Prosecutors say Kosovar ex-guerrilla leaders on trial for war crimes tried to influence witnesses

By ZENEL ZHINIPOTOKU and LAZAR SEMINI
Associated Press

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Prosecutors are seeking to restrict visits to three former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders on trial for war crimes, who they accuse of trying to manipulate witnesses and leak confidential testimony. Former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci, Parliament ex-speaker Kadri Veseli and former lawmaker Rexhep Selimi were all top KLA leaders who led Kosovo’s 1998-99 war for independence from Serbia and are now on trial at the Hague. Prosecutors said individuals who had visited he defendants had later approached protected witnesses “attempting to prevent or influence their testimony.” After NATO’s air campaign forced Serbian troops and other forces to withdraw in 1999, Kosovo declared independence in 2008 which Serbia does not recognize.