in the area where he was working, someone had army uniforms but that they were not part of the KLA.

The Kosovo Liberation Army has not been able to have the order and discipline that NATO armies today have because it is based on its voluntary state and soldiers who have attached to it are fully to their will and without any person from anyone”, Sopi said.

The witness said there was the LDK facility in Zlace, which had good co-operation with the KLA and in particular the evacuation of the civilian population.

He said the LDK representative was his brother, who was also part of the KLA until the end of the war.

So did Thaci's defense questions about this witness. Kadri Wessel's defense, represented by lawyer Ann Rowan, said they have no questions. As a matter of question continued, Rexhep Selimi's defense, represented by lawyer Eric Tully, continued.

Tully asked the witness about his brother, for whom Sopi said he was before the war, during it and after its end in the LDK.

Tully's questions were brief and then with questions continued the protection of Jakup Krasniqi represented by the lawyer, Shymala Alagedra.

Witness Sopi calls Hashim Thaci a living hero

(Updated, 12:10) -During his testimony at The Hague, witness Fatmir Sopi has already called the already living hero accused by the Special, former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci.

He made this statement when asked by the prosecution to identify the people seen in a photograph.

The honoured “, our living president-hero Hashim Thaci and his arm, I see our respected commander, Rrustem Mustaf”, Sopi said, showing that in that photograph except Thaci and Remi, he and Salih Mustafa were himself.

The Witness said that it was the preparation session when he first saw this picture. He claimed it could have been done after the war.

Prior to that, several photographs were presented to him, who in one of them said that he himself is sitting on his side, Salih Mustafa. He then said that there are also Agron Xhemajli present. Another person said that he cannot remember who he is.

In another photo that was presented, the witness identified himself, Salih Mustafen, Shemsy Syla and Ahmet Isufi.

The Witness said that he doesn't know the time when it's fired and he doesn't remember the place but he probably said in Dallas.

The Witness claimed that he had a training center in Zlata during the war.

“Yes, at the Zlaash school”, the witness said.

He added that he taught at that school for eight years before the war began, at the time when teachers were excluded from the education system because of the regime.

“Brigda 153, its command for a long time has been in my” house, Sopi said, adding that this brigade had the code calling “Buna” during the war.

He said he didn't know how to set the call codes for the KLA unit, but that “Buna” was their code.

Sopi was asked if there were any people in Brigade 153 who contacted the media.

There were no individuals assigned to contact the media. No. We haven't had any information systems under the brigade. Of course I won't communicate with the media because we never had contact with the media.

Sopi said this brigade was under the responsibility of the Llap Operative Zone. The Witness was seen stating that if there were war developments from this brigade, it would be ZO and Lip that would communicate with the media.

The Witness said that in the area where he acted, they have not had the opportunity to organise civil protection for reasons that have been directly invested in military operations.

We have no space to deal with civil protection organization. The only organisation that has played the role of civil protection and the supply of 153 Brigades has been logistics-the logistics system at which the hero Ismet Aslani was”, the witness said further.

Fatmir Sopi said he has been aware that there have been civil protection facilities in the Llap Operative Zone, but that there has been no access to their organisation system.

Sopi was asked if he fought with other units along with his unit during the war.

In the great offensive of April 18, 1999, when the major military and paramilitary forces were attacked on four sides of our unit and the civilian population that was under our protection, those fighting were all involved in the 153 Army unit, all the units of the Operative Zone that were present in our region, as well as the guerrilla unit of BIA”, Sopi said.

A document was presented to the Witness asking if he knew the people mentioned in the document.

Fatmir Sopi said some of them knew them, but not everyone. The prosecutor demanded that this document be accepted in material evidence, which he opposed.

On the other hand, the chairman of the court refused to accept this document, adding that there is no survey.

“The KLA units that have under the 153 Brigade have been from Gollaku”, the witness said, among other things.

So the prosecution's questions about this witness ended, as well as the session passed on vacation for 30 minutes to return later with defence questions.

ZPS to Fatmir Sopi: He's a former KLA member, I'll talk about the ZO Lip reporting lines

(altering, 11:05 p.m. ) -Cezary Mihailzcuk, who represents the Specialised Prosecutor's Office (ZPS), said witness Fatmir Sopi is a former member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK) who will speak today in The Hague, among other things, about the reporting lines at Llap's Operative Zone (ZO).

This prosecutor said while reading the summary of this witness, adding that Sopi was also deputy commander of Brigade 153..

“Fatmir Sopi was keyed in the KLA at the beginning of 98. He has been engaged in organising KLA structures in the Gollaku region, within the Lyp Operative Zone he has been an important person in creating 153 “Fehmi Ldrovci”. In February 1999 he was appointed commander of Brigade 153, responsible for protecting civilians. Later, in mid-April 1999, he was appointed deputy commander of the Brigade and has participated in fighting Serbian forces. Mr. Sopi has been in the brigade as the deputy commander of the Brigade until the KLA's debilisation moment in September 1999. Mr. Sopi provides information regarding the formation, training structure and operations of the 153nd Brigade, other KLA units operating in that area, including BIA, reporting lines at the Lapi Operative Zone and KLA locations in that region”, the prosecutor said.

Before that, all evidence given before the authorities of justice was accepted in material evidence.

In a document, the prosecutor asked the witness what height 1, 2, 1, 0 would mean. He said he spoke of oversea altitude in the village of Zlata, where there was the 153-foot 15-three-foot brigade command.

Then a video was released to the witness, which he said was shot in the New Kolovica district where the ZO Lap Staff was located.

He said this video was shot after the war ended and KFOR forces entered Pristina.

This is what I saw with excitement, because it reminds me of the KLA spokesman, the man who gave voice and soul and heart to every warrior in our liberation fight, the honoured Jakup Krasniqi, who in the quality of a ministry, pays a visit to the House of the Operative Zone of Lip”, Sopi said further.

Sopi said the person who looks at the video by greeting Jakup Krasniqi is the commander of ZO of Llap, Rrustem Mustafa-Remi.

Videos were accepted in material evidence along with accompanying materials.

The witness said commander of the Karadaku Operative Zone was Ahmet Isufi, while his deputy was Semsi Syla.