First Instance Court of Serious Crimes

The main opposition party in Albania reacted with outrage after the First Instance Court of Serious Crimes in Tirana on Thursday found former interior minister Saimir Tahiri not guilty of charges of international drug trafficking and association with a criminal organization.

The First Instance Court of Serious Crimes in Tirana found the nine men guilty on Tuesday evening of recruiting some 70 Albanians to fight in the conflict in Syria.

They were convicted of "inciting terrorism" and "recruiting people to carry out terrorist acts".