Office Witness: The event in Rahovec sʹ concerned the General Staff

While discussing the event in Rahovec, in which there was fighting and allegedly several Serb civilians were kidnapped, the Office said it had nothing to do with the Kosovo Liberation Army General Staff.

The Witness is being questioned by Selimi's lawyer, Geoffrey Roberts, who focused on the Rahovec event, about what the office said when it was already there, reports “JusticeBettim“.

He also said neither he nor Selimi were aware of this plan before fighting in Rahovec.

Roberts then asked the witness whether it is right to say that the discussion that could be carried out regarding the theoretical possibility of developing operations was far from the actual development of an operation at the time. For what, the witness answered yes, correct.

Asked whether members of the General Staff or the Operational Directorate were of the opinion that this was not something the KLA could do at that time.

“Yes, I talked in the conversation we had at the Operative Directorate at the time, were in the same opinion that the units are not available to operatives for these actions and should be worked on in this direction”, the Office said.

“ (It was the opinion) of Mr. Selim, of Bashata, mine, Agim (Cleigh), who were in this director and we worked together”, he said.

Roberts went on to tell the witness that for the SPS he had said that when he went to Rahovec they were told that the fighting was not initiated by the General Staff, but by local headquarters itself.

Similarly, the witness had stated that after going to Rahovec, someone had told him that the initial shares had been taken from Rahovec's local staff, and the deputy commander of this staff was called Victorão, but that his real name was Gizim Mubals.

Roberts went on to quote what the witness for the SPS had said, which in turn explained that he had shown that a Victorı along with a group of soldiers had entered Rahovec to visit the family but had been discovered by Serb forces in the city and that they were surrounded.

He then explained that according to his witness, he was told that other local stations of Rahovec were participants, which were later expanded, asking for help from other entities.

These words that were told him about this event, the Office Witness said he could not doubt their truthfulness.

I can't doubt it. I've also asked the command of the local staff to be with them, and then I've proven this from the conversations of these other colleagues of this headquarters, and so I don't doubt”, the Office said, adding that they had explained this to the members of Rahovec's local staff how they started fighting there.

The office also added that after the war, when he spoke to some members of that Staff's command, the same words have been spoken to him each time.

Besides, he added that there were major Serbian forces during this time, including infantry and atheism, which were forced by many Albanians to leave Rahoveci.

It's roughly, it's only inside it before it starts it's close to a thousand troops inside of Rahoveci as a whole as a municipality and it's coming from other entities. From the direction of Gjakova and Prizren, it is estimated that another 1,000 have arrived. Generally, about 2,000 troops have been in charge of the attack with their weapons and with the conveying of heavy artery or heavy weapons used at that time”, the Office said away.

The office office said it is the fact that it had seen Rexhep Selimi and Sokol Bashata helping establish the defence lines. He said it is correct to say it was Selimi who informed him of what they were trying to do.

We've been there for a few days until we've strengthened the line of defense. We actually have four or five attacks by Serbian forces that are trying to penetrate this front line. They could say that four days or five good ones we've been, don't even more”, the Office said away.

According to lawyer Roberts, the witness told Z. The SP, who did not know that Serb civilians had been captured during this time because it had been on the front lines and had no time to look at these things because it had to go to other front lines as well.

“Yes is very precise”, the witness replied, stressing that they did not have any such information.

Roberts also announced that his questions are expected to end before lunch break.

At the beginning of the session, the chairman of the court, Charles Smith III, issued a oral order regarding a list of material evidence that the SPS had asked to change, while Thaci's defense had ruled out.

The trial “Trup recalls that on May 24th, 2024 we informed the parties and participants that would issue a procedural decision on the SPS's request to change Thaci's list of material evidence and on Thaci's defence request for exemption of materials. After the Court of Appeals' panel made its decision on issues stemming from the judge's decision authorising investigative measures. The Court has noted that the Court of Appeals panel has made its decision on July 4, 2024. The court recalls that Selimi's defence, the defence of Wessel, Krasniqi's defense have requested a definition of information hearings to make the presentation according to the 138 rule concerning the material in question and at the request of the SPS and Thaci's defence”, Smith III said.

In this regard, Charles Smith III set the deadlines for when the defense should make his own statements as well as when the SPS should make its answers to these statements.

If the defence wants to present its statements regarding this decision by the Court of Appeals panel, the defence is commanded to do so no later than July 16, 2024; any response to these statements should be made no later than July 22, 2024. Other solutions will not be accepted. That's where he ends the command with his mouth”, Smith III said.

Thaci's lawyer, Misetic, demanded clarification if Thaci's defense will be included, but the judge spoke without a microphone and was not heard.

At this hearing, all the accused are present in the courtroom.