Haradinaj, a former Kosovo Liberation Army commander in the Decani area, and his two subordinates Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj, are accused of crimes against humanity and breaches of the laws and customs of war.
Chief prosecutor Carla Del Ponte accused the three of being gangsters in uniform whose bloody and brutal crimes carried nothing noble, heroic or patriotic. She said that witnesses for the prosecution had received threats as late as over the weekend, and added intimidation of witnesses was a constant problem in the case against Haradinaj so that more than one-third of witnesses would have protection.
The three defendants are accused of murder, persecution, deportation, detention, inhumane acts, torture, kidnapping, mistreatment and rape of civilians between April and September 1998.
Most crimes were committed by Balaj's Black Eagles in a makeshift detention camp, Jablanica, in the Decani area which was commanded by Brahimaj.