Two Albanians in Switzerland charged with financing I SIS, Kosovo corruption

Swiss Journal 24heures. ch, has published an article on two Albanians, one from Kosovo and one from Northern Macedonia, living in Switzerland and suspected of supporting and financing a close group with the Islamic State in Kosovo.

According to the writing, the investigation into them is in the final phase and is considered among the largest anti-terrorism in Switzerland in recent years.

Both suspects, aged about 30, have been held for three years in a prison in Vaud Canton and risk up to 10 years in prison for “participation in a terrorist organisation”.

Their judgment is expected to be conducted at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona on 3 November and 4 November.

One of the suspects, a 37-year-old Kosovar from the Lidon neighbourhood in Geneva, has reportedly led the branch of a group called “Geneva Brothers” since 2015, as part of a larger organisation in Kosovo, “the brothers of the Year”.

The incident describes this group as ideologically close to the Islamic State, with the orientation “salafi-gihaddist”. In Geneva, the group had gathered about thirty followers and contacted young people to join, including a 14-year-old.

The group has reportedly brought to Switzerland some radical Albanian-speaking immas, including Rexhep Memish, who had served as ideological mentor even during detention time in northern Macedonia, and the Jashar stand, who read Islamic State texts during meetings.

Although the number of members was small, less than ten, the “brothers of Geneva” acted with strong structure, regular sessions and full secret discipline. Investigations began several years ago, and microphones were used in 2021 in suspects ' cars to oversee their activity.

The prosecution argues that the “brothers of Geneva” and their Kosovo counterparts formed a single terrorist organisation, which had concealed weapons and bullets in Kosovo in order to establish a forced Islamic state. So far, however, there is no evidence of any concrete acts of violence by the group.

Another member of the group in Switzerland has been financing the twin group in Kosovo.

Between 2016 and 2022, they allegedly transferred 64 thousand to 78 thousand euros, in part for arms purchase and in part to corrupt Kosovo prosecutors to ease the sentences for members of the Islamic State group.

In addition, the two suspects reportedly had self-financed the group through monthly quotas, funds collected at meetings, social security frauds, indented accidents, and inflated Cardi-19 loans./Periscopi/