Kosovo Albanians Attack Decani Monastery
Damage caused by a rocket propelled anti-tank grenade Albanian terrorists fired at Decani Monastery this morning in Serbian Kosovo-Metohija province.
Kosovo Albanians Prove Themselves Worthy of Independence: Attack on UNESCO’s World Heritage With Mortar Grenade
DECANI, Kosovo-Metohija, Serbia, March 30, 2007 (Source: Serbian Government) — Today at 1.10 am an explosion took place near the Visoki Decani Monastery caused by a mortar grenade which was apparently fired from the hills behind the monastery.
Members of the Italian KFOR unit who are responsible for the security of the monastery and who have a military base nearby reacted immediately and began a search for the attackers. The situation around the monastery is under control and peaceful.
Prior of the monastery and Bishop of Lipljan Teodosije said that the monastery was attacked with the aim to terrorize and threaten the monks and the KFOR, adding that it is a known fact that the area is full of heavily armed extremist groups.
He stressed that it is expected that members of the KFOR issue a public statement, carry out a detailed investigation and identify those responsible for this terrorist attack on the monastery.
The Visoki Decani Monastery was made target of similar attacks during the March 17 violence when seven grenades were fired, as well as on two other occasions since the arrival of the KFOR. Six grenades were fired at the monastery in February 2000 and nine in June 2000. Those responsible for the attacks have still not been found.
The Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija strongly appeals to the international community, and especially to the organs of the UN and the NATO present in Kosovo-Metohija province, to effectively protect human life and Serbian religious heritage, which have once again been made a target of brutal violence in the attack carried out early this morning on the Visoki Decani Monastery.
This attack is also a warning that the terrorists are prepared to destroy the historical, spiritual and cultural heritage of Serbs with the use of weapons, in order to wipe out every sign of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija, and it is a matter of great concern that the terrorists are putting the lives of the monks in jeopardy.
The Coordinating Centre states that the monastery was attacked several times with mortar grenades thus far and no one was held accountable for those attacks.
At the same time, the Coordinating Centre appeals to the media which are informing the public on this terrorist attack not to minimize its grave proportions and implications, reads the statement.