VZCZCXRO6332
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHPS #0709/01 2411835
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 291835Z AUG 06
FM USOFFICE PRISTINA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6429
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHFMISS/AFSOUTH NAPLES IT PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR TF FALCON PRIORITY
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000709 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE 
NSC FOR BRAUN 
USOSCE FOR STEGER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2016 
TAGS: ASEC KPKO PGOV PHUM KJUS PY
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: SWIFT RESPONSE BY UNMIK AND KFOR CALMS 
TENSIONS FOLLOWING A GRENADE ATTACK IN MITROVICA 
 
REF: A. LASKARIS-OPS CENTER TELCON OF 08/26/06 
 
     ¶B. KAIDANOW-HOH E-MAIL OF 08/28/06 
 
Classified By: COM TINA S. KAIDANOW FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  Swift action by UNMIK, KFOR, and the Kosovo 
Police Service prevented an escalation of violence following 
an August 26 grenade attack on a well-known cafe frequented 
by hard-line Serbs in north Mitrovica.  Nine people sustained 
injuries, though none life-threatening, in the attack:  seven 
local Serbs plus two expatriates.  A Kosovar Albanian woman 
driving through the area was subsequently attacked by a Serb 
crowd gathered near the cafe, and she remains in serious but 
stable condition in the Pristina hospital.  A 16 year old 
Kosovo Albanian male was taken into custody by UNMIK for the 
grenade attack and is being held in a juvenile detention 
facility in Ljipjan.  The Kosovar political leadership 
quickly condemned the attack.  The Kosovo Serb leadership has 
been restrained in its reaction, and in initial interaction 
with UNMIK acted constructively to get past the violence. 
DATT and Pol/Econ Chief traveled August 29 to Mitrovica to 
meet the CivPol regional commander, who noted in particular 
that the actions of Nebojsa Jovic, north Mitrovica leader of 
the Serbian National Council, had done much to calm the 
situation after the incident.  We will follow developments as 
they relate both to the security situation in Mitrovica and 
our own security posture in the area.  End summary. 
 
Kosovar Albanian Lobs Hand Grenade into Cafe in North 
Mitrovica 
 
¶2.  (SBU) At 1855 local time August 26, a grenade exploded 
just outside the Dolce Vita Cafe, a well-known establishment 
located on the northern side of the main bridge connecting 
north and south Mitrovica.  The Dolce Vita is frequented by 
hardline Serb leaders and serves as the main base of the 
"bridgewatchers" -- Serbian security police personnel, local 
thugs, and others who maintain an interest in the traffic 
crossing the main bridge in the town.  Seven Kosovo Serbs 
were wounded in the attack, one of whom was a Serbian 
language specialist working for UNMIK CivPol.  A British 
CivPol officer and a Dutch employee of a local bank were also 
injured.  None of the injuries were life-threatening.  A 
crowd that ultimately grew to some 500 people gathered, and 
in a vengeful mood threw rocks at a passing car driven by a 
Kosovar Albanian woman.  She sustained head injuries and is 
reported to be in serious but stable condition in Pristina 
hospital.  Subsequently, the strong and visible UNMIK Civpol 
and KFOR presence helped to defuse tensions and the crowd 
dispersed peacefully later in the evening.  The bridge was 
closed to traffic and remains so at this time. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Shortly after the attack, police arrested a 16 year 
old Albanian male -- Adem Jetullah Dibrani -- as the 
suspected perpetrator.  According to initial UNMIK CivPol and 
press reports, Dibrani's family members are well known to 
have extremist connections.  Both the father, Jetullah 
Dibrani, and older brother, Baki Dibrani, are also reportedly 
connected to criminal activity.  Acting UNMIK SRSG Steve 
Schook told COM and other Contact Group representatives 
August 29 that three witnesses had identified the youth, and 
that there was film footage to corroborate.  Because the 
perpetrator was a juvenile, he was remanded for 30 days to a 
youth correctional facility in Ljipjan; UNMIK DOJ will 
continue the investigation and bring charges against him as 
warranted by law.  COM stressed to Schook and DOJ head Al 
Moscowitz that it would be important to pursue the course of 
justice in this case as a reassurance to the Serb community 
in north Mitrovica and elsewhere in Kosovo, and the two 
agreed swift action was necessary. 
 
Reactions to the Attack Subdued 
 
¶4.  (U) Understanding the danger posed by this incident, the 
office of Prime Minister Ceku was quick to issue an 
unequivocal condemnation of the attack, noting that the 
government "believes that today, now more than ever, it is 
necessary for citizens to cooperate with the institutions of 
 
PRISTINA 00000709  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
law and order in order to identify and capture the culprits 
... the Government calls on all Kosovars to maintain calm and 
not to fall for provocations from those in Kosovo who want 
violence and suffering for all."  The Kosovar negotiating 
team issued a similar statement after their meeting August 27. 
 
¶5.  (U) Kosovo's Serb leadership also played a constructive 
role in calming tensions after the attack.  In an August 27 
sit-down with UNMIK and KFOR, representatives of the northern 
Kosovo Serb community (including Nebojsa Jovic of the Serb 
National Council and Milan Ivanovic) made a series of 
requests with regard to increased security on and around the 
bridge, most of which UNMIK deemed reasonable and were 
implemented without delay.  Ivanovic also asked that the 
bridge be closed to traffic until after the status process 
concludes; Schook would not agree to impede freedom of 
movement in this way indefinitely, but indicated that the 
bridge would not be reopened until the security environment 
dictated such a move.  Schook told CG reps that the first 
security assessment would be undertaken on Wednesday, August 
30, and decisions would be taken in coordination with the 
Serb leadership. 
 
Comment:  A Bullet Dodged 
 
¶6.  (C) This incident could easily have spread to broader 
violence, but -- fortunately -- did not.  Swift UNMIK CivPol, 
KPS and KFOR action, including the apprehension of a suspect, 
defused the situation in its immediate aftermath, and the 
condemnations from across the political spectrum also 
contributed to calming the environment.  The restrained and 
productive reaction of the Kosovar Serb leadership also gives 
cause for hope that Serbs can play a positive role in 
cooperating with the international community and Kosovar 
authorities.  Still, tensions will remain elevated within the 
Serb community, not only in the north but in enclaves south 
of the Ibar.  We will press UNMIK to pursue the case against 
the perpetrator with vigor, and we will continue our 
interaction with the Serb community in all parts of Kosovo to 
assuage some of their concerns.  End comment. 
KAIDANOW