Kosovo Intelligence and Police Arrest ISIL linked Group Plotting Terrorist Attacks in the Balkans

Under the supervision of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency [KIA], the Special Prosecution of Kosovo, and some international Intelligence Services, the Kosovo police have arrested 19 ISIL "soldiers" of Lavdrim Muhaxheri, who were coordinated focused to carry out terrorist attacks in the Balkans, but firstly in Kosovo and specifically in Albania, were the Albania-Israel soccer match for the 2018 World Cup qualifications was played.

According Albanian newspaper Zeri the first group of the arrested persons -- Bujar Brahimi, Visar Ibishi, Liriodon Morina, Burim Istrefi, Leutrim Musliu, Kenan Plakaj, and Leotrim Vojvoda -- have been accused by the Special Prosecution of Kosovo of plotting terrorist attacks. It is suspected that all of them are part of the ISIL terrorist group. They had planned to carry out terrorist attacks initially in Kosovo and then in other Balkan countries.

Special Prosecution of Kosovo said that "there is convincing evidence that the defendants, Bujar Brahimi, Visar Ibishi, Liriodon Morina, Burim Istrefi, Leutrim Musliu, Kenan Plakaj, and Leotrim Vojvoda belong to the ISIL terrorist organization. Instructed by former leader of the Albanians in Syria, Lavdrim Muhaxheri, defendant Bujar Brahimi was willingly involved in terrorist activities of that organization during the period September-October 2016".

"Kosovo Intelligence Agency  arrested 19 ISIL soldiers linked to Lavdrim Muhaxheri"

Special Prosecution of Kosovo added that "they are suspected of having planned terrorist attacks, initially in Kosovo and then in other countries of the Balkans. They planned attacks on various facilities, including security institutions, with the aim of causing serious fear among the population, destabilization and destruction of basic political, constitutional, economic, and social structures in different countries, and then to establish in their territories the so-called ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and Levant)".

Security experts have said that the fact that the number of arrested people on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks is so big in this case should serve as a wake-up call to the security institutions to cope with serious terrorism threats.

According to Behar Selimi, former director of the Kosovo Police, "if the security institutions' claims that we were dealing with a planned terrorist attack are corroborated, this means Kosovo is not facing a minor threat but rather a direct national security threat against the institutions and the citizens in general. So if the charges that we have seen about an ISIL cell in Kosovo will be confirmed during an investigation process, it is obvious that we are dealing with something serious".

Balkan Think Tanks: Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS)

The Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS) is a non-governmental, non-profit research centre focusing mostly on the functioning of democratic institutions in Albania, Tirana’s EU perspectives and its relations with Kosovo and Serbia.

As an apparently non-profit entity, AIIS totally relies on a conspicuous number of international donors: US, Germany, France, Spain, UK, the European Commission, the Balkan Trust for Democracy, the National Endowment for Democracy, the Open Society Foundation, UNDP and NATO.

Balkans Escobar Klement Balili Relaxing on a Resort

Mostly Albanian websites published today pictures of Klement Balili, the so-called “Balkans Escobar”, wanted by authorities for international drug dealing as reported last May on Gazeta Express.

Gazeta Shqiptare, Respublica and Gazeta55 wrote that Klement Balili is relaxing on a private resort in Saranda, Southern Albania, and touring the sea with a Yacht.

Macedonian Intelligence Aims to Portray Albanians as ISIL Fighters

According Macedonian newspaper Zhurnal "Macedonian Intelligence elements, supported from Russian and Serb, aim to portray Macedonian and Kosovar Albanians the attributes of ISIL fighters, denigrating and degrading political credibility of Macedonian and Kosovar Albanians".

Zhurnal reported that "this disinformation comes from Macedonian and Russian Intelligence Agencies with the target to smear Albanians as being affiliated with ISIL".

In this context President Ivanov stated that "Macedonia had been facing a danger of potential terrorist attacks that could likely be conducted by recruitees and those who had returned from Syria and Iraq. In our country, there are as many as 86 people who have returned from the wars of Syria and Iraq".

Albanian Defense Minister Luan Hajdaraga said that "a lot of Balkan Intelligence, media and think tanks spread rumors or information that has still not been confirmed. This type of information needs to be verified first".

Bruxelles Bombers Mentor Oussama Atar Trying to Reach Europe from Syria Via Albania

Oussama Atar, the Bruxelles Bombers' Mentor is apparently trying to reach Europe from Syria via Albania.

At the age of 32, Oussama Atar is already a veteran of the Iraq-Syria zone. This Belgian national first went there in 2002, to do humanitarian work, he said.

After that his movements convinced the antiterrorist services that he was a jihadi, probably connected to the attacks in Bruxelles. For instance, 22 March, just a few hours after the attacks, his home in Anderlecht was one off the first to be searched by investigators. Unfortunately, the bird had flown.

According the French newspaper Le Parisien, a "vigilance message," distributed to French police during the past matter of hours, which we were able to consult, attests to Oussama Atar’s presence in Syria. The law and order forces have instructions to arrest him, while keeping in mind that he is a “dangerous and armed foreign combatant.”

"Atar encountered Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the ISIL group's present leader"

This detail is far from unimportant in view of his background. At the age of 21, he was arrested in Ramadi (Iraq,) in February 2005.

At the time, close associates described him as just a charity worker. But US intelligence is convinced that he is a combatant. Oussama Atar spent 10 years in prison, partly at Camp Bucca, in Iraq, where he encountered Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the ISIL group's present leader. That was where ISIL was born, the outcome of a rapprochement between Sunni and secular radicals, former members of Saddam Husayn’s intelligence services.

Following a major media support campaign orchestrated by his family, he eventually returned to Belgium in 2012. A year later he was arrested while about to join a group of jihadis in Tunisia. He returned to the country again, but subsequently disappeared off the radar. Until the attacks in Brussels.

This, because, Oussama Atar is a cousin of the brothers, Ibrahim and Khalid el-Bakraoui, no less. The former was one of the suicide bombers at Zaventem airport, while the latter blew himself up in the subway.

"According to Belgian intelligence, Atar was the Mentor of Bruxelles Suicide Bombers"

His younger brother, Yacine, was also arrested following the attacks. Traces of explosives were discovered on his face and clothing. Oussama Atar apparently also influenced Moustapha and Jawad Benhattal.

Since 18 June, this uncle and another cousin of the El-Bakraoui has been in prison. These known criminals were arrested during a major dragnet in connection with "an imminent threat of attack.

"Surveillance and the fact that their car was found close to a fan zone on the sidelines of the Ireland–Belgium match convinced the authorities that they were planning a terrorist attack".