EU police arrest Kosovo war crime suspect

(PRISTINA) - European Union police in Kosovo on Wednesday arrested a man for alleged war crimes committed in guerrilla-run prisons in neighbouring Albania during the 1999 conflict, a statement said.

The officers "carried out a house search and arrested a male suspect in connection with war crimes" near the southern town of Djakovica, the EU rule of law mission (EULEX) said.

"The case relates to the ongoing EULEX investigation into a possible mistreatment of persons held in KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) facilities in northern Albania during the conflict in 1998-1999," it added.

It did not identify the suspect.

The conflict in Kosovo ended in June 1999 after a NATO air campaign that ousted Serbian forces from the province.

In May, EU police arrested Sabit Geci, a former commander in the KLA, the ethnic Albanian separatist guerrillas who fought Serbian security forces during the conflict.

Geci was arrested on suspicion on mistreatment and torture of ethnic Albanian prisoners at a detention facility in the northeastern Albanian town of Kukes in 1999.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008 and is recognised by 69 countries. Belgrade still considers it as its southern province.

The 3,000-member EULEX mission was launched in December 2008 with the power to step in and take on cases that the local judiciary and police are unable to handle because of their sensitive nature.