ZPS submits motion in case of former KLA leaders

In the SPS motion submitted on March 10th 2025, the proposed evidence reportedly supports and meets testimony of witnesses and documents that, as facts together, demonstrate the high level of the KLA and Kosovo's Interim Government, including the Dukagjin Operative Zone during the period of the indictment, reports “Betim for Justice“, broadcast Periscope.

According to the SPS, these documents support the facts that KLA members in the Dukagjini Operative Zone acted under authority and, according to the guidelines of the accused, the General Staff and later, according to the Interim Government.

They also claim that these documents show that members of what they call “joint criminal enterprise”, its members, including the accused and some KLA members who were operating in the Dukagjini Zone like Lahi Brahimaj, have shared the common criminal intent they had committed personally and through the structures they had established.

The Dukagjini Operative Zone, according to the SPS, included Decanin, Pec, Gjakova and the Istog municipality of Kline. According to them, this area extended to Albania's main supply route, and for that reason it was a strategic area important for both opposing forces ( U n CK and the Serbian side.

According to the motion, the SPS says the proposed evidence, witness testimony as well as facts show that during the period of the indictment, some KLA members, including Lahi Brahimajn, deputy commander of Dukagjini-Nazmi Brahimajn, Chief of Intelligence- Faton Mehmetajn and Special Unit Commander “Black Eagles” - Idriz Balaj, they identified, they questioned, they threatened, they arrested, they mistreated and killed people they perceived as accomplices.

In addition, the prosecution claims that similar actions did these persons to LDK members, FARK, Serbs, Roma and other persons in and around Jabllanica, as well as other countries in the area.

The prosecution claims that during the period of the indictment, the accused and other members of the General Staff were present in Jablanica and other locations of the Dukagjin Operative Zone by interacting and giving instructions to these KLA members.

In the motion, the prosecution's evidence reportedly shows that Lahi Brahimaj was commander in Jablanica, as well as acting as a link to the General Staff in the Dukagjini Zone. As for Ramush Haradinaj, they say he was commander of Glogjana's Staff.

Explaining in chronology, the prosecution claims that at the beginning of 1998, especially after the March 24, 1998, attack on Haradinaj's family, headquarters in Jablanica and Glodjan were co-ordinated for expanding and consolidating control over other areas.

As a result, it is said that in late May 1998 Regional Staff of Dukagjin was formed, and during the coming weeks, he held regular meetings by receiving reports and providing instructions for local headquarters. Also, according to the ZPs, these meetings have also been discussed in disciplinary measures and in checking the movements and actions of those perceived as traitors or suspects.

Later, the motion reportedly founded a hospital in Irzniq, where a victim would later die from repeated beatings at the detention center in Jablanice. This Staff, according to the Prosecutor, authorized travel, provided weapons, logistics, and assigned services and transferred soldiers.

In addition, the proposed evidence under the SPS shows that in the spring of 1998, local headquarters in the area reported their work in accordance with their leaders' orders regarding discipline, identification and measures taken against deserters, suspicious persons, spies.

“Taking into account the pace and scope of the KLA's expansion, the creation of the Operational Dukagjin Zone was discussed at Regional Staff meetings in mid-June 1998, and the staff of the Operational Zone Dukagjin was selected at a meeting on June 23rd 1998, which members of the General Staff LahitHAHIMY and Rexhep SELimi (Agron, 10)<x1 were taking part in the motion.

The SPS shows that under the evidence it proposed, the Dukagjin Operative Zone consisted of Commander Ramush Haradinaj. While, according to them, the General Staff was not linked to the proposals and selections of area commands.

However, it is said that after General Staff learned that the officer FARK, Tahir Zemaj was selected to replace Ramush Haradinaj as the commander of the Zone, Hashim Thaci, Rexhep Selimi, Lahi Brahimaj and other members of the General Staff personally intervene and restore Haradinaj to a preliminary position.

According to the prosecution, this meeting took place on September 2, 1998.

While, it is said that the Dukagjini Operative Zone command approved and distributed regulations and policies that accepted the authority of the General Staff and required the identification and punishment of persons perceived as collocationists.

Brigades from 131 to 137 by Z The SP was operational in this area in line with general staff decisions during the period of the indictment, and that the commanders were nominated on the basis of a structural plan provided by this key structure.

The “members of the General Staff, including Recep SELING, were involved in discussions and decisions concerning the appointments of brigade commanders”, said the ZPS motion.

As for the Intelligence Service, Military Police and Special Units in the area, the prosecution says Faton Mehmetaj, in the second Faton Nimonaj and in the third, Idriz Balaj, was in the first governing sector.

“These appointments were announced and approved by General Staff”, the following is said in the SPS motion, adding that they were created under the command of the Dukagjin Operative Zone.

These three sectors, according to the SPS, were responsible for co-ordinating the command of the Zone, brigades, disciplinary measures, strengthening orders, investigations, arrests, detentions, questioning of suspects as accomplices with the enemy and other opponents.

While in the summer of 99, the public sector of the Kosovo Interim Government, KLA Military Police, Intelligence Service members and special unit in the Dukagjini Operative Zone continued the same positions.

The accepted and proposed witnesses illustrate the level of co-operation between these entities and the process of identifying and targeting opponents. Intelligence Services of the Dukagjin Operative Zone produced many written reports, including a series of reports counted by the Intelligence Sector in the Dukagjin Operative Zone, two of which were seized from the home of Rexhepi SELEM”, said in the ZPS motion.

According to the SPS, these reports contained information about events in this area, disciplinary measures, charges and actions against suspects as accomplices with the enemy, members of the LDK, FARK, Serbs, Roma, including banned and abused victims at detention sites in Jablanica, Kukes and Chahan.

This information was distributed, including in Operational Zone Command Dukagjin and Brigades. Thereafter, other actions were taken, including after references written by intelligence services for the necessary “ “measures against the designated opponents. As recorded in the accepted and proposed evidence, these “necessary measures” included the ban, question, mistreatment and execution”, the motion said.

The proposed evidence, according to the SPS motion, contains signatures, reference numbers, seals and signs confirming their official nature.

According to the SPS, a considerable number of proposed evidence involving various time periods have been signed, prepared, and released by the same person or concerned with an individual.

According to them, administrative, operational and intelligence documents follow similar information, often using similar forms or completely standard forms.

A considerable number of the proposed exhibitions are linked and/or backed by witness testimony and other approved and proposed exhibitions”, the prosecution's motion said.

According to the prosecution, most of the proposed evidence has been seized by Serbian authorities by KLA bases and members during and after the period of indictment. Also, some have been seized by SPS to the home of Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi. So according to Z. The SP should accept the proposed evidence.

Otherwise, the Specialised Prosecutor's Office, on September 30th, 2022, has handed over the confirmed amended indictment against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, which consists of ten points of charges, where the latter are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On April 29th 2022, the Specialised Prosecutor's Office had handed over a amended indictment to Hashim Thaci, Kadri Wessel, Rexhepi and Jakup Krasniqi, where four indictees have committed war crimes even in Gjilan, Budakov and Semtish.

On November 9th 2020, in their first appearances, Hashim Thaci's Jakup Krasniqi has been declared innocent of the charges placed on them. Wessel has also been declared in his presentation on November 10th, as has Rexhep Selimi on November 11th.

The incident against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselin, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi is confirmed on October 26, 2020.