The tailored, intensive training was structured to serve justice professionals in their daily work, including cases related to terrorism, extremism, and radicalism. On the first day of training, the participants were presented with the agenda, trainers, and details of the training.
During the second day, the training followed by a technical deep dive into Kosovo’s national counter-terrorism strategies and legal frameworks, achievements, challenges, and current affairs. The afternoon session shifted toward the rising threat of right-wing extremism, where participants analyzed the development of these ideologies and engaged in a hands-on simulation of a strategic investigation based on a staged terrorist incident. The sessions were led by Luan Keka, Director of the Kosovo Police Unit on Anti-terrorism, and Nexdet Haxhaj, a Kosovo Police Investigator with the Unit on Anti-terrorism.
On the third day, participants focused on research and the technical definitions of terror-related crimes. Burim Ademi, a Supreme Court Judge, led a session defining terrorism as a criminal offense, specifically examining the roles of terrorist groups and individuals in executing these acts. On the second part of the day, the focus shifted toward the global and regional landscape of violent extremism with Luan Keka detailing the development of religious extremism, while Special Prosecutor Naim Abazi discussed the critical legal hurdles regarding the admissibility of evidence in urgent cases and the importance of sentencing hearings. The afternoon was dedicated to practical application which included group work on investigating international religious extremism cases moderated by Kreshnik Gashi and Nexhdet Haxhaj.
On the final day of the training, the lectures were focused on the logistical, financial, and communicative aspects of countering terrorism. The morning session began with a presentation on research results, specifically examining how pre-sentencing report mechanisms are utilized in terrorism-related convictions. Following this, the sessions delved into the technical and strategic side of enforcement:Financial and Criminal Intersections with Supreme Court Judge Burim Ademi who led a session detailing the various methods used to finance terrorism and the ways these activities intersect with organized criminal groups. Preventative Programs: Besim Hasani from the Intelligence Unit discussed the development of the “Chanel” program in Kosovo, highlighting the challenges and opportunities faced by multidisciplinary teams at the local level.
This training was attended by 31 participants, including 16 prosecutors and judges. The participants have actively engaged in this training by sharing experiences and posing questions on how to effectively deal with terrorism and violent extremism.The training was part of the ‘Resilient and Inclusive Communities Program” funded by GCERF.