War Crimes Prosecution "looking for 115 perpetrators"

Source: Beta, Tanjug

BELGRADE -- The Association of the Families of Kidnapped and Murdered Serbs has marked the 17th anniversary of the outbreak of large-scale anti-Serb violence in Kosovo.

(Tanjug)

On this occasion, Deputy War Crimes Prosecutor Bruno Vekaric said that "the primary goal is for the kidnapped to be found, and the perpetrators punished."
"Our public is unaware that we are looking for 115 perpetrators of these crimes, and within these cases are also these people, whose photographs are on display," Vekaric said, speaking next to an improvised display put up by the families of the 2,500 missing and murdered Serbs.

Vekaric said that "the formation of a special court for war crimes in Kosovo was very important," stating that it would be "an opportunity for the families of the kidnapped and the murdered tell their stories on the international scene."

"We expect that it will soon be formed, it is said this will happen in the summer," he told those gathered.

The association's representative Simo Spasic also stressed the importance of the future court that should deal with crimes ethnic Albanians committed against Serbs and others, as it would, in his words, "bring those responsible to justice."

Spasic said that the families on Tuesday marked not only the anniversary of the March 2004 persecution of Serbs, but also the 17th anniversary of the first murders, kidnappings and other crimes committed against civilians, policemen, and soldiers that started occurring in the province in 1998.

According to him, "Albanian terrorists intended to finish in March 2004 what they started in 1998."

One of the participants in the gathering whose loved one is among the victims "verbally attacked" Vekaric, who responded by saying he was there "out of respect for the families and the victims."