Kosovo war veterans plead innocent to witness intimidation

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Prosecutors at a European Union-backed Kosovo war crimes court say that two leaders of a war veterans’ association deliberately tried to undermine investigations by intimidating witnesses and publicizing leaked confidential documents. The comments came as the men went on trial in The Hague on Thursday. The leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans Association have both pleaded innocent to charges of obstructing justice and intimidation. Prosecutors allege that they revealed the identities of potential witnesses at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers court. The special court is investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the actions of ethnic Albanian fighters during Kosovo’s 1998-1999 fight to break away from Serbia.