EU probe finds Kosovo fighters committed crimes against humanity
- 10 years ago
An EU probe has found that senior members of the Kosovo Liberation Army committed crimes against humanity, its lead investigator said on Tuesday.
Clint Williamson, chief prosecutor of the European Union Special Investigative Task Force, said he and his team had found evidence of unlawful killing, abductions, ethnic cleansing and sexual violence.
He also said there was some evidence of people being killed to have their organs harvested and sold.
“I think, as I said, handful was meant literally, 10. I have discussed this with Dick Marty, I think the information that we have is consistent with what he was able to collect, and so that’s the approximate range of the number,” he told reporters in Brussels.
Williamson’s findings fit with those from a similar investigation by Swiss politician Dick Marty.
In that 2011 report, Marty named current Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci as being involved.
But Williamson declined to give any names, or say whether those people were still active in politics.
He also cited concerns over witness intimidation.
“It’s fair to say that there are very strong indication that efforts have been made to intimidate or otherwise to influence individuals who are witnesses or potential witnesses to this case,” the American investigator said.
The EU backs a special tribunal to try former Kosovo Albanian guerrillas accused of harvesting organs.
It is set to based in the Netherlands where it should hear its first cases next year.
Clint Williamson, chief prosecutor of the European Union Special Investigative Task Force, said he and his team had found evidence of unlawful killing, abductions, ethnic cleansing and sexual violence.
He also said there was some evidence of people being killed to have their organs harvested and sold.
“I think, as I said, handful was meant literally, 10. I have discussed this with Dick Marty, I think the information that we have is consistent with what he was able to collect, and so that’s the approximate range of the number,” he told reporters in Brussels.
Williamson’s findings fit with those from a similar investigation by Swiss politician Dick Marty.
In that 2011 report, Marty named current Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci as being involved.
But Williamson declined to give any names, or say whether those people were still active in politics.
He also cited concerns over witness intimidation.
“It’s fair to say that there are very strong indication that efforts have been made to intimidate or otherwise to influence individuals who are witnesses or potential witnesses to this case,” the American investigator said.
The EU backs a special tribunal to try former Kosovo Albanian guerrillas accused of harvesting organs.
It is set to based in the Netherlands where it should hear its first cases next year.