Terrorism in Serbia

There are memorials across Serbia and Kosovo to commemorate hundreds of people who died during NATO's 78-day bombing campaign against Yugoslavia, which began on March 24, 1999 and is being marked with an official commemoration in Belgrade on Wednesday evening.

The Belgian authorities on Tuesday detained Pjeter Shala, a former Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA member after the Kosovo Specialist Chambers called for his arrest on war crimes charges.

"Pjeter Shala will be detained in Belgium, pending any transfer to the detention facility of the KSC [Kosovo Specialist Chambers] in The Hague," said a statement issued by Specialist Chambers.

Hashim Thaci's defence has filed a motion calling on the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague to dismiss the indictment charging him with committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, and claiming that the court has exceeded its jurisdiction.

Lawyers for the leader and deputy leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans' Organisation, Hysni Gucati and Nasim Haradinaj, accused the prosecution at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague on Wednesday of having a "negligent and contemptuous attitude" that was making the defence's job harder .

Lawyers for former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and three other former Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA guerrilla leaders accused the prosecution at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague on Tuesday of hindering the defence's efforts to prepare its case by not properly disclosing evidence.

Salih Mustafa, a former Kosovo Liberation Army commander accused of committing war crimes, must remain in detention after a judge said he could interfere with witnesses or escape.

Shehu is one of scores of Albanian army officers who joined the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA in its war against the Yugoslav Army and Serbian police and paramilitaries in 1999.

The Kosovo state prosecution told BIRN on Wednesday that it will appeal against Pristina Basic Court's verdict acquitting ex-premier Agim Ceku and 11 co-defendants of abusing their official positions to add people to a government-approved list of Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA war veterans eligible for benefits.

The Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans' Organisation branch in the town of Has said on Tuesday evening that former guerrilla Nezir Cocaj, who is running for re-election as an MP next month, has been called for questioning by the Specialist Prosecutor's Office in The Hague.

Pristina Basic Court on Tuesday cleared ex-premier Agim Ceku and 11 co-defendants, including another ex-minister and several ex-MPs, of abusing their official positions to add people to a government-approved list of Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA war veterans eligible for benefits.