Indictment Reveals ISIS-Backed Plans for Kosovo Attacks

Bujar Behrami, alias Abu Musab El-Albani - one of six Kosovo nationals indicted for terrorism by the Kosovo Prosecution last Saturday - has been the only one to tell investigators so far about the group's alleged plans to bomb Orthodox churches and clubs in Serb-majority areas, and recruit suicide bombers in Kosovo. 

His statement made to police, earlier in September 2018, reveals details about the group's modus operandi, finances, recruitment and explosives procurement.

Behrami, Resim Kastrati, known as PC Habibi, Gramos Shabani, Albert Ademaj, Leotrim Musliu and Edona Haliti are all indicted with planning attacks and suicide bombings in Kosovo, France and Belgium from December 2017 to June 2018. 

Behrami stated that everything began in September and October 2016 when, through his Telegram account "Abu Musab", he started communicating with a person known as "A1" in Syria.

Graphics: BIRN

"We talked about attacks using Kalashnikovs or explosives and had not yet decided about the target, but I asked A1 to connect me with Rdvan Haqifi [an Albanian ISIS commander] … and after I was connected to Haqifi we agreed that would be good to attack the Israelis at the [football] match planned for later that year," Behrami is said to have stated.

Behrami said the attack plan was to use a drone against the fans of the Israeli team and after that to continue with Kalashnikov rifles.

"I presented this idea to Haqifi and he told me that we should look at the possibility through Lavdrim [Muhaxheri] and should work with people who were ready to be recruited," the indictment quotes Behrami as saying.

Muhaxheri, originally from Kacanik in Kosovo, was the infamous leader of Kosovo Albanian foreign fighters for ISIS.

He was reportedly...