Struyer: From my impression, the head of KLA was Hashim Thaci

Witness Hansjeorg Stromeyer said the head of the Kosovo Liberation Army was Hashim Thaci.

He did this statement during today's session, answering the questions of Judge Fergal Gaynoi.

For us if I speak in technical terms, head of The KLA was Mr. Thaci, I don't remember having any doubts about this or anybody telling me it's someone else. I don't know exactly how the hierarchy was organized inside. As I recall, I've never seen any KLA reorganization. I can't remember getting reports of this”, Stromeyer said.

While, he added that Thaci had told him that on issues related to the integration of the police force and so on, it should be addressed with Agim Ceku.

While answering the questions of Judge Christoph Barthe, the witness also spoke of relations the KLA had with President Ibrahim Rugova and with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK).

This gap or this gap that I've noticed was clear to all. I can say I described this at other times. We've felt a kind of situation like this and we're dealing with a political landscape where Rugova was the president in the current area and in some cases I remember that I've heard that Mrs. Tahiri and others from LDK that they were waiting for Rugova and in his absence, I remember that we had the feeling that the LDK was interacting with us, was trying to keep the warm place still, despite the fact that they refused to participate in the KTK at first but how you were like that”, he said.

He said they had the impression that although Rugova had a position, the other LDK persons had the impossible as far as decision-making competencies are concerned.

The KLA leadership was much more consistent. It was pretty clear, but it was also very demanding about the road ahead. This was the situation that the KLA was much more determined and knew in which direction it was going, and as if they were now, they were the party talking about the Kosovo Co-ordination Government”, Stomeyer said.

While, in terms of issues linking with UNMIK's role, Stromeyer said the KLA was the point where they were headed.

The KLA leadership was always the point we addressed with issues involving our further role in designing UNMIK's mandate or UNMIK reality”, he said.

In earlier statements the witness had said they had seen and heard there was fear that the Yugoslav Army could return to Kosovo.

As I recall, when we came from Skopje and went to Pristina, the British protected part of the road in order to board the convoy itself from Skopje, which is directly from Pristina, we did not rule out the possibility that there might be an attack. You didn't just leave the possibility that only the Yugoslav Army could do it, but we saw a lot of people maybe these were Kosovars who were on the street and we went very slowly towards Pristina that the perimeter was making sure of”, Stromeyer said.

He said that despite that, they did not rule out the possibility that KFOR forces would exchange fires with Serb forces on the other side of the Sun Hill.

I haven't personally heard from Mr. Thaci or someone else as far as I remember, I can't remember that we discussed specifically Mr. Rugova. However, after some files I saw I was suggested that we continue with you. In short, however, I have seen nothing say about Mr. Rugova, nor the positive” statement, Strommeer said.

He had also said that after the Yugoslav Army's withdrawal, the wave of revenge and violence against Serbs was not random.

He said it was because of incidents involving Serbs every day, such as theft, fire, etc.

However, it does not rule out the possibility that they were individual-act acts of individual individuals. Our impression was that such incidents were frequent at the time, so it was difficult for returnees to go home. I think it was a systematic” effort, Strommeer said.

He said that although the cases have not been interrelated with each other, the same pattern of crimes was followed.

Responding to Jakup Krasniqi's defence questions through lawyer Aiden Ellis, the witness said he has never been directly involved in investigating crimes against minorities.

Before the court, additional questions for the witness had been posed by the SPS representative, prosecutor, Vega Iodice.

Otherwise, witness Strommeer is expected to complete his testimony tomorrow in the trial of Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselin, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup.