ALBANIANS FEAR TRIAL WITCHUNT IN THE WAKE OF SERBIAN OFFENSIVES

( Editorial: --> 5250 ) PRISTINA, Aug 22 (Hina) - A massive campaign of investigations and trials against Kosovo Albanians accused of "criminal acts of terrorism" is expected in the southern Yugoslav province, in the wake of less intense Serbian attacks on Albanian villages. Albanian sources in Pristina report that the state prosecutor in Pec has submitted demands for beginning investigative trials against 25 Albanians from the Djakovica and Decani municipalities accused of "terrorism". Most of them are already in custody. The Pec district court recently started investigations against 82 Albanians for criminal offences in "terrorism". Similarly, the Pristina district court is conducting investigations against 15 Kosovo Albanians from the Kacanik municipality. Most of them are former political prisoners. Starting from journalist and Kosovo Association of Albanian Political Prisoners president Berat Luzhe, the group includes prominent intellectuals, political party officials and people involved in the largely underground Albanian education system. The Prizren district court has ended its trial of nine students, most of whom are leaders of the Independent Union of Albanian Students. They are accused of being members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), but their defending lawyers said the court could not find one shred of evidence. A verdict is to be delivered this Monday (August 14). The Kosovo Association of Albanian Political Prisoners says the Serbian authorities are conducting criminal procedures against at least 500 Albanians and this is just the beginning of a wider campaign against Kosovo Albanians. (Hina) mbr 221340 MET aug 98