Kosovo ex-president Thaci sentenced to 25 years for war crimes

A Kosovo war crimes tribunal on Wednesday found former President Hashim Thaci guilty of war crimes committed during the 1998-1999 war for independence from Serbia.

Thaci, a former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commander, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for crimes including murder, torture and illegal detention.

He was tried along with three other former KLA guerrilla leaders in The Hague.

The tribunal said Thaci was guilty of the murder of  of 96 political opponents and perceived collaborators with Serbian security forces at the hands of the KLA during the conflict. He was also convicted for the illegal detention of 385 people and torturing more than 300 people

The court added Thaci had "actively participated in and encouraged crimes."

Prosecutors alleged KLA forces killed more than 100 political opponents and perceived collaborators with Serbian security forces during and just after the Kosovo war.

This included prisoners held at KLA facilities in Kosovo and Albania, along with politically motivated murders of Serb, Albanian and Roma civilians.

The defense argued that the senior KLA figures could not control or be held responsible for such acts, as the group lacked a strict command structure.