MAFIA IS FUNDING KERRY!

KLA Video Shows Holbrooke, Clark Raising Funds for Kerry Campaign from KLA-linked Albanians, and Shows Ongoing Acquisitions

A recent video produced by Albanians who identified themselves as members of the ostensibly-banned Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) has been broadcast on Dutch television, showing KLA members giving donations to members of the US Presidential campaign of Sen. John Kerry. The video also shows former US Presidential candidate and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Wesley Clark and former US Ass. Sec. of State Richard Holbrooke - now both key supporters of the Kerry campaign for the US Presidency in the November 2, 2004, elections - with the KLA fighters, who threatened to re-start the conflict in Kosovo, including attacking the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), if Kosovo independence was not forthcoming.

1. The KLA was now preparing for an open war against UNMIK if its demands for an independent Kosovo were not met;

2. The KLA was currently funneling money in to the campaign of Sen. John Kerry with the expectation of a quid pro quo. The donations and the statements expecting the support of a Kerry Administration took place in the presence of Richard Holbrooke and Wesley Clark who were shown at a Kerry fundraiser together with KLA terrorists who openly identified themselves to Gen. Clark - who led the Clinton Administration's attacks on Serbs in Kosovo and elsewhere in Serbia - as "your KLA";

3. The KLA has not been disarmed, and it was still actively smuggling weapons into Kosovo;

4. The video makes known the routes and techniques of KLA arms smuggling as the camera crew follows the KLA on one of its smuggling runs.

Early in the video, the narrator asked the question: "It's going to be war [in Kosovo]?" The unnamed KLA fighter answered: "Hope not, but if it is we're ready. If not this spring, then the next one. If Kosova [sic] does not get its independence, there will be a war."

The video a few minutes further into the tape shows a Kerry fundraising event in New York, with the title "Writing a check to 'John Kerry Victory'", and shows an Albanian, believed to be a member of the KLA, handing a $2,000 and a $1,000 check to a Kerry campaign worker. A video is played in the room of actor Jim Belushi, an Albanian-American, saying: "If you care about the fate of Albanians in the Balkans; if you care about the safety and prosperity of America, and if you care about the future of the world around you, I hope you'll do anything you can to make sure that John Kerry is elected as our next President."

At that point, former Gen. Wesley Clark walks into the room, and one of the Albanians comments: "Mr Clark, this is your group, your KLA, former fighters, yeah! yeah!" Within the conversation which followed, Clark says: "... They [presumably the KLA] fought against tremendous odds."

A KLA member noted: "Mr Clark, [have] you met this gentleman?", indicating another man. Clark: "Yeah." KLA member: "He was our main guy here." At that point former US Ass. Secretary of State Holbrooke walks over to the group, and a KLA member notes: "Mr Holbrooke, listen. They all lost something in the war. He lost his leg, he lost his hands, he lost his brains ... [laughter]" Clark (gesturing towards Holbrooke): "Him too." [Laughter] Holbrooke (laughing & pointing towards KLA member): "He almost got me killed." The man in question responded: "He would not let his Kalashnikov go. He will keep his Kalashnikov."

After some additional talk, Holbrooke appeared on stage and said: "Do you know how many times [current] Secretary of State [Colin] Powell has been to the Balkans? Zero. That's right he's never been there."

He continued: "President Bush said that we went in [to the Balkans] together with our European allies, and we'll come out together. And that's not what he's doing. He is pulling out the American troops from Bosnia without the Europeans joining him. And I can tell you on the basis of private talks I've had that he is going to pull out of Kosovo if he can do so. This is not acceptable."

"John Kerry will not leave this issue where it is today. There is no work. The UN Administration has moved much too slowly. Privatization is moving too slowly. The negotiations never started. So please help us and thank you for the enormous amount of money that you have raised. Help us make John Kerry the President of the United States."

Holbrooke added: "I've called some of my friends, David Phillips, Wesley Clark, Madeline Albright, we all called our friends, and I can now say that we have raised tonight $510,000."

