Çoçaj: Ferat Shala asked me to join SHIK, probably the director was Kadri Veseli

(Updated, 10:55 a.m.)-Witness Nezir Çoçaj during his testimony in The Hague said that he was asked by Ferat Shala to join the Kosovo Intelligence Service (ShIK), and that according to him its director was Kadri Veseli .

"Mr. Ferat Shala", the witness answered when asked by the prosecutor Vega Iodice, adding that this invitation was made to him in 2001.

Çoçaj said that he does not know the reason why he was asked to do such a thing, but that according to him, Shala had told him that they are interested in establishing this organization and that they must find people, reports "Betimi per Drejësi".

"He came and talked to me, "we are interested in establishing or will establish the SHIK organization and we are interested in finding people", said Çoçaj.

He was also asked who he thinks gave Ferat Shala this task of finding people.

"I think it's from the director, "I have the responsibility to talk with you, to select people. Surely, at that time it was Mr. Kadri Veseli", he said.

According to witness Çoçaj, Ferat Shala was a member of the KLA and operated in the Operative Zone of Drenica.

He said that Shala was nicknamed "Pellumbi" during the war.

That was the end of the prosecutor's questions about this witness to continue with the other defense teams.

Nezir Çoçaj begins the testimony in the trial against Thaçi and others

The witness Nezir Çoçaj, who was a member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in the Pashtriku area, has begun testifying at the Kosovo Specialized Chambers (DhSK) in The Hague. Çoçaj is the 104th witness in a row in the trial against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selim and Jakup Krasniqi.

This witness was under protective measures, but these measures have been removed, while he is now being interrogated by the ZPS representative, the prosecutor, Vega Iodice, reports "Oath of Justice".

According to the summary read by prosecutor Iodice, the witness will tell what he saw and observed in the MUP building in Prizren during June 1999 as a member of the KLA.

"Witness 04679 is a Kosovo Albanian who joined the KLA in the period March-April 1998. During this period with the KLA, he helped organize the KLA in his territory and later joined the Pashtrik Operational Zone. The witness gives evidence regarding the structure and organization of the KLA, including the Pashtriku Area, the communications he had with the members of the General Staff of the KLA and what he saw with his own eyes and what he observed in the former the MUP building in Prizren in June 1999", said prosecutor Iodice.

A building which was presented to the witness, he said that he visited during June 99 and it is the dormitory building in Prizren.

It is worth noting that according to the president of the trial body, Çoçaj's testimony is expected to last about a day. According to him, the Prosecution has submitted that they need about an hour and the defense teams about four hours for their counter-questions.

"I was the commander of the Pashtrik Zone", said Çoçaj.

He said that the KLA also used the army house and the school for the deaf and dumb in Prizren.

Regarding Samedin Xhezair, he said that he was a member of the KLA and specifically of the 125th brigade.

Thaçi's defense, through the lawyer, Nina Tavakoli, said that he does not expect to hear this question about this witness, similar to that of Rexhep Selim, Eric Tully. Meanwhile, Krasniqi's defense said that he needs less than he predicted.

In material evidence, the earliest statement of the witness as well as the preparatory note together with the accompanying materials were accepted and classified as confidential.

The photo of the dormitory building in Prizren was also admitted into evidence.

It is worth noting that all the accused are present in the courtroom.

Otherwise, on September 30, 2022, the Office of the Specialized Prosecutor submitted the confirmed and amended indictment against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, which consists of ten counts, where the latter are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On April 29, 2022, the Office of the Specialized Prosecutor submitted an amended indictment against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selim and Jakup Krasniqi, where it is claimed that the four accused also committed war crimes in Gjilan, Budakovo and Semetishte.

On November 9, 2020, in their first appearances, Jakup Krasniqi and Hashim Thaçi pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. Veseli stated the same in his appearance on November 10, as did Rexhep Selimi on November 11.

The indictment against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi was confirmed on October 26, 2020. /Oath for Justice/