Kosovo terror group issues fresh threats

Members of the ANA, an armed ethnic Albanian group in Kosovo the UN has branded terrorist, have spoken again. Members of the Albanian National Army (ANA) say they are "currently focused on the northern parts of Kosovo," where Serbs are a majority and where they will allegedly, following a unilateral proclamation of independence of the province, "attempt to bring in security forces," Tanjug news agency has quoted BIRN, an online publication. Kosovo terror group issues fresh threats "Several armed groups of Kosovo Albanians, with unclear sources of financing, are active in Kosovo and the international security forces are carefully monitoring them for the time being," BIRN editor Krenar Gashi wrote. A man in his thirties identified as Arberi, who claims to be the leader of ANA, explained, "while sipping tea in downtown Pristina," that they are "not fighting for pan-Albanian unification, but to protect the territorial integrity of Kosovo if it is threatened." The group claims to have a "plan of action prepared in the event of an escalation of tensions in Kosovo." ANA leaders claim this can happen "only in the event of a partition of Kosovo, with Serbs getting the northern part of the province, or if there is no proclamation of independence in the more imminent future." "Unless Kosovo politicians proclaim independence by March this year, ANA has a Plan B - they will storm the institutions and proclaim independence instead of them," the armed group's members have announced. The international peacekeeping force in Kosovo, KFOR, "does not consider the ANA organization its ally," Gashi reveals, and adds that, "as does the Kosovo police, KFOR considers ANA a terrorist organization." A KFOR spokesman was quoted in the article as saying that KFOR will "resolutely respond to any attempts at undermining peace and security by any group or individual." On April 23, 2003, the so-called Albanian National Army, which reemerged last year, was branded a terrorist organization by then UNMIK chief in the province Michael Steiner. The decision came after it was determined that the group was behind a bomb attack on a railway in a Serb part of the province on April 12, 2003, aimed at killing civilians. The operation, which involved two members of the ANA and over 60 kilograms of explosives, destroyed the railway bridge linking Kosovo and Serbia proper. The decision taken by the UN administration also meant that members of the ANA can be jailed for up to 40 years. In the fall the same year, the United States Department of State announced that "the Albanian National Army (ANA) has not been designated a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)." In May 2003, however, President George Bush issued Executive Order 13304 to take "additional steps with respect to the continuing, widespread, and illicit actions in the Western Balkans." "The Albanian National Army, which poses a threat to peace and stability in the Western Balkans, was designated in the Annex to that Executive Order. Executive Order 13304 blocks the assets of the Albanian National Army in the United States, or in the possession or control of U.S. persons," a statement at the time read. The order further prohibited U.S. nationals from engaging in most transactions or dealings with individuals and entities, including the Albanian National Army. ANA members pose for photographers in November last year (FoNet, archive)

Kosovo terror group issues fresh threats

"Several armed groups of Kosovo Albanians, with unclear sources of financing, are active in Kosovo and the international security forces are carefully monitoring them for the time being," BIRN editor Krenar Gashi wrote.

A man in his thirties identified as Arberi, who claims to be the leader of ANA, explained, "while sipping tea in downtown Priština," that they are "not fighting for pan-Albanian unification, but to protect the territorial integrity of Kosovo if it is threatened."

The group claims to have a "plan of action prepared in the event of an escalation of tensions in Kosovo."

ANA leaders claim this can happen "only in the event of a partition of Kosovo, with Serbs getting the northern part of the province, or if there is no proclamation of independence in the more imminent future."

"Unless Kosovo politicians proclaim independence by March this year, ANA has a Plan B - they will storm the institutions and proclaim independence instead of them," the armed group's members have announced.

The international peacekeeping force in Kosovo, KFOR, "does not consider the ANA organization its ally," Gashi reveals, and adds that, "as does the Kosovo police, KFOR considers ANA a terrorist organization."

A KFOR spokesman was quoted in the article as saying that KFOR will "resolutely respond to any attempts at undermining peace and security by any group or individual."

On April 23, 2003, the so-called Albanian National Army, which reemerged last year, was branded a terrorist organization by then UNMIK chief in the province Michael Steiner.

The decision came after it was determined that the group was behind a bomb attack on a railway in a Serb part of the province on April 12, 2003, aimed at killing civilians.

The operation, which involved two members of the ANA and over 60 kilograms of explosives, destroyed the railway bridge linking Kosovo and Serbia proper.

The decision taken by the UN administration also meant that members of the ANA can be jailed for up to 40 years.

In the fall the same year, the United States Department of State announced that "the Albanian National Army (ANA) has not been designated a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)."

In May 2003, however, President George Bush issued Executive Order 13304 to take "additional steps with respect to the continuing, widespread, and illicit actions in the Western Balkans."

"The Albanian National Army, which poses a threat to peace and stability in the Western Balkans, was designated in the Annex to that Executive Order. Executive Order 13304 blocks the assets of the Albanian National Army in the United States, or in the possession or control of U.S. persons," a statement at the time read.

The order further prohibited U.S. nationals from engaging in most transactions or dealings with individuals and entities, including the Albanian National Army.