After applause, the KLA commentator on the video noted: "With money you can do amazing things in this country. Senators and congressmen are looking for donations. If you fund them and raise the money they need for their campaign they pay you back."

Further into the program, a KLA goes into a US gun store and purchases weapons for "elephant hunting", and later a KLA member describes how the KLA set-up fictitious hunting clubs in Albania and the US, as a cover for arms trafficking. A KLA member then boasts about the KLA's weapons, and their snipers' ability to "kill a man from a mile and a half away". And another KLA member comments that those US gun dealers were "right wing extremists" who were happy to give guns to KLA to fight "a communist government".

The video then shows a KLA member taking his weapons to the airport, and boarding a US flight to Albania. The narrator asks the question: "What's the most weapons that you've taken on an airplane?" The KLA member answered: "Full loaded airplane. An airplane of this size (indicates to a Boeing 767) full loaded. With weapons and wrapped up with humanitarian aid. Probably about 25 tons of weapons and ammunition. We used a cargo airplane. You rent the cargo airplane and just load it up with anything you want."

The video then shows the man, with his weapons, crossing the Albanian-Kosovo (Serbia) border at a UN checkpoint unmolested, and then later pictures him showing his contact in Kosovo all of the weapons which he smuggled into the country.

The narrator noted: "In Pristina I talked to the NATO spokesman and he told me that he was very successful in disarming the Albanians."

A KLA member in the picture laughs, and notes: "It's a NATO propaganda. No-one ever is going to disarm Albanians. There is no way. No NATO, no-one is going to disarm Albanians. [...] NATO can collect a few arms.

But most Albanians in Kosovo are very well armed. Just in case NATO pulls out, or we don't get our independence peacefully then we'll use those weapons."

Report on Albanian Narco-Criminal/Terrorist Links Providing Key Intelligence for Olympics Security, “War on Terror”

A report by Serbian intelligence officials, drafted in September 2003, and entitled Albanian Terrorism and Organized Crime in Kosovo and Metohija, is providing a significant resource for Greek and other Western intelligence services belatedly working to focus on radical Islamist terrorist threats to the Summer 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

The report was based on intelligence gathered by the Serbian domestic security service, BIA (Bezbednosno-Informativna Agencija) and the Military Security Agency (VBA) of the Armed Forces of Serbia & Montenegro, and was released by the Government of the Republic of Serbia. GIS has obtained a copy of the report in English and Serbo-Croat, and accompanied by the digital maps and extensive photographs of individuals identified with ethnic Albanian terrorism and organized crime.

As noted in earlier GIS/Defense & Foreign Affairs reports, there have been considerable indicators of a build-up of radical, armed Islamist activity in the Balkans during 2003-04, with specific warnings of planned attacks to either target or coincide with the Athens Olympics. Much of the activity links with narcotics trafficking and criminal activity, particularly in the Serbian autonomous province — currently under UN control — of Kosovo and Metohija (referred to locally as K&M or Kosmet).

Significantly, the 184-page report deals not specifically with the Islamist nature of the threat, but looks at that aspect of the framework which is preoccupied with Albanian separatist activities — the creation of a “Greater Albania” or “Greater Kosovo” — and related criminal activities, particularly illegal narcotics trafficking and other illicit ventures.

The Belgrade report cites significant numbers of ethnic Albanians engaged in terrorist activity and organized crime in Kosmet, providing a basis of information to start to identify possible activities which could threaten either the Olympics or an anticipated resurgence of guerilla activity in Kosovo, the southern Serbia/northern Montenegro region known as Raška (or, to the Islamists, Sandzak), and Bosnia. The introductory analysis of the September 2003 report is as follows:

Albanian terrorism in Kosovo and Metohija (K&M/Kosmet), as well as in the municipalities of Preševo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, is linked to different types of organized crime. It represents a permanent danger to the safety of the population and political stability, not only in our country [ie: Serbia & Montenegro], but also in other countries in the region.1 The strategists of these activities want to ensure the legalization of their criminal activities and accumulated wealth and to enable the establishment of Greater Albania or Greater Kosovo in order to complete the territory they consider Albanian ethnic space and spread their internal market and, in proportion to their economic power, secure the political influence and participation in the top administrative state bodies on the territory. Support of violence and permanent disruption of stability in the Balkans make it possible for the scenario to be effectively implemented in practice.

