A complete of 45 individuals have been charged after dozens of armed gunmen attacked Kosovo police and barricaded themselves in an Orthodox monastery in September final 12 months, setting off an intense daylong gun battle that left three individuals useless.
Three Serbs have pleaded not responsible in a trial that kicked off in Kosovo on Wednesday in opposition to these allegedly concerned in an incursion by armed Serb gunmen in September final 12 months.
In the course of the assault, some 30 Serb gunmen killed a Kosovar Albanian police officer earlier than barricading themselves in an Orthodox monastery in Banjska, a village close to the Serbian border with Kosovo.
The incident triggered an hours-long gun battle that left three attackers useless in one of many worst clashes since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti accused Belgrade of involvement within the incident, saying it was half of a bigger plan to annex a part of Kosovo, for which Serbia needs to be held accountable.
He additionally known as on the worldwide group to press Belgrade handy over the remainder of the gunmen, who retreated again into Serbia following the 12-hour-long standoff.
Belgrade has denied the allegations, insisting that the gunmen acted on their very own.
Controversial businessman charged in absentia
Amongst these charged in absentia is Milan Radoičić, a politician and rich businessman with ties to Serbia’s ruling populist social gathering SNS and President Aleksandar Vučić.
Belgrade stated that Radoičić and the paramilitary group concerned acted on their very own, briefly detaining Radoičić following the capturing on fees together with suspicion of felony conspiracy and illegal possession of weaponry.
Radoičić, who’s below US and UK sanctions for alleged monetary felony exercise, denied the fees. Nevertheless, he admitted that he was linked to the group concerned within the gunfight.
Prosecutor Naim Abazi stated that the defendants, below Radoičić’s command, tried to assist break free the Serb-majority municipalities, notably within the northern a part of Kosovo, and be part of Serbia correct.
Arianit Koci, a lawyer representing the household of the slain Kosovar officer, Afrim Bunjaku, stated he anticipated the three defendants to be convicted based mostly on “irrefutable proof”.
Each EU and US officers have demanded that Belgrade assist carry the perpetrators to justice, calling on each international locations to implement agreements reached in February and March of final 12 months to keep up peace.
These included Kosovo’s dedication to determine a Group of Serb Municipalities in Serb-majority areas, notably within the north of the nation, in addition to Serbia’s de facto recognition of its former province.
The trial was held at Pristina’s District Court docket below tight safety, with the three defendants going through fees of violation of constitutional and authorized order, terror actions, funding terrorism and cash laundering.
If convicted, the gunmen face a most sentence of life in jail.
