The international district prosecutor Peter Tinsley, who has been conducting the investigation into last month’s drowning of three Kosovo Albanian boys in the Ibar river near the northern Kosovo town of Mitrovica that sparked an outburst of ethnic motivated violence, concluded that responsibility for the tragedy does not lie with the Serbs, RTS reported. Claiming that it detains a copy of the report, RTS reported that Tinsley states that a detailed conversation with the survived boy was not allowed, and his interview to Albanian media caused the unrest. Explaining in his report the conduct of the investigation for which the location of the accident was examined, numerous witnesses examined, and even the dog that allegedly forced the boys into the river was also looked for in the Serb villages, he concludes that it is impossible for anyone to have seen the incident, while witnesses, assessed by the prosecutor as truthful, have not seen anyone chase the boys. Furthermore there is no material evidence or traces that confirm the boy’s story, the autopsy of the drowned boys did not establish traces of a forced death, and the described dog is nowhere to be found in the surrounding places. Tinsley considers “that the offered evidence does not support the existence of a suspicion that a criminal offence had been committed by any individual or individuals.”

RTS has managed to find the secret report by UNMIK on the drowning of three Albanian children in the Ibar River on 16 March. That is a report by the international district prosecutor in Kosovska Mitrovica. In it, the prosecutor clearly concludes that there is no evidence that Serbs are responsible for the drowning of the boys. In the subject that carries the mark 2004 DH038, the international prosecutor Peter Tinsley describes and concludes the investigation on the death of the Albanian boys that served as the reason to Albanians for the crimes perpetrated against Serbs the following day. The prosecutor states that a detailed conversation with the survived boy was not allowed, and his interview to Albanian media caused the unrest. He describes the investigation during which the location of the accident was examined, numerous witnesses examined, and even the dog that allegedly forced the boys into the river was also looked for in the Serb villages. It states in the report that it is impossible for anyone to have seen the incident, while witnesses, assessed by the prosecutor as truthful, have not seen anyone chase the boys. There is no material evidence or traces that confirm the boy’s story. The autopsy of the drowned boys didn’t establish traces of a forced death. The described dog is nowhere to be found in the surrounding places. On the basis of everything, the prosecutor concludes the following: “I consider that the offered evidence does not support the existence of a suspicion that a criminal offence had been committed by any individual or individuals.”

UNMIK Head Harri Holkeri has concealed the report on the death of three Albanian boys in the village of Zupce near Kosovska Mitrovica, after which genocide against Kosovo Serbs occurred, SNC leader for northern Kosovo Milan Ivanovic told Glas, as he found out about the detail of the report from UNMIK’s source. He, thus, confirmed the words of the Head of the CCK Nebojsa Covic that UNMIK banned the publishing of this document. Ivanovic states that the investigation had been completed right after the accident, but that the report will perhaps be published when it is not current any more or when certain political goals are achieved. “It is unambiguously stated in the report that at issue is Albanian propaganda and that there is no way Serbs are to be blamed. Such a report didn’t suit UNMIK Head Harri Holkeri, and that is why he ordered that it be removed,” claims Ivanovic.

The EU foreign ministers have announced in Strasbourg that the recent violence in Kosovo represents a blow that has pushed Kosovo backwards and stressed the responsibility of local authorities for the implementation of democratic standards, which open the door to establishing the position of the Province. The ministers emphasized that the tasks should include the establishment of security, the return of displaced persons, the reconstruction of destroyed buildings and the bringing to justice of all perpetrators of violence. It has been demanded of all the political leaders in Kosovo, especially Albanian ones, to closely cooperate with UNMIK and KFOR with a view to ensuring the safety of members of all communities in Kosovo. In the conclusions on the West Balkans, emphasis was laid on the importance of dialogue between communities in Kosovo and dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. The EU is to support that dialogue and is firmly in favour of a safe and multi-ethnic Kosovo, it has been emphasized in the conclusions.