Having established cooperation with the criminal organizations, the strategists of terrorist activities have strengthened their political position which they use for exerting pressure on the overall Albanian population as well as on autochthonous Albanian political subjects, enforcing collaboration and concessions. Thus, the public gets the impression of complete homogeneity of the Albanian nationals and their unison endeavors toward a common objective. However, interests of some criminal organizations are hidden behind the political, ideological and national motives for the establishment of a unified Albanian state (regardless of whether they call it Greater Albania or Greater Kosovo). They tend to take part in the current processes of political and economic transition, ie: transformation of the region as a whole, and to legalize their criminal operations.

Albanians, particularly those from Kosovo and Metohija, have developed a sense of collective identity which is a necessary prerequisite for organized crime activities. This very element, based on the sense of belonging to a defined group, has linked Albanian organized crime with pan-Albanian ideals, politics, military activities and terrorism.

A relatively universal model of terrorist operations in the world — which is, as a rule, usually funded from criminal sources (trafficking in drugs, arms and people, as well as in excise goods) — was applied, at one time, by the leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), and was taken over, and is applied now, by the leaders of the Albanian National Army (ANA).2 In this way, unhindered and permanent inflow of resources for criminal activities has been provided, while the leaders of KLA and ANA, as well as the most vocal Albanian patriots, have accumulated enormous personal wealth under the conditions of deep and long-lasting socio-economic crisis prevailing in the region. This is an additional impetus to the spreading of criminal activities in the region which is, still, an inexhaustible source of the so-called dirty money which is the basis for providing the continuity of terrorist activities and a permanent recruitment of new fighters.

A characteristic of the common model of internal organization of Albanian terrorist and criminal organizations is their compliance with the rule of territorial division, with the recognition of the interest zones and influence of certain families. Accordingly, in each of the groups, the basic membership is recruited from the fis, that is, an extended family, or the clan that predominates on a certain territory.3

Precise territorial and clan division of the greatest part of Albanian society contributes to the preservation of traditional hierarchical structure, its distrust of the outsiders and very strict inner discipline of the members which is still maintained with the application of the common law of Leka Dugagjini or the clan honor code. The threat of mandatory execution of blood feud (vendetta) in cases of betrayal or dishonored agreement, provide for complete protection of the perpetrators of terrorist activities and criminal acts and, at the same time, is the most common cause for murder among the Albanian population. At the time KLA was being founded, in the first half of 1993, organized crime was not so prominent in this region. Primarily for the purpose of arming the newly organized groups, members of KLA in the areas of Drenica and Metohija established connections with their relatives, migrant workers in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and other countries, who had already been involved in illicit activities, and established multiple channels for transporting the arms and equipment, as well as financial resources for the needs of K&M terrorists.

This way, a firm link of the key persons of Albanian terrorism and the leaders of organized crime in the region with the highly criminalized and politically manipulated Albanian diaspora, a very important factor in the operation of the partnership between Albanian terrorism and criminal organizations, was established.

At the same time, the sanctions imposed on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by the international community and the trade blockade of the Republic of Macedonia by Greece have switched drug trafficking from the routes connecting Turkey with the Western European market to a new one, across the territory of Albania and K&M. A part of the money earned in these illicit operations was paid to some allegedly humanitarian funds that were actually used to sponsor the activities of KLA members.

Of almost DM 900-million that reached Kosovo and Metohija in the between 1996 and 1999, nearly a half was the money earned in drug trafficking, which made Interpol experts conclude (in December 2000) that the activities of fund raising for Kosmet and KLA were used for laundering of illegally acquired money.

