Defence lawyer David Hooper has filed an application with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers at the Hague asking the former president of Kosovo Hashim Thaci to be released pending trial, saying Thaci had cooperated with the tribunal up to now, and been instrumental in its formation, reported Gazeta Express on Wednesday.
Hooper in a 28-page application to the pre-trial judge of the KSC has ranked the arguments why his client should be granted an interim release pending trial.
Hooper in his application, has answered to all counts of the indictment filed by the Specialist Prosecutor accusing Thaci of war crimes for his role as Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commander in 1998-1999 war against Serbia.
Among other things the lawyer has answered the prosecutor’s allegations on intimidation of people who think differently about the KLA’s war, mentioning the case of Shkelzen Gashi, former advisor to Albin Kurti at the time he served as Kosovo’s prime minister. Hooper said that the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) material number 36, has nothing to do with Thaci in Shkelzen Gashi’s case and the situation caused after his public statements.