Serbia sentences Albanians over war crimes

Former members of the Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army have been sentenced in Serbia to a total of 116 years after being convicted of war crimes. Of the 17 people charged, six were acquitted Wednesday by a panel of judges of the War Crimes Department of the Higher Court, B92, Beta and Tanjug reported. The group was being retried after their convictions were thrown out in December 2011 by the Belgrade Court of Appeals. In the retrial, the group was found guilty of torturing to death at least 80 between June and December 1999. Most of them were Serbs and other non-Albanians. A total of 153 more civilians were illegally detained, tortured and then released. Some 34 people believed to be the group's victims are still missing. The War Crimes Prosecutor's Office said it would appeal the six acquittals.