Authorities in Kosovo have ordered a 30-day pre-trial detention for four Serbian nationals arrested over the weekend in the city of Gjakova, sparking harsh reactions from Serbian officials and the Serbian Orthodox Church.
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| Kosovo police officers |
In addition to the four detained in Gjakova, police also detained 12 other Serbs in Prizren over the weekend. The police suspect these individuals may have links to Serbian intelligence and military structures, as well as connections to the Banjská terrorist group involved in the deadly attack in northern Kosovo in September 2023.
Legal Grounds for Detention
The court in Gjakova determined that the legal conditions for detention were met. Prosecutors stated that the men were carrying knives and other cold weapons, and that their presence near religious sites raised red flags due to the broader security context.
“There is a risk they might repeat the offense or flee if released,” the preliminary court judge concluded, validating the detention decision.
Minister Sveçla: Possible Espionage and Links to Banjská Attack
Kosovo’s Acting Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, commented that some of the arrested individuals were “active officers of Serbian security services.” He further claimed that early evidence indicates the group may have been gathering intelligence on potential targets and that they were in possession of materials connecting them to the Banjská group.
Sveçla revealed that during the vehicle search of the four arrested in Gjakova, authorities found “maps of Kosovo, as well as photographs of terrorists killed in the Banjská attack.” The Banjská case has led to indictments against nearly 40 individuals, including the group’s leader, Milan Radoičić. Only three of them remain in custody in Kosovo; the others are believed to be residing freely in Serbia.
Serbia Reacts: "An Act of Terror Against Serbs"
Serbian officials reacted angrily. President Aleksandar Vučić claimed the arrested individuals were merely visiting religious sites near Prizren and accused Kosovo of targeting Serbs under false pretenses.
“Imagine—among these people, they say, were members of Serbian security services. Then they allegedly found a knife and a broken axe. These items are clearly for private use only. This shows the level of terror that continues against the Serbian people,” Vučić stated.
Serbia’s Office for Kosovo later clarified that of the 12 individuals arrested in Prizren, two (L.S. and S.R.) remain in custody while the rest were questioned and released, returning to Serbia.
Religious Institutions Caught in the Crossfire
The second group of arrests—those in Prizren—took place at the Orthodox Theological Seminary, which prompted further controversy. Minister Sveçla suggested that the group may have attempted to use religious institutions as a cover for intelligence activities, potentially to provoke ethnic or religious tensions.
This statement was strongly refuted by the Diocese of Raška and Prizren, which denounced the allegations as “irresponsible and baseless.” In a statement, the Diocese said, “The Church cannot know the identities of all pilgrims attending religious services or seminars. Any insinuation that our institution was used for cover or to incite tensions is entirely unfounded and not based on concrete facts.”
Ongoing Investigations Amid Growing Tensions
The first court session for the three detained members of the Banjská group is scheduled for April 17, while tensions between Kosovo and Serbia continue to simmer. The latest arrests and the subsequent war of words further highlight the deep mistrust and fragile stability in the region, with both governments accusing each other of provocation and bad faith.