Kosovo: Ex-President Thaci to face court on Monday

BELGRADE, Serbia

Kosovo's former President Hashim Thaci will appear in a special court in The Hague on Monday to face charges of war crime, prosecutors announced Friday.

Earlier on Friday, Kosovo police launched a search operation at his residence in the country's capital Pristina, a day after he announced his resignation to face charges brought against him.

Thaci, 52, is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 1998-99 war with Serbia.

He denied any wrongdoing, and described the indictment against him and his comrades as "a small price to pay for the freedom and construction of Kosovo."

An international prosecutor has indicted the former president and his associates for killing 100 people and other war crimes.

Local media reported raids were also carried out on the houses of Kadri Veseli, the former parliament speaker, and Recep Selimi, former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, a separatist ethnic militia.

Veseli, Selimi, and veteran politician Yakup Krasniqi were earlier placed in the detention center in The Hague.

The Kosovo Special Prosecutor's Office reported that the operations were conducted throughout the country with the support of the Kosovo police and EU Kosovo mission (EULEX).