"Ex-KLA Limaj was involved in human organ trafficking"

Fatmir Limaj, one of the former leaders of the ethnic Albanian KLA, was involved in war crimes "that include human organ trafficking". This is according to Serbian deputy war crimes prosecutor, Bruno Vekaric. "Ex-KLA Limaj was involved in human organ trafficking" If Limaj were to leave Kosovo, he would be arrested, Vekaric asserted in Belgrade on Friday. Limaj was also a minister in the Pristina government and is now a member of the Kosovo assembly. He and several other members of the KLA are currently on trial on unrelated war crimes charges. A court in Pristina last week released him from custody and ruled vital evidence in the case inadmissible. Bruno Vekaric stated today that there were "several ways to connect Limaj to the human organ trafficking case". The case pertains to kidnappings in the province in 1999 and 2000 of Serb and other civilians, their illegal imprisonment in northern Albania, and black market trade in their body parts. "His (Limaj's) conversation with his brother is important, when he mentioned acts that included organ trade, and that a certain number of people from Lapusnik were murdered, while others were transported to northern Albania, after which their organs were removed," Vekaric said, and added that the Serbian War Crimes Prosecution will conduct an investigation against Limaj and 28 other suspects, "and if he leaves Kosovo, he will be placed under arrest". According to Vekaric, "Serbia cannot start the process while Limaj is in Kosovo" - but should he leave, "Serbia is counting on other states to react and extradite him". In the meantime, John Clint Williamson was in Belgrade this week, where he met with prosecution officials, Vekaric explained. They discussed the human organ trafficking case on the occasion. In late 2010, Council of Europe (CoE) rapporteur Dick Marty submitted his report on this subject, while Serbia has since demanded a UN-sponsored investigation into the allegations. There has been no agreement on this at the UN Security Council, while the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, in the meantime launched its own probe, and appointed the American to head it. "He (Williamson) was here two days ago, we discussed modalities of future cooperation. We had a similar conversation last year during his first visit," said the deputy war crimes prosecutor. "We know Williamson," continued he, "and I don't believe he would engage in political games to cover up such horrific crimes". Vekaric also stated that the prosecution had "solid evidence" in the Kosovo organ trafficking case. This prosecution official also addressed the decision made last week in Pristina by a panel of local and international judges to dismiss key evidence in the Klecka case and released Limaj from his house arrest. On Friday, a mixed council of the same court decided to send the case to retrial due to "procedural errors". Of the ten defendants, six have been set free, while Limaj and three others will be tried again. Vekaric described the decision last week to release Limaj from custody as "scandalous", and said there were fears that witnesses may be intimidated, adding he was "pessimistic" when it came to the outcome of this trial. As for now deceased witness Agim Zogaj - found hanged in a park in Germany last year, whose death has been ruled a suicide - his testimony, consisting of diaries and statements, was found to be inadmissible by the same panel of judges of the Pristina District Court. Zogaj was an "insider" - himself an ethnic Albanian and former member of the KLA - and his diaries contained such details as prisoners' personal information, reasons and dates of their detention at the illegal prison camp in Klecka, and details about their release, or execution. "It's a dramatic, disarming statement, but it has not been included as evidence. The problem is that it did not surface earlier," said Vekaric, and added that the meaning of any trial is to bring justice to victims and their families - "here, it turns into a political question". Vekaric also said that the way Zogaj died was "controversial", because "such an important witness should be supported and should not be given a chance to kill himself". Vekaric noted that more witnesses in other cases - 41 in all - were either killed or died in various ways, but that the Hague Tribunal denied these deaths were related to the war crimes trials where they testified. Bruno Vekaric (FoNet, file) B92

"Ex-KLA Limaj was involved in human organ trafficking"

If Limaj were to leave Kosovo, he would be arrested, Vekarić asserted in Belgrade on Friday.

Limaj was also a minister in the Priština government and is now a member of the Kosovo assembly. He and several other members of the KLA are currently on trial on unrelated war crimes charges. A court in Priština last week released him from custody and ruled vital evidence in the case inadmissible.

Bruno Vekarić stated today that there were "several ways to connect Limaj to the human organ trafficking case". The case pertains to kidnappings in the province in 1999 and 2000 of Serb and other civilians, their illegal imprisonment in northern Albania, and black market trade in their body parts.

"His (Limaj's) conversation with his brother is important, when he mentioned acts that included organ trade, and that a certain number of people from Lapušnik were murdered, while others were transported to northern Albania, after which their organs were removed," Vekarić said, and added that the Serbian War Crimes Prosecution will conduct an investigation against Limaj and 28 other suspects, "and if he leaves Kosovo, he will be placed under arrest".

According to Vekarić, "Serbia cannot start the process while Limaj is in Kosovo" - but should he leave, "Serbia is counting on other states to react and extradite him".

In the meantime, John Clint Williamson was in Belgrade this week, where he met with prosecution officials, Vekarić explained. They discussed the human organ trafficking case on the occasion.

In late 2010, Council of Europe (CoE) rapporteur Dick Marty submitted his report on this subject, while Serbia has since demanded a UN-sponsored investigation into the allegations. There has been no agreement on this at the UN Security Council, while the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, in the meantime launched its own probe, and appointed the American to head it.

"He (Williamson) was here two days ago, we discussed modalities of future cooperation. We had a similar conversation last year during his first visit," said the deputy war crimes prosecutor.

"We know Williamson," continued he, "and I don't believe he would engage in political games to cover up such horrific crimes".

Vekarić also stated that the prosecution had "solid evidence" in the Kosovo organ trafficking case.

This prosecution official also addressed the decision made last week in Priština by a panel of local and international judges to dismiss key evidence in the Klečka case and released Limaj from his house arrest.

On Friday, a mixed council of the same court decided to send the case to retrial due to "procedural errors". Of the ten defendants, six have been set free, while Limaj and three others will be tried again.

Vekarić described the decision last week to release Limaj from custody as "scandalous", and said there were fears that witnesses may be intimidated, adding he was "pessimistic" when it came to the outcome of this trial.

As for now deceased witness Agim Zogaj - found hanged in a park in Germany last year, whose death has been ruled a suicide - his testimony, consisting of diaries and statements, was found to be inadmissible by the same panel of judges of the Priština District Court.

Zogaj was an "insider" - himself an ethnic Albanian and former member of the KLA - and his diaries contained such details as prisoners' personal information, reasons and dates of their detention at the illegal prison camp in Klečka, and details about their release, or execution.

"It's a dramatic, disarming statement, but it has not been included as evidence. The problem is that it did not surface earlier," said Vekarić, and added that the meaning of any trial is to bring justice to victims and their families - "here, it turns into a political question".

Vekarić also said that the way Zogaj died was "controversial", because "such an important witness should be supported and should not be given a chance to kill himself".

Vekarić noted that more witnesses in other cases - 41 in all - were either killed or died in various ways, but that the Hague Tribunal denied these deaths were related to the war crimes trials where they testified.