‘Loyalty to Comrades’ Lands Kosovo War Veterans’ Leaders in Court

The indictment claims that in the months prior to the leak, the two men made statements calling witnesses who collaborated with the Specialist Chambers "liars, collaborators, and traitors" in an attempt to "undermine and obstruct" the court.

After receiving the leaked files, which included the identities of protected witnesses, they then made public appearances and held press conferences at which "confidential and non-public information was publicly disseminated and discussed", the indictment alleges.

As a result of their actions, witnesses and their relatives were intimidated, the prosecutors claim. "Their safety, privacy, reputations, and livelihoods were threatened," the indictment says.

The leak first became public on September 22 last year, when Gucati announced at a press conference that a package containing more than 4,000 documents had been delivered to the KLA War Veterans Association's office in Pristina, and that it included the names of potential indictees and protected witnesses in cases at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.

Gucati said that a "masked man" delivered the documents, but never revealed any more details about him.

A few days later, Gucati and Haradinaj announced they had received a second package containing court documents. The source of the leak has so far not been publicly identified by the Specialist Chambers.

The two men called on media in Kosovo to come to their office, take the documents and use them, but despite this, no media outlet in Kosovo published any of the contents of the files. Soon afterwards, Gucati and Haradinaj were arrested and sent to The Hague.

Neither man's lawyer wanted to comment on their defence strategy ahead of the trial opening on Thursday and the prosecution...