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Kosovo Ministry protests over sentence for Decani attacker

Belgrade, 19 September 2008

The Serbian Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija expressed concern about the insufficient prison sentence made by the UNMIK District Court in Pec to Albanian Jeton Mulaj for the attack on the Decani Monastery, on March 30, 2007.

The Ministry stated that Mulaj, who shot a missile from manual rocket launcher on the Decani Monastery, is sentenced today to three and a half years of prison.

Strong evidences were presented at Jeton Mulaj’s trial that the attack was a terrorist act with the intention to make material damage and jeopardise and intimidate monks, making the atmosphere of constant fear and panic.

The rocket attack on the Decani Monastery, which is the world’s cultural monument under UNESCO protection, represents an attack on the world’s cultural heritage.

At the moment of the attack, Italian military officers guarded the monastery, so this terrorist attack can be considered as an attack on international peacekeeping troops, which are according to UN Resolution 1244 responsible for peace and security of people in the province, especially Serbs and other non-Albanians.

The UN District Court verdict also shows that international community’s attitude toward such attacks is changing.

The Ministry is dissatisfied with the sentence to the Decani Monastery attacker, but it hopes that this verdict will be a warning and deterrent for future ethnically-motivated crimes.