The former soldier's testimony begins Kurtesh Foja's KLA, Z SP: He'll talk about how the General Staff worked

In Kosovo Specialised Chambers ( DPSK) in The Hague has launched the 73rd witness testimony of the Specialised Prosecutor's Office, Kurtesh Fofe, which has the W04744 code in the judicial process against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi.

Questions about this witness have begun the SPS representative, prosecutor Matt Halling, who said he will talk about how the General Staff worked. KLA, reports “Justice Vow”.

“Witness 04744 is a former soldier of KLA and will talk about how the General Staff worked KLA”, prosecutor Halling said.

According to the chairman of the court, the testimony of this witness will last about three days and that two hours of them have been separated for representatives of the Special Prosecutor's Office. While defending the accused has indicated that it takes seven and a half hours to counter their questions.

At the beginning of his testimony, this witness was given a map in which he was asked to mark the areas of responsibility of Brigade 123, as well as battalions divided through these areas.

The third battalion has no function and is not the form during the war, but is preempted to act on that order. I've marked it with broken lines because this battalion hasn't worked in this region, but which has been in the plan”, the witness said, later asking them to mark the area of responsibility of Brigade 128, 122.

While for the area of responsibility of Brigade 124, the witness said it was primarily the area of the Rahovec municipality and that the command at that time was Zatrici.

Asked whether there was a general staff or the main command of this witness brigade, the witness said they knew it was a special battalion led by Commander “Guri”.

We have the day we do. It's a special battalion he led by Commander Stone.

While, for Brigade 123, the witness said there has been a special unit inside it that has operated within the framework of the first battalion.

There was a small unit that we called a special unit. It worked within the first battalion within the 123”, the witness said, adding that the name of the one who led him was Krasniqi, failing to hear his name.

He was also asked that the Pacific Zone has been in communication with other operational areas.

In July 98, they haven't figured out operational zones. Maybe it was like a concept on paper, but the funskions weren't funcions. Even for the Postrik area”, the witness responded.

The witness confirmed that at its beginning, the KLA units in the Pattrick Zone reported to the General Staff, but that this area did not function overall until December, when it became commander of Drini.

On the other hand, the witness was asked how communication was carried out between the brigades, which he said is not well aware of.

I was the commander of a platoon in July 1999 and my duty was to prepare soldiers for gun use... As far as organizational matters are concerned, I am not well aware. But as far as I know, communication is realism with the General Staff, mainly with the Bislim Office”, Foday said.

It is noteworthy that all the accused are present in the courtroom except Jakup Krasniqi, who is present through video connection. Also, through the video connection, Judge Christopher Barthe is present in the hall because of transportation problems.

We believe he's coming tomorrow. There's been trouble with the transport”, Charles Smith III told Judge Barthe.

At the beginning of the hearing, the chairman of the court issued several oral orders including the re-launching of some material from confidential to public and was ordered by the SPS to show by tomorrow who will be the possible witnesses to testify after witness 04752.

Otherwise, the Specialised Prosecutor's Office, on September 30th, 2022, has handed over the confirmed amended indictment against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, which consists of ten points of charges, where the latter are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On April 29th 2022, the Specialised Prosecutor's Office had handed over a amended indictment to Hashim Thaci, Kadri Wessel, Rexhepi and Jakup Krasniqi, where four indictees have committed war crimes even in Gjilan, Budakov and Semtish.

On November 9th 2020, in their first appearances, Hashim Thaci's Jakup Krasniqi has been declared innocent of the charges placed on them. Wessel has also been declared in his presentation on November 10th, as has Rexhep Selimi on November 11th.

The incident against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselin, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi is confirmed on October 26, 2020. /Betimy for Justice

Note: The individuals mentioned in this article are considered innocent unless the court finds them guilty with decision of form.