KLA did not use the channels for illegal transportation of drugs only as a way to ship heroin to Europe in order to earn enormous profits, but also to smuggle arms to the Balkans. Drugs were directly traded for arms, or the arms were purchased with the money earned from drug trafficking in Albania, B&H, Croatia, Cyprus, Italy, Montenegro, Switzerland and Turkey. In 1999, The Washington Times published a statement of American anti-drug agents that KLA was linked with a wide network of organized crime, with the headquarters in Albania. The documents they possess suggest that it was one of the most powerful organizations for heroin trafficking in the world, and that most of the profits generated from this illicit activity were channeled to the procurement of arms for KLA.

The arrival of international forces to K&M resulted in the disintegration and formal demilitarization of KLA, but the organization has not as yet discontinued its activities. A part of the membership re-directed their activities to the political level, through the Democratic Party of Kosovo (DPK)4 and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AFK),5 while about 10,000 troops were included into the transformation of KLA into the Kosovo Protective Corps (KPC) and the Kosovo Police Service (KPS). Since the revitalization of economic activities as the only legal source of income for the population has not been adequately conducted, a substantial number of terrorists have continued to produce violence, actively pursuing their criminal activities.

The foundation of ANA, as a terrorist organization, was facilitated by the fact that the organizational and the operational core was composed of the members of former KLA determined to implement their previously set goals and complete the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo and Metohija and other, allegedly Albanian territories.

Also, ANA organization mimics the KLA model, uses the same methods of operation, the same channels for smuggling weapons and even the same bank accounts and, allegedly, humanitarian funds abroad by means of which they provide significant funding for their activities.

It logically appears that the organized crime in K&M took over the structure and infrastructure of KLA, developed and branched concomitantly with
Albanian terrorism and now represents a stable and expansive material and financial base of the Albanian terrorist and separatist movement as a whole.

In June 2003, in his public statement for the media, Barry Fletcher, UNMIK police spokesman for K&M, said that one of the greatest obstacles the UN faced was the deeply rooted Albanian mafia that used nationalistic slogans of Kosmet Albanians whenever it suited their needs.6

The report went to great lengths to avoid invoking linkages with the broader Islamist causes with which the Albanian separatist and criminal movements — which are only partially Muslim — have created strong working relationships. The particular linkage, noted in earlier GIS/Defense & Foreign Affairs reports, entails the Albanian groups’ responsibility for the sale of illegal drugs supplied largely by al-Qaida-related Islamist groups, particularly drawing on existing supply lines from areas of Afghanistan still outside the Afghan national Government’s control, and using links through Iran, Turkey and other countries. [The report includes regional maps indicating supply routes for illicit heroin, cocaine and marijuana.] In return, the Albanian groups also participate in weapons trafficking on their own and the Islamists’ behalf, and the Islamist mujahedin in the Balkans provide protection and other assistance.

The full text of the Belgrade report has been obtained by GIS/Defense & Foreign Affairs. The report details the command and control pattern of the Albanian guerilla and criminal groups in great detail, identifying commanders and including photographs of them, as well as details of supply routes and operational patterns.

The report noted:

Up to the beginning of the armed conflicts in former Yugoslavia, most of the European market and a smaller part of the USA market have been supplied with narcotics smuggled via the so-called Balkan route. From the countries of origin (Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan) and Turkey, where the raw materials for the narcotics were processed, this road led through Greece, Bulgaria, former Yugoslav republics (Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia), Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, all the way to the final destinations in Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and other Western European countries [The report here references “map 10”, not shown here.]

When fighting erupted in this area, Albanian mafia created new routes for the drug trafficking towards Western Europe, avoiding the conflict regions. In that way, two new, alternative routes were created: the southern one going from Turkey, through Bulgaria, Macedonia, K&M and Albania to Italy and other Western European countries.40 The second, the northern one, goes from Turkey, through Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Western European nations41 [references map 11 of the original report].

