Alleged Kosovo Syria Recruiters Appeal for Bail

The men’s lawyers said on Monday that their clients, arrested last week and accused by prosecutors of organizing terrorist acts, should be freed on bail.

“Today we have filed an appeal at the Court of Appeals against the decision [to put our clients] in detention on remand. We expect a decision on the appeal to be taken within the upcoming 48 hours,” said Driton Govori, the lawyer for suspect Ilir Berisha.

Berisha and two other suspects, Jetmir Kycyku and Sedat Topojani, were arrested last Thursday in Kacanik and Han i Elezit - two municipalities in southern Kosovo - for allegedly recruiting Albanians to fight in the war in Syria.

In an operation codenamed “Hit”, the Kosovo police said they confiscated several computers, mobile phone cards, a gas pistol, military uniforms, passports and propaganda material.

The Kosovo Islamic Community has repeatedly called on all fighters from Kosovo in Syria “to go back to their families and the country as soon as possible”.

The Islamic Community has also denounced groups that organize travel from Kosovo to the Syrian conflict zone, stressing that the country “has no youngsters to be recruited by unknown people in the name of Islam”.

The Syrian conflict, pitting forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's government against predominantly Sunni rebels seeking to oust it, began in March 2011.