Sveçla: 16 People Arrested in Kosovo, Including Members of Serbian Security Services

AUTHOR: M.J. GDNUS

The acting Minister of Internal Affairs of Kosovo, Xhelal Sveçla, announced that 16 people were arrested during an operation carried out on Saturday and Sunday, among whom were "active members of Serbian security services."

Sveçla wrote on his Facebook account that the arrested individuals were traveling in four vehicles with Kragujevac (KG) license plates. One group of four people was, according to Sveçla’s statements, arrested in Đakovica. Meanwhile, 12 more individuals were arrested in Prizren.

"According to initial information, there are suspicions that these groups were gathering intelligence about potential targets, as evidence was found linking them to Serbian military-intelligence structures and members of the terrorist group responsible for the Banjska attack," Sveçla wrote.

Kosovo authorities consider the armed attack in Banjska, northern Kosovo, in September 2023, a terrorist act and accuse Serbia of being behind it. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Milan Radoičić, the former vice-president of the Serbian List, although Belgrade denied any involvement. The attack resulted in the death of a Kosovo police officer and three Serbian attackers, according to RFE.

Sveçla noted that in the car of the individuals arrested in Đakovica, photos were found showing a map of Kosovo, photos of the slain attackers from Banjska, two knives, an axe, and a rotating light.

Kosovo police also reported the arrest of four people in Đakovica, but this case was also mentioned in the announcement for the Kosovo Security Council session held on Sunday.

Sveçla also mentioned that another 12 people arrested in Prizren were "hiding" in a seminary. "This group included two active officers from Serbian security services," Sveçla said.

He added that, based on preliminary investigations by Kosovo's security agencies, one of the arrested individuals is "a Serbian police officer with the rank of lieutenant," who is "closely related" to Nemanja Radivojević, allegedly a member of the armed group that carried out the attack in Banjska. "The last one is closely related to Vladimir Radivojević, known as 'Mami,' who is the main suspect in the murder of Kosovo police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku. Another military official, holding the rank of first-class captain, is related to former general of the Serbian military intelligence service, Jovan Milanović," Sveçla said.

An indictment has been raised in Kosovo in the Banjska case against around 40 individuals, including Milan Radoičić. It is believed that he and most of the group are in Serbia, at large, while Vladimir Tolić, Blagoje Spasojević, and Dušan Maksimović remain in custody in Kosovo. They were arrested following the attack in Banjska, and the first hearing in their case will be held on April 17.

Serbia is also investigating the Banjska attack, but so far no charges have been filed.

The international community strongly condemned the attack and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.