When the conflicts in Yugoslavia ended, the old Balkan route was re-established all over again, but the new channels for smuggling the drugs did not disappear and the smuggling network was greatly expanded. All American agencies fighting against the drug trade estimate that, along with the Turkish, the criminal groups of the Kosovo Albanians are the most important drug smugglers in Europe.42 These groups have been described by experts as extremely violent and involved, also, in the international arms trade, with more and more substantial evidence of their criminal activity in the USA.

The fact that as early as the mid-1980s members of the criminal groups were highly organized and represented a serious threats to the representatives of the judiciary who were prosecuting them testifies to the strength of the Albanian mafia in the USA. At that time the American police stated that the members of the Albanian mafia were involved in all kinds of criminal activities (extortions, robberies, arms trafficking, shootings, running of illegal gambling operations in certain parts of New York, etc.)

The main criminal activity of the Albanians in the USA was drug trafficking, and the American experts for fighting this type of crime had even then issued a warning that, in only a few years, these criminal groups could take over 25 percent to 40 percent of American heroin market.

From the mid-[19]90s, Albanian criminals from the USA were helping the activities of KLA in K&M by raising funds to purchase the weapons needed by this terrorist organization. At first, the fundraising was conducted secretly and later a branch of the “Fatherland Calls” (Zeri e atdheut) fund was also established in the USA to channel financial support to the members of KLA through the bank accounts in the USA and Canada and many other Western European countries.

In addition, money was being transferred directly through emigrants – couriers, who came to K&M.

Together with the collection of the money, Albanian emigrants in the USA organized shipments of humanitarian aid and weapons and sent volunteers to joined the units of KLA in K&M.43

American intelligence sources warned of the possibility of the “Colombian Syndrome“ developing in the Balkans which means that the Albanian mafia
could become strong enough to take over the control of one or more areas in which the Albanian population is predominant. At the time it was noted that, in the political arena, the effect was already accomplished by directing the profits from the narco-terrorism to the local governments and political parties. The Democratic Party of Albania (DPA-PDSh), in power at the time, was suspected of tolerating and directly profiting from the drug trade and financing secessionist political parties and other groups in K&M and Macedonia.

The Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP-PPD) and other Albanian parties from Macedonia, such as the ultra nationalist National Democratic Party (NDP-PKD), together with the Albanian parties from K&M have been accused of using “laundered” money generated through narco-terrorism. In all three cases, money made through crime was often disguised as emigrant donations, with the estimate that the profit from narco-terrorism directed to the south of the Balkans in 1993 had reached the sum of one-billion dollars. The same sources claimed that, in addition to the purchase of mafia “protection”, this money was being used for achieving popularity among the people, through alleged patriotism, but also for other criminal activities, above all for the purchase of guns.

On the continent of Europe, the Albanians from K&M hold more than 80 percent of the heroine trade, their dealers are located in at least half the European countries and they smuggle four to six tons of heroin monthly amounting to two-billion US dollars a year. The Interpol data show that in 1999 the Albanian mafia earned $38-million from the drug trade, in 2001 $50 (-million) and in 2002 $70-million US. The Interpol statistics also shows that during 1997 out of all arrested heroin smugglers, Albanians accounted for 14 percent, but that the average amount of heroin found on non-Albanian dealers was two grams, while the Albanians were found in the possession of 120 grams on the average.44

Profits of the Albanian drug lords reach the amount of $1-billion, with the turnover in K&M amounting to US$125- to $150-million, of which KPC receives $25-million. Hashim Thaqi [Thaci] receives US$5-million as his share.

Out of the total amount of drugs that enter the global market, as much as 65 percent crosses the K&M territory, while 90 percent of the heroin distributed in the European market is smuggled through this region.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recognized Albanians in K&M as the second most important drug traffickers in the world market.

The French Geopolitical Drug Observatory published a report containing evidence that the Albanian drug lords were crucial players in the widespread operations called “drugs for weapons”, while several Albanian dealers arrested in Western Europe confessed to have procured the arms for KLA in K&M.45

This kind of trade was also confirmed by the European Union, at the meeting held in 1994 in Brussels.

