“Commander at KLA”: Special Court Accepts Several Documents for Llap Zone

The Hague Special Court has accepted an amount of related evidence concerning the Llap command zone, through which it aims to witness the chain of command in the Kosovo Liberation Army.

In the ruling published on the official page, the prosecution's motion has been adopted in part, where some evidence has been accepted as a result.

Regarding the importance of the proposed 1-77 evidence, the panel notes that they relate to the KLA organisation in 1998 and early 1999. The panel also notes that (i) the proposed 13th evidence consists of decisions related to the appointment of high-ranking officials in the Llap area, as well as the 151 and 152 brigades (“Named Location”); (ii) Proposed Witnesses 14-20 are made up of individual lists recorded by the KLA in Llap in 1998 (<x3Documents of the census<4>)”, says at the beginning of the decision, Nacionale reports.

The proposed witnesses 30-36 consists of notes, reports and memorandums of the KLA covering the period between June 1998 and April 1999 (“Memorandurame”); (v) proposed evidence 37-41 consists of documents and standardized templates that you use KLA (“Template”); (vi) Proposed evidence 42-54 consists of documents, plans and programmes related to KLA training activities (“Document documents”); (vii) proposed evidence 55-61 consists of documents related to the finances of the Lapi area, possession of arms and supplies, as well as communication codes (“Logistic documents<8>; and (vii) proposed evidence 62-77 is composed of orders related primarily to civil cases (x-8>) further said.

Another amount of accepted documents speaks of a visit that Hashim Thaci, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi had made in the Lapi area.

“Paneli also notes that the prosecution relies on the proposed evidence related to the KLA organisation in 1998 and early 1999 to testify, among other things, that (i) in August 1998, a delegation of the KLA General Staff (“General Staff...” -- including Hashim Thaci, Rexhepin and Jakup Krasniqi -- visited the area of Llap and gave formal written appointments to the members of the Lapi command, including the chairman of Intelligence, Laif Gashi (a); The command of the Llap area held meetings, was responsible for all KLA units in Llap, was often in contact with commanders in other areas and was in contact with the General Staff... (including the accused), making reports and receiving commands, instructions and regulations”, the decision is further said.

Despite not all decisions signed, judges have concluded that they have the KLA symbol.

“Regarding authenticity, the panel notes that, although not all appointments decisions are signed, they have a KLA symbol and mentions a specific date and the Llap area as the authority it issues. Their content and substances also indicate their origin. Furthermore, one of the appointments decisions has the KLA seal and is signed, while nine of them appear to be signed by Llap deputy commander Kadri Kastrati”, the decision said.

Through these documents, the prosecution intends to testify that the KLA has been a regular army with a literal chain of command.