Yesterday, former State Security (Albanian Intelligence Service) officer Bujar Hoxha passed away following a heart attack. Just a few days prior, Hoxha had made startling revelations on the television program "Inside StoryInside Story", detailing alleged crimes committed by Greek intelligence services.
 |
| Bujar Hoxha speaking on the show "Inside Story" |
Media reports indicate that Hoxha’s death was due to a heart attack, though it remains unclear if hostile foreign services played any role. His testimony on Top Channel was particularly impactful, accusing Greek services of the brutal murder of an Albanian agent.
Insights from "Inside Story", May 22, 2024
The episode highlighted the aggressive approaches faced by Albanian intelligence from neighboring Greece, a country historically known for its expansionist ambitions in Albanian territories.
“Greece operated under a different regime and absolutely had not abandoned their ambitions for southern Albania, or Northern Epirus. Numerous documents reveal the fervor of Greek and Yugoslav intelligence, which sought to collaborate with other powers like the CIA or British secret service,” said security expert Xhavit Shala.
For decades, Albanian intelligence had scant information on the intense espionage activities of Greek intelligence. Counterintelligence structures in Vlora had little success in gathering information on Greek espionage.
“Our greatest aggression came from the Yugoslavs, but the Greeks had a unique approach compared to the Yugoslavs. While the Yugoslavs recruited anyone available without much concern for quality, the Greeks were more selective,” said Bujar Hoxha.
A stack of unprocessed espionage files lay on the work desk. Upon thorough analysis, it was clear that these materials were not suitable for counterintelligence. However, this situation would change rapidly, initiating a hunt for Greek spies.
On September 8, 1985, the body of a counterintelligence agent known by the pseudonym “Arbri” was found by a shepherd in the bushes, inside a sack, nearly decomposed. The agent had been executed in a gruesome manner. According to experts at the time, this was a typical murder by Greek services, eliminating one of Albania’s most distinguished agents.
“They had beheaded him with a sickle and placed the head in a sack, throwing it into a ravine to prevent discovery. His body was found a week later, already decomposing. This showed the Greek intelligence's brutality towards State Security agents,” Hoxha recounted.
The murdered agent had sketched out the structure of Greek intelligence in Albania, a task later continued by another agent named “Zeus.” The State Security in Vlora launched Operation "Bregu" to uncover Greek agents.
“We managed to infiltrate Greek intelligence. Not only did we uncover a network involving ten individuals, but we also identified the most dangerous group known as the famous intellectual group,” Hoxha explained.
Conclusion
The passing of Bujar Hoxha marks the end of an era for those involved in the shadowy world of Cold War espionage in Albania. His recent revelations have shed light on the clandestine battles that took place, underscoring the complexities and dangers faced by those on the front lines of intelligence work.