On Friday, the Prishtina Basic Court ordered 30 days detention Fehim Sali, a dual national of Kosovo and Serbia, on suspicion of spying for Serbia’s intelligence agency, BIA, alleging he passed on information about Kosovo officials, politics, islamic ideology, including recruitment targets, and received money in return. 

Sali was arrested on Thursday at the Merdare border crossing point while entering from Serbia. He appeared before the Basic Court in Prishtina for an initial hearing on Friday.

According to the prosecution case file, Sali came under investigation because of undercover operations and is suspected of “maintaining contact with BIA officers using four different mobile phones,” which were found during raids at his house on Thursday, alongside around 40,000 euros in cash.

The prosecution file notes that, from an unspecified date until his arrest, Sali “worked as a recruited agent for Serbia’s Security Information Agency, BIA, in exchange for material benefits.” The file alleges that he acted on the instructions of a senior BIA officer identified as Zelimir Matovic, known by the nickname “Zeljko.”

The prosecution alleges that Sali provided the BIA with information about Kosovo’s political situation and helped identify officials of Kosovo’s Intelligence Agency, AKI. According to the case file, he photographed some of the officials to facilitate their identification.

Sali is also accused of providing information about people belonging to the Wahhabi movement (Islamic ideology), as well as other individuals whom he allegedly proposed to the BIA officer as potential targets for contact and recruitment.

According to prosecutors, Sali also “mediated matters and documents connected to Serbian state institutions and maintained contacts with people with political and social influence in Serbia and Kosovo, particularly members of non-majority communities.”

The prosecution further states that he provided some of these people with “guidance on political activity, with the aim of gathering and transmitting information of interest to the BIA.”

Prosecutors argue that these activities were carried out against the state interests of Kosovo and endangered the country’s constitutional order and national security.

The prosecution also alleges that 40,000 euros found and seized during a search of Sali’s home came from his alleged espionage activities on behalf of the BIA.

According to the case file, the evidence against Sali includes his own statement. Prosecutors claim that he described in detail his alleged activities, including how and where he communicated with BIA officials, exchanged information, and provided assistance to the Serbian intelligence service.

Speaking to the media, prosecutor Bekim Kodraliu said Sali had admitted that he had been recruited and maintained regular contact with BIA officials.

“With the request for pre-detention, the suspect himself stated that he had been recruited and had ongoing contacts with BIA officials,” Kodraliu said.

The case comes two months after another Kosovo espionage conviction involving Serbia’s intelligence service.

In June, the Prishtina Basic Court sentenced Kosovo Albanian Hysri Selimi, a former Islamic State member, to six years in prison for espionage. Prosecutors said Selimi had provided the BIA with information about religious radicalisation in Kosovo, former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, and people who had joined Islamic State.