We are convinced that the attack on the checkpoint watchtower in Gosince and the events which took place Divo Naselje, happened because someone wanted to defocus the public from the intercepted audio communications, said lawyer of the accused Naser Raufi, after today’s debate on the main events in Kumanovo and May 9-10th last year.
In any case, all of the 29 accused today at the hearing, pleaded not guilty to charges of terrorism and participating in a terrorist organization and other charges which are stacked up against them.
“We believe that there is a genesis, or a connection to the events of Gosince and Divo Naselje exactly with the “bombs” , the wire tapped conversations. My clients and I are confident that certain structures had involvement in the case and later at the main hearing I shall make a citation of the name and surname of who they are”, said Raufi.
The lawyer said that today at the main hearing two defence lawyers opened the defence, and they represent 18 defendants. Other lawyers, according to Raufi, will give their opening arguments on the February 11.
The Courts Council today handed out the terms for subsequent hearings, which will be scheduled for next month.
At the beginning of the trial, the President of the Judicial Council, Verka Petkovska dismissed openings from attorneys as unfounded and for not fulfilling conditions for the beginning of trial, the reasons being that psychiatric reports for the accused had not been done, and the defendants request for the case to be handed over to the Special Public Prosecution.
Judge Petkovska said the request for exclusion from the prosecutors was dismissed as unfounded, adding that the SPP had not submitted formal notification to take over the case, therefore, until otherwise, the Public Prosecutor’s Office for organized crime and corruption has jurisdiction over the case.
