Kosovo's police

There are two close to the bus station in North Mitrovica, several in Zvecan and others in a village of Zubin Potok.

But while, by law, security cameras directed at public streets should be the sole responsibility of Kosovo's police force, dozens observed by BIRN in three Serb-majority municipalities in the country's north are not apparently under anyone's control.

The pre-trial judge at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, Nicolas Guillou, extended detention for Hashim Thaci ahead of his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the 1998-99 conflict in Kosovo.

Judge Guillou turned down a defence request for the release of Thaci, who was one of the wartime leaders of the guerrilla Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA.

Kosovo's police inspectorate did not make clear on Friday whether or not it intends to further investigate the alleged beating by police of three ethnic Serbs near the border with Serbia, where tensions are high amid continuing protests parked by a dispute between Pristina and Belgrade over vehicle licence plates.

BELGRADE - A group of Russian journalists from theNews Front agency has been detained in Kosovo, the news agency's director Konstantin Knyrik told Interfax.

According to the public opinion survey by the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies, KCSS, which was published on Thursday, 43 per cent of respondents would rather take action to protect themselves than call the police.