Some 1,800 Serbs and non-Albanians, out of several thousand expelled in last month’s violence by Albanians in Kosovo, have returned to their regions, the CCK announced. Albanians expelled some four thousand Serbs and non-Albanians from their homes from several parts of Kosovo in the violence on 17 and 18 March, while their houses and apartments were looted and burned. The return depends from the reconstruction of the destroyed houses and apartments, while, on the ground, there are few commenced works on the reconstruction of burned Serb homes, CCK’s Sector for returns stated.

The decision of UNMIK Head Harri Holkeri to approve the establishment of a Kosovo Office for Foreign Affairs and Dialogue is his reward to the organizers of Albanian violence in Kosovo on March 17, the minister in the Kosovo Government, Milorad Todorovic said. Such a decision is not only a reward to the organizers of violence, but it also reflects the lack of unity in the international community’s approach to the solution of the Kosovo problem, especially considering the proclaimed NATO and EU policy, according to which responsibility for the events of March 17 has been clearly transferred to Kosovo PISG, Todorovic believes. According to him, Holkeri is no longer a relevant figure and his counselors are pulling all strings.

An International Crisis Group representative, Alex Anderson, presented in Pristina a report of that organization on the March violence in Kosovo and emphasized that the international community in the province required a new policy. He specified that the new policy should refer to the final status and social and economic development of Kosovo, for otherwise, instability could expand to the entire region. It has been requested of the international community to take actions aimed at increasing the safety of minority communities in Kosovo, especially the Serb community, and to begin preparations for negotiations on the final status of the province. The Serb and Albanian side are called upon to continue the dialogue commenced in October 2003.

American Jennies Biggs, UN peacekeeping force member, would like to return to the province although she was wounded in the recent shooting in Kosovska Mitrovica. Biggs is one of the 11 wounded, when the Jordanian policeman opened fire on a group of American colleagues in the prison in Kosovska Mitrovica on 17 April. Biggs (43), who lives in Bolvine west of St. Louis, said she would return to Kosovo if she would be given the opportunity. “Those people need help,” she said.

The Union of the universities of Serbia has requested from the Ministry of Education to put out of force the decision by which Gojko Savic has been dismissed from the position of the Dean of the University in Pristina and appointed Radivoj Papovic to that post. The Union finds that unacceptable from the point of view of academic freedom and autonomy of the University. Savic told Blic that he was dismissed with “a legally void decision by the Ministry of Education that was sent by fax.” “The decision about my dismissal was sent to me by fax in Pristina and read to me over the telephone. I shall accept the dismissal but I want to read the arguments. Only the Serbian government can dismiss me because it appointed me to that post,” professor Savic told Blic.

“According to my humble opinion, neither independence nor division of Kosovo are out the question. Wherever territories were divided in the world, it never meant a real or final solution of problems. Kosovo has never been in history an independent territory, but always part of Serbia. UNSCR 1244, interpreted in the West, as it wants to, thus, incorrectly, must be fully implemented into practice. All Albanians, who illegally emigrated to Kosovo after 1999, must leave Kosovo. Serbian police and SCG Army should return and a peaceful life to Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo should be enabled,” Rainer Giese, historian and former MP from West Berlin, good expert of European and Balkan state-of-affairs, told Novosti.

Skopje, 26 Apr (Dnevnik-MK) – Abu Hamza, a Muslim priest, and the European representative of Al Qaida, stated that the Albanian cell of this terrorist network would conduct operations if Tirana does not immediately stop supporting the USA.

“Al Qaida has its own people in Albania and they will soon be ready to act,” started Abu Hamza in a mosque in London.

After the bloody Al Qaida attacks in Turkey and Spain, Albania increased its measures of safety and control, especially in the border crossings and the Rinasi international airport. There is also an increased security in front of the US and the British embassies in Tirana.

Albania is the first Balkan country, which supported the America military intervention in Iraq by sending 71 soldiers as part of the coalition forces. After the withdrawal of Spain, Tirana offered additional military troops for Iraq.

For some time now the Albanian authorities have denied the existence of Al Qaida cells in its territory, but two years Ilir Meta who was back then premier, confirmed that Osama Bin Laden’s group acted in Albania under the guise of humanitarian, religious and voluntary organizations.