VZCZCXRO3173
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSQ #0892/01 3131622
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091622Z NOV 07 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6697
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0089
RHMFIUU/CDR TF FALCON
RHDLCNE/COMUSNAVEUR LONDON UK
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA
RUEHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SKOPJE 000892 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KCRM PTER ASEC MK KS
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: CALM AFTER THE STORM -- POLICE 
OPERATION IN BRODEC CONCLUDES 
 
REF: SKOPJE 887 
 
SUMMARY 
 
¶1. (SBU) A major police action against a group of ethnic 
Albanian criminals in a village in northwest Macedonia 
(reftel) concluded November 8, with six criminals killed and 
more than a dozen arrested.  The operation appeared to have 
been conducted properly, with mixed ethnic patrols conducting 
the raid.  The police discovered a large cache of ammunition, 
explosives, and weapons allegedly smuggled into the area by 
the group.  Ethnic Albanian reaction to the operation has 
been mixed.  Governing coalition partner DPA has been 
supportive of the operation, while opposition DUI has been 
sharply critical of scope of the operation, accusing the 
police of using heavy-handed tactics and the MOI of refusing 
to release bodies of those killed for prompt burial.  Based 
on evidence available to date, it appears the GOM succeeded 
in an operation to enforce rule of law against a group of 
fugitive criminals, although the operation caused some 
collateral damage in the village and some villagers appear to 
be distraught over the large-scale action.  End summary. 
 
POLICE ACTION WRAPS UP IN BRODEC 
 
¶2. (SBU) The major police action that began November 7 
against a criminal group in the northwest village of Brodec 
near the Kosovo border (reftel) had concluded by November 8. 
According to an OSCE report, the police confirmed six 
criminals were killed in gunfire battles with police (one 
unconfirmed report suggested Kosovar fugitive and suspected 
terrorist Ramadan Shiti had blown himself up with a hand 
grenade to avoid capture), and as many as fourteen members of 
the group were captured.  The MOI did not report any civilian 
casualties, although ethnic Albanian media reported 11 
civilians were wounded and taken to a hospital in Skopje. 
One police officer involved in the raid suffered light 
shrapnel wounds, according to an MOI account.  The MOI 
reported that action still was underway in Kosovo to locate 
and arrest one of the members of the group. 
 
OPERATION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PROPERLY CONDUCTED 
 
¶3. (SBU) Following a visit to Brodec on November 8, our 
ICITAP adviser and an OSCE police adviser concluded that the 
operation appeared to have been professionally handled, with 
mixed ethnic police units conducting the initial raid on the 
criminal hideout outside of Brodec, and the ensuing 
house-to-house search after members of that group fled into 
the village.  There was no apparent evidence of significant 
collateral damage, although some houses were pockmarked by 
gunfire and at least one door had been heavily damaged as 
police entered a residence.  It appeared that members of the 
group used the local mosque for shelter and cover; a large 
number of expended ammunition cartridges suggested there had 
been a heavy firefight in that area. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Some of the residents interviewed by our ICITAP 
adviser said they believed the police had conducted 
themselves professionally, while others said the police had 
been heavy-handed.  During the interviews, the ICITAP adviser 
observed some unidentified individuals who appeared to be 
attempting to intimidate villagers who were talking to him. 
 
LARGE WEAPONS AND AMMO CACHE DISPLAYED, INVESTIGATORS ON SITE 
 
¶5. (SBU) Our ICITAP and OSCE colleagues inspected at the site 
a large display of weapons -- including heavy machine guns, 
grenade launchers, and at least one mortar which police claim 
were confiscated from the group.  They also observed the 
police securing the area, and an investigative judge, public 
prosecutor, and forensics team conducting an investigation at 
the site.  The MOI has announced it will display the weapons 
at a military barracks in Skopje and will allow foreign 
"police attaches" to inspect the cache. 
 
