Detention for Germans in Kosovo over attack

Suspects, believed to be in secret service, may face terrorism charges

PRISTINA (AFP) - A Pristina court has ordered one month's detention for three Germans arrested on suspicion of attacking the EU envoy's office in Kosovo, a lawyer for the trio said yesterday.

Fetie Uka had asked that the group be placed under house arrest, but told reporters: «The court did not accept the proposal and the clients are now in detention, waiting for the end of the investigation.» «Three German citizens, suspected for the explosion...have to stay one month in detention,» the Daily Express had earlier reported, adding that they were «suspected of conducting a criminal act of terrorism.» The newspaper quoted the court's ruling as saying the suspects - reported by both Kosovo and German media to be members of the German intelligence service - would have been in a position to obstruct the course of the investigation and conceal «proof,» the daily said.

A spokesman for the German intelligence agency refused to make a comment on the reports that the group were members of its service.

Local TV stations broadcast footage of the three handcuffed Germans being escorted to the court for the hearing, heavily guarded by a special anti-terrorist unit of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS).

The three were arrested after an explosive device was hurled at the Pristina headquarters of the EU special envoy to Kosovo Peter Feith on November 14. The blast caused no casualties, but shattered office windows. The explosion came amid opposition by Kosovo Albanians to the planned deployment of an EU civilian mission focused on police, judiciary and customs (EULEX) by early December under an agreement reached between the UN and Serbia.

PRISTINA (Reuters) - Germany declined to comment Saturday on reports that three Germans arrested on suspicion of throwing explosives at an EU office in Kosovo were intelligence officers.

A spokesman for the German foreign ministry in Berlin confirmed that three Germans had been arrested, but declined to make any further comment as an investigation was under way.

A police source in Kosovo told Reuters: «They are members of the BND,» but gave no further details.

The German weekly Der Spiegel also said the men worked for the German intelligence agency BND and that they had told investigators they had been examining the scene of the explosion, but had not been involved in it.