The indictment of the Special Court for former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders also includes the existence of several facilities in the territory of Albania that have been used as prisons for torture, imprisonment, murder, and disappearance of various ethnicities suspected of being informants for the enemy or opponents in the battlefield.
The indictment alleges two bases in the Kukes region used by the KLA, but the Albanian authorities have never accepted this claim. The facilities in question are located in the villages of Nikolic and Vlaha in Has.
Euronews Albania camera traveled to Has to verify whether these objects really exist and whether they were used by the KLA. At the entrance of the city, in the industrial zone, stands out the mechanics' office, which also holds a Memorial plaque.
It is written:
"Headquarters No. 1 was located in this house where the people in charge of the general mobilization of the KLA took over their duties every day. In April, March, May 1999, the mobilization was carried out by order of the General Staff of the KLA."
Euronews Albania journalist, Ermal Hallaçi looked closely at the premises of this building which looks very depreciated.
The owner of the building, who privatized it, Asllan Elezi recounts the difficult months of March-June 1999, when the building was turned into a mobilization base for the KLA, but denies categorically the existence of the prison.
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| Asllan Elezi speaking to Euronews Albania |
Elezi points out that a year ago, Hague prosecutors also visited the facility for verifications.
"When I do not know this, the soldiers do not know either, because there was no prison, in fact, no tortures have been carried out here. Last year those from The Hague came here, three prosecutors together with our prosecutors in order to verify; they called me and I went to the police station for three days, they asked me and then they came to check," Elezi said.
He proves with facts that some of the KLA uniforms and other items are still in the building.
The beds, or even the doctors' room that treated the wounded soldiers, are clearly visible. Even the medicines are still there. Asllan Elezi shows that all items are stored by him only to prove the truth of the KLA war.
"All these are kept and preserved to prove that the KLA was an army left only by that part of the good family members of Kosovo who wanted to take the rifle to fight [for freedom]," Elezi states further.
According to the evidence, more than 12,000 troops were trained in this building, who were then sent to another KLA base in the village of Vlahën. Residents of this village tell Euronews Albania that there was no prison in this area, but only KLA bases. This is confirmed by Jak Jaku, a resident of one of the houses that served as a shelter for soldiers.
"The Hague tribunal seems to me to support Serbia more than the abused, the missing they have massacred," Jaku said.
At the exit of the village, what stands out is an old tower at the entrance of which is written: