PRISTINA – Kosovo’s special prosecution office on Monday indicted seven men for terrorism-related crimes, Pristina media reported.

The indictees are Kosovo Albanians Zecerija Cazimi, Ilir Berisa, Sadat Topojani, Burim Blazi, Jetmir Kucuku, Liridon Kabasi and Ilir Kraba.

They are indicted for urging others to commit or participate in terrorist acts, participate in activities of terrorist groups and procure material resources for them, committing the criminal act of recruiting for terrorism under Kosovo’s penal code.

The indictees took part in terrorist groups by agreeing to go to war in Syria and join a group of Albanians fighting for the extremist Islamic State, thereby also committing the criminal act of organising and participating in a terrorist group, a statement said.

Abusing his position as imam at the Al-Quddus mosque in Gnjilane, Cazimi publicly incited and spread hatred and national, religious and ethnic intolerance.

From January 2014, Berisa owned two unlicensed handguns – an EKOL Special 99 and another 9mm calibre pistol – which also constitutes a criminal act.

The indictment has been raised by a local prosecutor of the special prosecution office, who proposed that the suspects be found guilty and sentenced following a trial.