Z YRTAR: General Wesley Clark confirmed as witness to Hashim Thaci's defence
(8 months ago)Wesley Clark, former Commander of the most powerful military Alliance the world has ever known, NATO, during wartime in Kosovo, has also been officially confirmed as a defence witness in the trial against former KLA leaders in The Hague. The former US general who led the 78-day bombing campaign against Serb army and police targets that were committing genocide against [...]
The former US general who led the 78-day campaign of shelling against Serb army and police forces that were committing genocide against Kosovo Albanians is the most important witness former President Hashim Thaci's defence has brought to The Hague so far to testify in favour of the former leader of the KLA Political Directorate.
Clark was the main actor in NATO's intervention to remove Serbia's regime from Kosovo. For this very reason, his testimony is considered to strongly challenge The Hague Prosecutor's Narrative for “Joint Criminal Enterprise”. Because if the KLA were a criminal organization, as the Prosecution claims, then it itself NATO, which co-ordinated actions with it, would have to be charged with the same “crime”. Clark is expected to remind The Hague that what she's trying to criminalise today was her partner yesterday in a fair fight for liberation.
The former American military is the fifth consecutive defence witness in the trial of former KLA leaders. The first to testify was former US Assistant Secretary of State during wartime in Kosovo James Rubin.
After that, Paul Williams, adviser to the Kosovo delegation in Rambouille, testified. The third was John Duncan, former Clark adviser, and the fourth was Jock Covey, Kosovo deputy prime minister from 1999 to 2001.
Defence Witnesses will be heard by mid-November, eventually by the end of this month. The parties will have until December to deliver the final words in writing, while at the beginning of next year the final decision by the Judges' panel is expected.
In contrast, as of November 5th 2020, there are four former KLA heads KLA leader Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhepi dealt with by the Specialised Chambers for alleged war crimes and against humanity.