Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Kosovo Extremists Suspected in Attacks on Macedonian Police Stations
Southeast European Times ^

Posted on 07/20/2005 8:13:15 AM PDT by Alex Marko

Two recent attacks on police stations in Macedonia have rattled the country. On 12 July, three shells from a hand-operated missile launcher were fired at the station in the village of Vratnica, near Tetovo. Two shells did not explode, while the third damaged a tree ten metres away.

Three days later, at around 10:50 pm, a powerful blast blew out the windows of the police station at Bit Pazar, near central Skopje. Neighbouring houses were also damaged. Neither incident resulted in casualties.

The Macedonian police and Proxima, the EU police mission in Macedonia, have described the attacks as sporadic, saying they are not capable of causing wide destabilisation.

"The attack on the Vratnica police station is provocation of an extremist group, which is probably a part of a few extremist groups operating in the region and Macedonia," said Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski. Two current developments -- the adoption of a law allowing the use of ethnic flags in Macedonian communities, and the expected start of talks on Kosovo's status later this year -- may have spurred recent activity by militants, he said.

Others have suggested the violence is aimed at hampering Macedonia's integration into NATO and the EU.

The explosion at Bit Pazar occurred only a few hours after Macedonia's National Security Council met to discuss the situation in the village of Kondovo, where police have not been patrolling for several months because of threats by a heavily armed criminal group, led by Agim Krasniqi. Courts have issued several arrest warrants against Krasniqi, and the authorities are trying to come up with a way to arrest him without risking civilian casualties or triggering unrest among the local population.

Police are under orders from the National Security Council to restore law and order in Kondovo, and authorities say most villagers are opposed to Krasniqi and his armed group. But the timing of the operation has yet to be decided.

Meanwhile, all political parties in Macedonia -- except for Arben Xhaferi's Democratic Party of Albanians -- have issued declarations condemning the recent attacks. Ali Ahmeti, leader of the Democratic Union for Integration, appealed to Krasniqi to surrender voluntarily, and said it was guaranteed that he would receive a fair trial.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: balkans; islam; kla; kosovo; macedonia; serbia; waronterror

1 posted on 07/20/2005 8:13:17 AM PDT by Alex Marko
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Alex Marko

KosovO Extremists = Albanians


2 posted on 07/20/2005 8:17:14 AM PDT by Andy from Beaverton (I only vote Republican to stop the Democrats)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Andy from Beaverton

Not true, most of southern albania and the extreme northern tip of Albania(near montenegro) are christians and despise the muslims in the country. These problems are from muslims in Kosovo and some in the northwest of Albania. Remember that Albania has troops in Iraq and the former PM(christian) was very strong on the war on terror by arresting pretty much any arab that step foot in the country.


3 posted on 07/20/2005 8:21:46 AM PDT by Alex Marko
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Alex Marko
"Kosovo Extremists Suspected in Attacks on Macedonian Police Stations "

And who else could it have been? The title is merely stating a forgone conclusion.

4 posted on 07/20/2005 8:30:49 AM PDT by montyspython (Love that chicken from Popeye's)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Alex Marko; Lion in Winter; Honorary Serb; jb6; Incorrigible; DTA; ma bell; joan; vooch; ...
"Kosovo Extremists Suspected in Attacks on Macedonian Police Stations"

Also in the news, Bears Crap in the Woods! Film at 11.

5 posted on 07/20/2005 8:40:49 AM PDT by FormerLib (Kosova: "land stolen from Serbs and given to terrorist killers in a futile attempt to appease them.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Alex Marko
The following is the actual title from the original article.

Extremists Suspected in Attacks on Macedonian Police Stations

You sais,

Just what is the status of Christian Albanian in Macedonia. Do they support the extremist? Are they terrorized thenselves?

Did the Kosovo Christian Albanians support the UCK? What was their status?

6 posted on 07/20/2005 8:48:23 AM PDT by F-117A
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Alex Marko
Not true??? How many of these extremist are not Albanians?

Remember? Not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorist are Muslim and not all Albanians are KLA, but all KLA are Albanians (small groups like Chechens, Saudis and so on, not included).
7 posted on 07/20/2005 9:00:03 AM PDT by Andy from Beaverton (I only vote Republican to stop the Democrats)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson