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Kosovo Shocked at Arrests of Albanian Terror Suspects

09 05 2007  Pristina__ Kosovo has been shocked by the arrest of four Islamic radicals of Albanian origin who were allegedly plotting to attack the US military base at Fort Dix, close to New Jersey.

Six Muslims, four of them Albanians from ex-Yugoslavia, were arrested and charged Monday night with planning a heavily armed attack on soldiers at Fort Dix.

News of the arrests has caused something of a furore in Kosovo, with politicians and institutions strongly condemning the alleged plotters and offering to help the US government with their enquiries.

In a letter that Agim Ceku, Kosovo's prime minister sent to Tina Kaidanow, head of the US Office in Pristina, on Wednesday, he condemned the incident and reaffirmed Kosovo's full support and eagerness to help in the on-going investigation.

"We are disgusted by the fact that any Albanian anywhere in the world could be involved in such acts against a nation which has been so generous to us," said Ceku.

Kosovan political parties said the alleged plot damaged the image of Albanians.

Hashim Thaci, head of Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, the main opposition party in Kosovo, said in a statement released yesterday that "Kosovo and Albanians in general have always and continue to take an active part in the war against global terrorism".

More than 100 civil society organisations and media condemned the Albanians implicated in the planned attack, saying they were in no way representative of the Albanian people.

Civil society activists will on Wednesday organise a petition against terrorist acts and in support of the American people and government.