A specialised Hague court opened a trial Friday against Kosovo's former president Hashim Thaci for obstruction of justice, as judges of the same court consider a verdict on his war crimes trial.
The trial began less than 10 days after the one for war crimes, for which prosecutors wants a 45-year sentence for Thaci and his three co-accused, former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) guerrillas, for their role in the 1990s war with Serbia.
In the second trial, specialist prosecutor Kimberly West said in her opening statement: "Thaci is charged with repeatedly and systematically attempting to interfere with witness testimony."
Prosecutors say Thaci instructed four former associates, who regularly visited him in detention in The Hague, to convince witnesses to testify in his favour.
"All the charged conduct had a single goal -- to obstruct and undermine the war crimes proceedings to the benefit of Hashim Thaci," added West, who also prosecuted his war crimes case.
Thaci and the other co-accused -- who include the former intelligence chief and justice minister -- pleaded not guilty.
"I am completely innocent," said the 57-year-old Thaci.
The KLA emerged in the 1990s in response to the growing oppression of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, then a Serbian province.
The accused led Kosovo's independence fight, which ended after NATO bombings forced the withdrawal of Serb forces in 1999. Many in Kosovo still view Thaci and his co-accused as heroes.
The Kosovo Special Chambers, part of Kosovo's judicial system, was moved to The Hague to ensure independent, fair, and secure proceedings.
