Seven imams placed under house arrest in Kosovo

PRISTINA - The Pristina Court of Appeals said on Tuesday that it has placed under house arrest seven imams suspected of having committed a crime against Kosovo's constitutional order and security.

Initially, the Pristina Basic Court remanded the suspects in two-month custody on October 17.

However, the Court of Appeals granted an appeal filed by their defence, deciding to end the custody of the suspects and place them under house arrest until December 17.

Reversing the Basic Court decision, the Court of Appeals said that there are no grounds for the custody of the seven suspects to continue.

While under house arrest, they have no right to leave their homes unless that is necessary to address everyday needs or to handle certain affairs, with consent of the judge in the proceedings, the Court of Appeals said in a statement.

The Pristina media report that Islamic Movement leader Fuad Ramici, who, too, is suspected of having committed a crime against the constitutional order and security of Kosovo, was released from custody on Monday and placed under house arrest.

Previously, the measure of custody was also replaced with house arrest for Sefcet Krasnici, the imam of the Pristina mosque, and four other men suspected of abetting terrorism and crimes against security in Kosovo.

Krasnici was arrested alongside several other imams on September 17 on suspicion of recruiting young ethnic Albanians for the war in Syria and Iraq.

An investigation against extremists and terrorists in Kosovo-Metohija, conducted by prosecutor Blerim Isufaj, has incriminated 57 persons, 43 of whom were arrested in mid-August this year.

According to a statement from the Kosovo prosecution office, most...