Pristina court extends custody of terrorism suspects

PRISTINA - The Basic Court of Pristina has extended by two months the detention of 32 terrorist suspects, and ordered six suspects to be placed under house arrest, media from Pristina reported Wednesday.

All these persons are suspected of having committed an offense of recruiting, organizing and being involved in terrorist groups, and the decision to extend their detention came from judge Vehbi Kastanjev of the Pristina court.

Most of the arrested extremists took part in the wars in Syria and Iraq where they were members of the terrorist organizations Al-Nusra and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and the police was following their movements and activities for two years.

On August 11, the police conducted an operation involving 60 sites across Kosovo and arrested 40 people suspected of involvement in conflicts in Syria and Iraq and of supporting terrorist organizations. During the operation, the police took hold of evidence including explosive devices and weapons.

The arrested persons come from Pristina, Pec, Gjilan, Urosevac, Prizren and Mitrovica. They were taken into custody after it was determined that their actions were a threat to national security and the constitutional system.

According to a statement from the police, the conflicts in Syria and Iraq have so far claimed the lives of 16 people from Kosovo.