German anti-drug agents underline the fact that Albanians have organized one of the largest organizations for drug trafficking in Europe and that the profits generated by the illicit trade are laundered in 200 private banks and exchange offices.

Significantly, Albanian Americans have been the key funding sources, both overtly and as individuals, in donating to and supporting the gubernatorial campaigns of former Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton and later the US Presidential campaigns of Clinton, and also for current US Presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark, the former Supreme Allied Commander-Europe (SACEUR) who, in 1999, was the military head of operations, ordered by the Clinton Administration, in support of Albanian separatists in Kosovo and Metohija. What is also significant is that Candidate Clark highlighted the support from the American-Albanian community on his campaign website. GIS sources also report that the support by the Albanian community for Mr Clinton and Gen. Clark has gone far deeper than campaign donations.

The Belgrade report of September 2003 did not, however, discuss the political impact of the Albanian criminal operations on the US Presidency under Mr Clinton. However the report, which included substantial specific detail on individuals involved in criminal activities, did deal with the “Pan-Islamic Factor”, the key link between the Albanian separatist movement and the foreign mujahedin in the region and the link to other Islamists in, for example, Bosnia and southern Serbian areas such as Raška. In this regard, among other things, the report noted:

The presence of the radical Islamic factor on the territory of K&M has been confirmed by an active participation of mujahedins in the armed conflicts in Kosovo and Metohija within KLA formations, as well as by the activities of various Islamic humanitarian organizations.

At the 16th Islamic Conference held in Pakistan, in October 1998, Albanian separatism in K&M was defined as jihad and the Islamic world was called to help with all available means this “fight for freedom on the occupied Muslim territories”. Referring to jihad, the terrorist organization of Osama Bin Laden announced terrorist attacks against the “infidels”, ie: Great Britain, the USA, France, Israel, Russia, India and Serbia.

The presence of the radical Islam in K&M is illustrated by the fact that in 1995 Osama Bin Laden visited Albania as a guest of Sali Berisha, who was the President of Albania at the time, when bases for the logistic and financial support to the Al Khaida [al-Qaida] organization were set up, with cells in K&M. In addition to Bin Laden, the meeting was attended by Bashkim Gazideda, former head of secret police of Albania, Hashim Thaqi [Thaci]and Ramush Haradinaj. On the occasion, Bashkim Gazideda was elected into a group of Al Khaida leaders for the region of Balkan.53

Senator Pat Roberts, chairman of the [US] Senate Security Commission, stated that the USA had evidence on the connections of KLA with Osama Bin Laden, as well as on the involvement of KLA members in illicit drug trade.

Intelligence circles in Albania confirm a strong presence of Bin Laden’s network in this country, as well as the existence of their plans for attack on American citizens and facilities. The same sources have confirmed the presence of four groups of “Jihad Warriors” (from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Algiers, Tunisia and the Sudan) in Northern Albania and the participation of their members in the conflicts in K&M, as parts of KLA forces.54

Fanatic Islamic fighters from Afghanistan, Algiers, Egypt, Chechnya, Iran and other countries were included into the command structures of KLA in
K&M. In some instances, these radically oriented and highly professionally trained persons set up their independent units for special operations and tactical assignments. They participated directly in the taking of the territories and the cleaning-up operations, in kidnapping civilians and members of the police forces, in brutal tortures and murders. They were also hired as trainers for special training of some KLA formations.

In 1998, the [US] State Department placed KLA on the list of terrorist organizations, substantiating it with the facts that KLA operations were sponsored by the proceeds of international drug sale and the loans from Islamic countries and individuals, among whom, apparently, was Osama Bin Laden himself. According to the information supplied by Interpol, another link with Bin Laden is the fact that Muhammed al-Zawahiri, a brother of Dr Yaman [Ayman] al-Zawahiri, the leader of the organization of Egyptian Jihad and an ideologist of Al Khaida, was the leader of an élite KLA unit in the conflict in K&M.55

