Thaci and others. Specialist accepts new evidence for war zones in Drenica, Shala, Llap and Karadak

The panel of judges in the case of former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders has accepted a series of evidence for three Kosovo operational areas: Drenica Zone, Shala, Llap and Karadaku.

In the pretre published in a less edited version, evidence by the Court's Specialised Prosecutor's Office is said to be related to the structure and organisation of the KLA in the respective areas.

These new evidence was accepted just a month before prosecution witnesses ended in Thaci's case and others, writes Insander.

Drenica Operative Zone

In SPS's accepted evidence, documents are said to be in place for separate units, brigades of decisions issued by the Drenica Zone.

Among them are documents for the Women's Unit under the KLA in Drenica.

In this regard, the panel shows that: 6-9, 11, 13-14, 19, 26-28, 34B-34C, 58-59 and 62 consists of various lists of individuals and soldiers, registration of members, weapons sharing, equipment and fuel use, and assignment in designated areas or units; (i) the proposed exhibition 4 consists of a hand-written cover page entitled “The Military Army of the Women of Kosovo Liberation Orders<2; (i) The evidence proposed by the 5x <3port>, with the title <x> The staff of Drenica's Local Operative Subzone ʹTraining for Women's Unit”; (iv) the proposed 10A exhibition consists of a document titled “The organisational structure of the Formation ʹ Easy Brigade”; (v) the proposed exhibition 12, 29-31, 33-35 and 44 consists of various hand-written notebooks and journals; 62 (vi) proposed evidence 15 consists of a document entitled “The Regitr of kitchen workers (curers, their assistants) and military technical personnel Kazerma Gura and their work schedule”, it is said among other decisions.

The proposed “Prova 32 consists of a collection of handwritten documents, including bills for purchase of food and gasoline, and a list of KLA soldiers; (xii) proposed 34A exhibition consists of handwritten notes referring to a meeting of November 29th 1998 with Brigades 111, 112, 113 and 114; (xii) The proposed evidence 36 consists of a degree for <x1Fejlla Gex> from <3x> Kosovo Liberation Army Military Service School in the Operational Drenica” signed by “Commander Sami Lushtaku<6>”, said among other things.

The court says all these points are important for claims in the indictment, including “infrastructure and the level of KLA organisation, in particular, regarding the existence of the member registration system, training members and logistical supplies in the Drenica Zone; the structure and organisation of the Drenica Zone; the command and control of the KLA's General Staff in the Drenica Zone; the co-ordination and co-operation between operational zones; the roles and authority of, among other things, the Demas, the Symajan and Sami Luku and the alleged existence of the armed conflict at the time of the KLA.<.

Shala Operative Zone

The Shala Zone says that, among other things, the panel has accepted training of the special unit and lists of people who had travelled to Glodjan for weapons.

“Exposess proposed 1-4 consists of documents listing soldiers, training plans and a request to take part in special unit training; 45 (i) proposed evidence 5 consists of KLA service regulations;46 (ii) proposed evidence 6 consisting of a collection of permission to issue gas and oil; (iv) proposed exhibits 7 and 11-12 consist of guard lists and task officers' schedules (v) evidence proposed by the KLA's Operational document in a list of persons who will receive weapons from the 23/CHP commander's command, and CHP/CHOP cases called for UN-CAPCHOP.

The panel aside from the command structure, says the SPS) aims to place “criminal responsibility for crimes; and the suspicious “ “> and opponents, targeted, arrested, detained and mistreated at various locations in Shala's Operative Zone, including some transferred to other areas”.

Karadaku Operative Zone

The panel has accepted from Karadaku's Operative Zone a report by the Ministry of Defense of the Interim Government, weapons issue forms and a report showing events there.

“Paneli further emphasises that SPS is based on the Proposed Exhibitions of Karadaku to demonstrate, among other things, that (i) organisational, logistical and other issues appearing in the Karadaku Operative Zone have been addressed to the General Staff and the Kosovo Interim Government; (i) Karadaku's ZO co-operated closely with the Llap border zone; until April 1999, Karadaku's ZO had military police and established Brigade; ZO commander of Karadaku issued written orders for persons reporting at Karadaku's Command; PGoK municipal structures, public services, municipal services and temporary administrators controlled by Karadaku's ZO”, it said, among other things.

The SPS claims in accepted evidence that Ahmet Isufi issued orders, among other things, banning agreements with the Serbian side, the NATO-led Kosovo Forces (“KFOR”) or any other party.

Also, the evidence is claimed that Karadaku's Operational Zone contained lists, schedules and training materials, food tickets, military police documents and information of persons not considered loyal to the KLA.

Llap Operative Zone

In the material evidence accepted by the panel of judges, a visit Thaci, Krasniqi and Selimi had made in the Lapi area is discussed.

“Paneli also notes that the prosecution relies on 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 Lapi area and gave formal written appointments to the members of the Lapi Command, including the Secretary of Intelligence, Laif Gashi (Gashi); 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”, later said in the decision.

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