Kosovo detains, extradites former commander to Hague

By Eren Beksac and Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - A former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), who is also a former member of parliament, was detained Tuesday on suspicion of "obstructing justice" and transferred to the Special Prosecutor's Office at The Hague, according to his lawyer.

Haxhi Shala was detained Monday at his house in Banje village in the Malisheva municipality, said Cevdet Smakici.

Shala was taken to the European Union's Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) near the capital, Pristina, to be interrogated before being transferred to the Kosovo Special Chambers and Special Prosecutor's Office in the Netherlands, according to Smakic.

"Shala is suspected of obstructing the course of justice and obstructing witnesses," said Smakici.

No statement has yet been made by the court.

- Kosovo Special Chambers and Special Prosecutor's Office

The special court and prosecutor's office, also known as Kosovo Special Chambers and Special Prosecutor's Office, were established in 2011 at The Hague but operate under Kosovo law.

It was established to investigate and prosecute war crimes allegedly committed in Kosovo between 1998 and 2000 and consists of international judges and prosecutors.

The prosecutor's office had invited dozens of former KLA members to testify since the beginning of 2019.

The first indictment against KLA commanders, former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, Jakup Krasniqi, Kadri Veseli and Rexhep Selimi, who are on trial in detention at The Hague, was approved Oct. 26, 2020.

It was claimed that those mentioned in the indictment were responsible for the deaths of 100 victims, while suspects were accused of murder, exile and torture.