Swiss daily: Thaci prepared KLA in Switzerland

8 January 2011 | 14:35 | Source: B92

GENEVA -- Geneva-based daily Le Temps reports that Hashim Thaci was preparing his rise in the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in Switzerland in mid-90s. Albanian Diaspora in Switzerland was raising significant funds for the KLA during those years, the daily reported. It states that heads and supporters of the KLA used to meet regularly in the town of Aarau, “in apartments, cafes and at a daily’s news desk”. The article adds that former refugees and Albanian political activists Bardil Mahmuti, Hydajet Hyseni, Azem Syla, Adem Grabovci and Ramadan Avdiu were among them. “There were rumors that the KLA leaders were collecting money from heroin smuggling to buy military weapons which was intended for Kosovo,” the daily wrote. It also points out that an investigation was launched against certain Kosovo Albanians for weapons smuggling, violation of territorial sovereignty abroad, hostility and involvement in a criminal organization back in 1998. Thaci lived in Switzerland from 1994 until 1998 where he was granted a political asylum. He also studied political science and history at the Zurich University for a year. Military strategy expert, Professor Albert Stahel remembers Thaci as a “very cautious student”. “He took my classes on mujahidin war in Afghanistan. He used their combat mechanisms for his own war,” Stahel was quoted as saying. The daily also points out that Thaci left very few leads in Switzerland, that he was “discreet, suspicious and very careful because of his secret political activities”. “Thaci went to Kosovo on a regular basis, five to six times a year, in order to strengthen the ties with the KLA officials, although as an asylum seeker he did not have the right to do this and his status in Switzerland could have been revoked,” Le Temps wrote. He was closely monitored by intelligence agencies of several European countries after he finally moved to Kosovo due to very serious allegations – he was accused of organizing murders of his rivals, the daily stressed.