EU-Kosovo Court Acquits MP, Ex KLA Commander of War Crime Charges

Kosovo MP and ex KLA commander Fatmir Limaj has been cleared of war crime charges. Photo by BGNES

An EU-run Kosovo court has cleared Fatmir Limaj, a senior Kosovo politician and three of his associates of allegations, that they tortured and killed Serb detainees during the 1998-99 Kosovo war.

A panel of three judges - two from the European Union and one from Kosovo - dropped the case against Fatmir Limaj, a former commander in the Kosovo Liberation Army that fought a separatist war against Serbia.

Limaj said the verdict proved that the KLA fought "a just and clean fight", as cited by international media.

The case - run by an Italian prosecutor in the 3 000-strong EU rule of law mission in Kosovo, EULEX - was largely based on the testimony of a key witness who later committed suicide.

A UN tribunal also acquitted Limaj of war crime charges in 2005.

Fatmir Limaj is also implicated in a supposedly high-profile corruption case in Kosovo, as two years ago there were raids on Kosovo's transport and telecommunication ministry.

The investigation targeted former minister Fatmir Limaj -- a close political ally of Prime Minister Hashim Thaci -- and the ministry's procurement head, Nexhat Krasniqi.

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