Ex-Kosovo president Thaci pleads not guilty to war crimes
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STORY: The former president of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity at a trial in a special court in The Hague.
The 10 charges of persecution, murder, torture and forced disappearance of people stem from the 1998-99 insurgency that eventually brought independence from Serbia and made him a hero among many compatriots.
Thaci and three co-defendants, all principle leaders of the guerrilla Kosovo Liberation Army, or KLA, all pleaded not guilty when hearings got underway.
During his time as a KLA leader and a prominent politician, Thaci worked closely with many Western leaders.
Joe Biden, when he was U.S. vice president, called him "the George Washington of Kosovo" and Thaci was en route to a meeting at Donald Trump's White House when his indictment was announced.
In the Hague, protesters in support of Thaci carried banners bearing his image.
Another protest in Kosovo on Sunday attracted thousands of his supporters, contesting the charges against him.
Thaci resigned as president shortly after his indictment in 2020 and was transferred to detention in The Hague.
The trial's likely to be lengthy as prosecutors said they would need two years to present their evidence.