ENFORCING THE LAW THROUGHOUT MACEDONIA 
 
¶6. (SBU) PM Gruevski, in a statement during a joint press 
conference November 8 with visiting USNATO Ambassador Nuland, 
 
SKOPJE 00000892  002 OF 003 
 
 
said the operation reflected the "enforcement of the law 
throughout the entire territory of Macedonia," adding that 
the operation had been professionally planned and executed. 
The EUSR office issued a statement the same day, noting that 
-- according to information received from the MOI -- the 
operation had been conducted professionally and had not 
resulted in civilian casualties.  The EUSR statement also 
noted the good cooperation between Macedonian and Kosovo 
authorities during the operation. 
 
ETHNIC ALBANIAN PARTIES REACT -- DPA POSITIVE... 
 
¶7. (SBU) Ethnic Albanian governing coalition partner DPA 
supported the government operation, with DPA President Thaci 
telling us November 9 that it was professionally conducted. 
He said it was the first time the police had undertaken an 
action of such scope with such little collateral damage and 
so few mishaps or mistakes.  He claimed there had been no 
civilian casualties, and that the police had behaved 
appropriately. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Thaci said it would be important for ethnic 
Albanians to recognize that the police could conduct such 
raids with precision, and without treating everyone in the 
village as a potential criminal. He expected the GOM to pay 
for the collateral damage caused, including civilian vehicles 
damaged or destroyed by MOI armored personnel carriers and 
burned homes. 
 
...DUI REMARKS ARE STILL CRITICAL, BUT MORE RESTRAINED 
 
¶9. (SBU) Initial DUI comments in the press harshly criticized 
the operation, claiming the police had used disproportionate 
force and had "committed violence against the eAlbanian 
civilian population."  DUI also called on the international 
community to apply pressure on the MOI to halt the operation, 
a request which was roundly rejected.  Later DUI comments 
were more restrained, although still critical.  DUI President 
Ali Ahmeti distanced his party from the criminal group, but 
said the police had used excessive force in the operation. 
DUI VP Arifi criticized the GOM for refusing to release the 
bodies of two Brodec residents killed in the raid (she 
alleged that one of them was 16 years old) so they could be 
buried.  NOTE: The bodies of those killed in the raid have 
been turned over to the Forensics Unit for examination and 
should be returned to the families after that process is 
concluded.  END NOTE. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Arifi told us November 9 that she had met with 
Brodec residents who were "distraught and traumatized," and 
who "distrust the police forces."  Although she said she 
agreed with the IC position that the operation had been 
necessary and conducted professionally, she also said there 
was a "growing disgust among the residents of Brodec, who 
believed the police had used excessive force" in the 
operation.  She said villagers also had told DUI officials 
that the 13 persons arrested in the sweep were not members of 
the criminal group, but were in fact residents who had been 
taken from their homes. 
 
COMMENT -- ENFORCING RULE OF LAW 
 
¶11. (SBU) Based on reports to date, we believe the operation 
in Brodec was conducted professionally and effectively, a 
successful GOM operation to enforce rule of law in a "former 
conflict area."  We do not doubt that there might have been 
flaws in planning and execution, or that some villagers were 
upset over the disruption and damage caused by the raid and 
ensuing firefights.  At the end of the day, however, this was 
not an operation that pitted eMacedonians against eAlbanians, 
as evidenced by the use of mixed ethnic patrols.  The targets 
of the operation were known criminals and fugitives from 
justice, including escapees from a prison in Kosovo for whom 
international arrest warrants had been issued.  As the dust 
settles, we will learn more details about the operation and 
clarify some questions, including whether there were in fact 
civilian casualties, as claimed by some media.  We will also 
press the GOM to take quick measures to repair the collateral 
damage, and encourage the government to work with local 
political leaders on confidence building steps that could 
 
SKOPJE 00000892  003 OF 003 
 
 
enhance respect for the police. 
MILOVANOVIC