In the region of Drenica, within KLA forces, in the period May through late June 1998, a combined unit of mujahedins, called “Abu Bekir Sidik” was operating, under the command of Ekrem Avdi of Kosovska Mitrovica. Activities of the “Abu Bekir Sidik” unit, that is, the procurement and illegal supply of arms were funded by organizations from Zenica (B&H [Bosnia & Herzegovina]) called “Islamic Balkan Center” and “Active Islamic Youth” (AIY).56 The unit was comprised of 115 mujahedins, of whom about 40 were foreign nationals (10 from Saudi Arabia, two from Egypt, four from Albania, two from England and one from Ireland, Scotland each, while the rest were the citizens of Macedonia and B&H).57

A large number of fighters in the “Abu Bekir Sadik” of Albanian ethnic background returned to their places of residence in K&M after the unit was disbanded, while some tried to enter the territory of Albania. On the occasion, in August 1998, the Security Forces of the Republic of Albania arrested Ekrem Avdija, Shpend Kopriva and Nexhmedin Laush and, subsequently, other members of the unit as well. Because of their terrorist activities, they were sentenced to long-term imprisonment, but in 2001, the whole group was pardoned under the pressure of international community.

Soon after his release form prison, Ekrem Avdija continued to lead the organization named “Kosovo Islamic Bureau” that has, over a period of time,
expanded the scope of its activities by setting up numerous branches in all larger towns of Kosovo and Metohija. Soon after that, he re-activated a group of mujahedins under the same name, “Abu Bekir Sidik”, with the seat in the southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica.

In addition to all this, the activities of NLA in Macedonia were supported by direct participation of about 150 mujahedins from Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey, as well as from Albania, Macedonia and K&M who had previously lived in some other Arabian countries where they had been trained. The substantiating data were obtained at the time of the arrest of Sedula Morati, a member of the “Ismet Jashari” unit that operated in the regions of Kumanovo and Lipkovo. The transfer of the mujahedins to the territory of Macedonia was organized by Daut Haradinaj, in addition to others.58

Under the pretext of humanitarian activities, the “Albanian-Haramain” organization with the seat in Prizren transports weapons illegally, participates in the training and sponsoring terrorists and provides logistic support to Albanian extremists in K&M and Macedonia. Most of the funds used to sponsor this organization come from Saudi Arabia.

“The United Saudi Aid for Kosovo” is an organization that provides arms for ANA membership. Eleven members of this organization were arrested by KFOR because of their connections with the international terrorist organization known as Al Khaida.

“The Global Relief Foundation” is a nongovernmental organization with the fund of about one-million US dollars, sponsored by Islamic countries. The
head of the K&M office and two other activists were arrested by KFOR under suspicion of terrorist activities.59

Some representatives of the humanitarian organization “El-Yila” represent the main link between Islamic countries and terrorist in the south Serbia, K&M and Macedonia and are engaged in the recruitment and transfer of terrorists to K&M and the south of Serbia.

The report highlighted maps showing routes taken by Islamist activists into and from the area, showing links to Pakistan and Afghanistan and on to Western Europe and North America.

The report also dealt at length with the trafficking in human beings by Albanian criminal groups.

But almost 120 pages of the report gives detailed biographic information on 156 of the principal Albanian criminal-insurgent leaders.

Footnotes [from the Original Report]:

1. Although the Albanian population of the municipality of Medvedja is not a majority, the Albanian extremists treat it as a part of the unitary ethnic area.

2. A terrorist organization founded in late 1999 which intensified armed activities in Macedonia, K&M and in the south of Serbia in 2002.

3. Thus, for example, the Gecaj, Kodra, Jashari and Selimi families dominate in Drenica, so that the largest number of KLA members in the region are the members of the said families.

4. Most members of the party are former members and supporters of KLA. It has been led, from the beginning, by Hashim Thaqi [Thaci]. It was founded on October 14, 1999, under the name of Party of Democratic Progress of Kosovo and was renamed on May 20, 2000, before the local elections in K&M.

5. Founded on May 2, 2000, in order to satisfy political ambitions of Ramush Haradinaj, one of the main commanders of KLA.

