Leader of Kosovo War Veterans Pleads Innocent at Hague Court

"I plead not guilty and I am completely not guilty," Hysni Gucati, the leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans' Organisation, told the pre-trial judge during his initial appearance at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague on Friday.

Gucati and the KLA War Veterans' Organisation's deputy leader, Nasim Haradinaj - who made his initial appearance in court earlier on Friday, were charged with obstructing justice and intimidating witnesses after batches of confidential case files from the Specialist Chambers were leaked to them, and both men urged media to publish the material.

Addressing the court, Gucati said that he "protected the defended the threshold of our home and homeland" during the Kosovo war, during which he was injured and is now a military invalid.

"We [KLA members) did not invade Serbia, we are innocent, we are not guilty," Gucati added.

Gucati and Haradinaj were arrested in September after a raid on the KLA War Veterans' Organisation's offices.

The indictment alleges that between September 7 and 25, 2020, "on the occasion of three press conferences and other broadcasted events, as well as through… social media statements, Mr. Gucati and Mr. Haradinaj revealed, without authorisation" lawfully protected information.

It also claims that they identified "details of certain (potential) witnesses".

"Mr. Gucati and Mr. Haradinaj also made disparaging accusations and remarks against (potential) witnesses and repeatedly expressed their intention to undermine the Specialist Chambers," the Specialist Chambers added in a statement.

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers were set up, under pressure from Kosovo's Western allies, to try crimes allegedly committed during and just after the Kosovo war from...