Prosecution: KLA killed Albanian woman

Prosecution: KLA killed Albanian woman

After the interrogation, he claimed he ordered that she be released. According to the prosecution, Sanije Balaj was killed after the interrogation.

On June 13, the prosecution amended the indictment against Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj to include a paragraph describing the murder. As alleged, Sanije Balaj was arrested by the KLA on August 11 or 12, 1998, on suspicion of collaboration with the Serbian authorities.

She was brought to the KLA headquarters in Barane village, where she was questioned by a KLA commander, Cufe Krasniqi, and then taken to the KLA headquarters in Glođane. She was escorted by Avni Krasniqi and Idriz Gashi. The prosecution alleges that Haradinaj was the commander of the KLA headquarters in Glođane.

Sanije Balaj was killed en route to Glođane. The prosecution alleges she was shot by Idriz Gashi, who then buried her body together with Avni Krasniqi. The body was then dug up by Idriz Balaj, the second accused in this case, who took it to Glođane. In September 1998, Sanije Balaj’s remains were found in the Radonjic lake canal, together with the bodies of several Serbian and Albanian civilians.

In his testimony Krasniqi admitted he questioned Sanije Balaj. He said he did it “in a professional manner” and in less than five minutes. He then ordered her to be released and taken home, he said, not to be taken to the Glođane headquarters to be questioned again about her alleged collaboration with the Serbs.

Three KLA soldiers were supposed to carry out the order: Avni and Iberi Krasniqi and Idriz Gashi. The witness thinks they should be asked about what happened later. Idriz Gashi is currently on trial in Priština for this crime. Cufe Krasniqi was among the suspects in the case.

As the trial continued, the witness was cross-examined by Ramush Haradinaj’s defense counsel. He tried to prove that the KLA did not have any formal structure in the Dukagjin area until June 23, 1998, when his client was elected the commander of the area.

Yet, according to the defense even once the formal structure was in place, it did not function de facto, because it was impossible for the units to communicate in the area. The witness agreed with the defense counsel’s suggestions.