6. “Whenever we arrest a gang leader, he wraps himself up into an Albanian flag and the streets become flooded with demonstrations. This is not a society affected by organized crime, but a society founded on organized crime,” said Fletcher.

40. [original footnote numbering] Using this route, the journey from the country of origin to the end-user takes seven to 10 days.

41. The Interpol data show that more than one ton of heroin and more than 10 tones of hashish are being seized every year on the southern and northern Balkan routes.

42. In Germany, for example, the Albanians have completely ousted the Turkish and the Kurdish drug dealers. In Slovakia and Hungary they control 90 percent of the drug trade, in Switzerland 70 percent, in Denmark 50 percent, and in France 40 percent of the market. There has been a growth in the shipments of narcotics to Albanian criminals in Greece, which are, as reported by the Greek police, six times larger than five years ago.

43. The “Atlantic” brigade was formed within KLA of the volunteers from the USA.

44. The information published in the National Post on April 13, 2000, where the author cited the Interpol Report.

45. The statement that Albanians from K&M exchange drugs for arms was substantiated in numerous affairs. In 1999 the Italian Court in Brindisi convicted an Albanian heroin dealer who confessed to having procured arms for KLA from the mafia in exchange for the drugs. Besides, an Albanian in the Czech Republic placed an order for light infantry weapons and rocket launchers. According to the sources in the Czech Police, the arms were intended for KLA.

53. On June 22nd 2001, referring to the statements of the leading representatives of the Macedonian Security Forces, The Washington Times published an article entitled “Bin Laden’s Special Envoys” claiming that Osama Bin Laden was one of the major NLA sponsors, and that up to that periods he had disbursed US$6-7 million for the needs of this organization.

54. Sunday Times, November 29, 1998.

55. A presentation before the US Congress of Ralf Mutschke, the assistant director of Interpol Criminal intelligence Administration on December 13, 2000. The topic was: The risk of spreading of organized crime, drug trafficking and terrorism.

56. Abdulah Duhajman of Saudi Arabia is the founder and head of the (Islamic Balkan Center) in Zenica. The Center was founded after the nongovernmental organization named “World Bureau for Islamic Call” with the seat in Riyadh, sponsored by rich businessmen of Saudi Arabia. Activities of the “World Bureau for Islamic Call”, also founded by the same Abdulah Duhajman, are directed at the propaganda and jihad and the mobilization of Muslims for the jihad. In the course of armed conflicts in B&H, Duhajman was actively participating in the battles within the unit called “El-Mujahid”. He is in touch with an Islamic terrorist organization named “Muslim Brothers” [Muslim Brotherhood, aka Ikhwan], and there are some indications of his collaboration with Osama Bin Laden (some, unconfirmed information suggest that Abdulah Duhajman may be an alias for Osama Bin Laden
himself).

57. The “Abu Bekir Sidik” unit had automatic rifles of Yugoslav, Chinese and Russian manufacture; they also had weapons with sniper scopes, as well as 40mm grenade launchers, RPGs, light and heavy machine guns, hand grenades and other weapons.

58. The British newspaper, [The] Sunday Times, cited Albanian intelligence sources stating that the Bin Laden‘s network was set up in Albania to make it possible for them to undertake actions in Europe. The service also estimates that some terrorists have already infiltrated selected European countries using illegal migration channels. Analysts also suggest that the region is important for Bin Laden and his followers because of the possibility to establish control over the oil pipelines that will link Bulgaria with Albanian ports. In this way, it would be possible for Bin Laden to control oil deliveries to the US.

59. Early in 2001, the international nongovernmental organization Amnesty International announced that in one of KFOR actions two Iraqi nationals, Ahmad Said and Abdul Ragiz, were arrested, on suspicion of being connected with international terrorist network of Al-Khaida. They were representatives of the humanitarian organization known as “Global Relief Foundation”. Speaking about this, [Lord] George Robertson, Secretary General of NATO, said that “the infiltration of Islamic terrorism is usually carried out through Islamic humanitarian organizations”.

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