Belgrade/Pristina - Belgrade newspapers Friday spat fire, while in Pristina they heaped praise over the "not guilty" verdict the UN war crimes tribunal passed to the Kosovo Albanian former rebel commander and premier, Ramush Haradinaj. "Slayer on the loose," "Killer of Serbs released" and "Executioner returns to the scene of the crime," are the typical front-page headlines for reports on Haradinaj's acquittal from charges of crimes against humanity - murder, torture and rape - during the Kosovo war.
The Hague-based tribunal Thursday said prosecutors produced only circumstantial evidence against Haradinaj, but also noted the atmosphere of fear amid which the key witnesses refused to testify.
Many Serbs are hostile to the Hague tribunal, which has been pressing Belgrade to arrest and hand over the remaining war crime suspects. Verdicts such as Haradinaj's also cement the widespread sentiment that the tribunal and the west are biased against Serbs.
"Haradinaj released, justice behind bars," the pro-government Politika said, while Blic, traditionally critical of authorities, estimates that "The Hague tribunal has no more reason to exist.
Virtually all Serbian politicians, including bitter rivals President Boris Tadic and caretaker Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, condemned the verdict as "shameful" and a "mockery of justice."
Haradinaj was one of the top commanders in the ethnic Albanian guerrilla army which fought Belgrade's security forces in Kosovo in the late 1990s.
The conflict spiralled into more violence, prompting NATO to strike against Serbia in 1999 and oust its forces from Kosovo, where the Albanians make up a 90-per cent majority - and so set the stage for the province's secession from Serbia nine years later.
After the war, as other UCK leaders, Haradinaj has exchanged his combat fatigues for a suit and has ascended to the position of prime minister in late 2004, three months before he was indicted by the tribunal in The Hague.
Serbia, which claims sovereignty over Kosovo, has branded UCK a terrorist organization and has compiled massive legal cases against its commanders, including Haradinaj, the current Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and his predecessor, Agim Ceku.
Serbian justice claims that the three, along with numerous others in the UCK, killed, tortured and maltreated hundreds of Kosovo Serbs, policemen, soldiers and civilians.
In Kosovo, the Albanians, still euphoric over the declaration of independence, partied in the streets and their leaders and newspapers newspapers equally loudly welcomed Haradinaj's acquittal as a verdict on the UCK and the war it waged against Serbia.
"Tears of joy," "The warrior returns to freedom," "Ramush returns from his last battle," "Justice prevails" and the like were the headers in Koha Ditore, Lajm, Nacional and Epoka e Re.
"The Government of Kosovo salutes the verdict and release of Haradinaj and Balaj," Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said in a statement. He said the verdict also ruled that the UCK fight was a "just, liberation war."
Haradinaj, who said he was eager to return to his family and Kosovo, was expected in Pristina on Friday afternoon.
