Nine people were arrested early this morning in the area of the municipality Zubin Potok on suspicion of having committed a war crime against the civilian population, announced the Special Prosecutor’s Office of Kosovo and the Kosovo Police. The action was carried out under the code name “Dossier 23” and is connected to the case known as “Group of Intellectuals”, he announced KoSSev.
According to the announcement, the action was carried out by the Kosovo Police Directorate for the Investigation of War Crimes with the support of other specialized units, by order of the Special Prosecutor’s Office. So far, the identities of those arrested have not been released, nor have details about what each of them is charged with individually.
The Special Prosecutor’s Office and the Kosovo Police stated that they will publish additional information about the operation and the actions taken when they can be made available to the public.
The investigation has been going on for months.
Today’s arrests followed a months-long investigation into war crimes in the area of Zubin Potok.
At the end of July and beginning of August, M. J, MB and JR were arrested in that municipality on suspicion of committing war crimes against the civilian population. The Kosovo institutions then announced that the investigation was connected to the discovery of remains at several locations in Zubin Potok.
In the meantime, R.K was also arrested on September 3, and the Kosovo police announced the following day that the case refers to the event in Mala Kaludra on April 19, 1999.
During the excavations, which have been carried out since the end of July at three locations – two in Mala Kaludra and one in Jabuka – remains were found that were estimated to belong to at least 23 people. According to the summary report of the Kosovo Government Commission for Missing Persons, the remains of at least 13 people were found in one location in Mala Kaludra, at least four in Jabuka, while at least six more were found in another location in Mala Kaludra.
The number of persons found coincided with the number of members of the so-called “Group of Intellectuals”, 23 Albanians from the area of Mitrovica and Srbica who disappeared on April 19, 1999. Kosovo institutions, however, previously emphasized that the connection with specific missing persons can only be confirmed through DNA analysis.
DNA confirmed the identity of three people
The first results of the DNA analysis were announced last week. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti then stated that the first three reports of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) had been received, which confirmed the identities of the three people whose remains were found at locations in Mala Kaludra and Jabuka.
A few days later, Kuštrim Gara from the Government Commission for Missing Persons announced that Idriz Recaj, Saljim Meziju and Adem Beqiri (Beqiri) had been identified, stating that their remains were found in Jabuca. According to the Kosovo institutions, all three are connected to the “Group of Intellectuals” case.
The discovery of the remains and their connection with the “Group of Intellectuals” are currently part of the investigation, while the responsibility of the specific arrested persons will be decided in further criminal proceedings.
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