The Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland in Bellinzona has begun the trial of two Balkan men accused of supporting and participating in a terrorist organization that allegedly planned to destabilize a region of Kosovo.
According to Swiss prosecutors, the suspects — a 37-year-old Kosovar and a 34-year-old dual citizen of Switzerland and North Macedonia — were based in the Geneva region. They were arrested in September 2022 after a lengthy surveillance operation and have remained in custody since.
Serious Charges Filed
The indictment, issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, includes multiple charges:
- Participation and support for a terrorist organization,
- Bribery of foreign public officials,
- Money laundering,
- Obstruction of justice,
- Forgery of documents, and
- Commercial fraud, among others.
Both men remain presumed innocent pending the outcome of the trial.
Alleged Support for “Vëllezërit Vitia”
Prosecutors allege the two men were key members and financiers of a radical Islamic group known as “Vëllezërit Vitia” (The Vitia Brothers), based in Kosovo. Between 2014 and 2022, they allegedly ran its Swiss branch, called “Vëllezërit e Gjenevës” (The Brothers of Geneva), active around Lake Geneva.
The group reportedly recruited followers from the Kosovar diaspora, particularly from Vitia, and, to a lesser extent, North Macedonia. Starting in 2016, they allegedly operated around the Petit-Saconnex Mosque in Geneva, focusing on raising and transferring funds to the Kosovo network.
Financing and Fraud
According to the prosecution, the funds — raised through membership fees, donations, and social insurance and COVID-19 loan fraud — amounted to between 64,000 and 77,000 Swiss francs (CHF). These sums were allegedly sent to Kosovo to finance extremist activities.
Goal: Establishing a Sharia-Governed Region
The alleged aim of “Vëllezërit Vitia,” according to Swiss prosecutors, was to exploit political instability in Kosovo to seize control of a local region and establish an Islamic state governed by Sharia law.
Funds raised in Switzerland were allegedly used to purchase weapons and bribe judges handling cases against members of the group.
In 2016, during a trip to Kosovo, the two men are accused of helping store four Kalashnikov rifles, a pistol, and 3,000 rounds of ammunition in a safe house. They also allegedly organized indoctrination meetings in Geneva and hosted several radical preachers.
The trial in Bellinzona is expected to continue throughout the week, with a verdict anticipated later this month.
