KOSOVO: KILLING OF POLICE OFFICER AND SUBSEQUENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000019 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, DRL, AND INL, NSC FOR BRAUN, USUN FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2016 TAGS: PGOV KJUS KCRM UNMIK YI SUBJECT: KOSOVO: KILLING OF POLICE OFFICER AND SUBSEQUENT SEARCHES IN SERBIAN AREA Classified By: CDA ALEX LASKARIS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Kosovo Police Service (KPS) officer Avni Kosumi was shot and killed on January 3 near the Serb village of Babin Most in Vushtrri municipality, 10 miles north of Pristina. Since the shot may have come from the direction of the village, the KPS searched homes in the area, once by themselves and a second time with Polish and Ukrainian Civpol officers. They made two arrests related to illegal weapons uncovered during the search. Some villagers accused the KPS of mistreating them during the operation, and have peacefully demonstrated on at least two occasions since the incident. A village leader told the media that the KPS behaved appropriately; the UN PDSRSG told us later that that leader was silenced on orders from Belgrade. The KPS has refuted the accusations (as has village leader Miomir Ristic),but indicated to us that Polish Civpol officers conducted the second search too aggressively and caused property damage. In response to the allegations, UNMIK Police Commissioner Steven Curtis has promised a full investigation. Meanwhile, one villager, who claimed he was beaten, traveled to Belgrade and met with Serbian PM Kostunica and Serbian President Tadic, to air his allegations. No one in Babin Most (or anywhere else) is currently being held as a suspect, and the case, which has received a lot of negative media attention in the Serb press and heightened tensions in the area, remains open. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) According to Kosovo Police Service (KPS) reports and sources, KPS officer Avni Kosumi and two other off-duty KPS officers who work in Kacanik and live in Vushtrri hitchhiked home on January 3. As they were traveling north on the Pristina-Mitrovica highway near Babin Most village, someone fired a single shot allegedly from the direction of the village. Kosumi was struck in the head and killed. ¶3. (C) The KPS gathered evidence at the scene of the crime and searched homes in the area, first alone and a second time with Polish and Ukrainian Civpol officers. They confiscated some illegal firearms and made two arrests related to those illegal weapons. The men who were arrested have since been released. KPS sources say there were reports of mistreatment following the searches conducted with Civpol. While the KPS do not want to criticize the Polish Civpol officers publicly, they told USOP they believed the Polish officers were too aggressive during the operation and caused some damage to the homes. ¶4. (C) Following the incident, Serb media reported that the police had used Kosumi's murder as an excuse to mistreat Babin Most villagers. The KPS refuted the allegations, as did Babin Most village leader Miomir Ristic in an interview with the local Serbian-language KiM Radio. PDSRSG Schook told us on January 9 that Ristic had been told by Belgrade representatives to stop talking to the media. Nevertheless, about 40 Serbs organized a peaceful protest in Babin Most on January 4. The KPS said their spokesperson met with the villagers and informed them that any damages would be addressed. At the time, the KPS believed the villagers were satisfied with their response. ¶5. (C) Willie Hayward (protect) of UNMIK Civpol told poloff that, as with any allegation of mistreatment, Civpol is investigating them and taking them seriously. UNMIK Police Commissioner Steven Curtis has come out strongly in favor of this course of action. KPS sources report that their own internal investigation has uncovered no evidence of mistreatment or violations of the law during the house searches. However, they admit that there is some question as to whether one person may have been arrested on illegal weapons possession charges without a court order. ¶6. (SBU) The media continued to report on the incident over the weekend of January 6 and 7. On January 8, according to KPS reports, 50 Babin Most villagers held another peaceful protest. Meanwhile, a possible witness in the case, Srecko Simic, traveled to Belgrade to voice his concerns to Serbian PRISTINA 00000019 002 OF 002 President Tadic and Serbian PM Kostunica. Simic claims to have been beaten by the police as they searched his home for clues. Local media report that Kostunica called the police intervention in Babin Most a "provocation" and an attempt to force Serbs from their homes there. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: It is unfortunate, but not surprising, that the murder of Kosumi has been politicized in the press here. USOP will continue to closely monitor developments related to the investigation, including any findings of mistreatment against Serbs in Babin Most by KPS or UN Civpol. END COMMENT. ¶8. (SBU) U.S. Office Pristina clears this cable in its entirety for release to U.N. Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari. LASKARIS