Group urges probe of Kosovo crimes

ROME - A leading human rights group urged the governments of Albania and the self-declared state of Kosovo yesterday to investigate horrific allegations about the kidnapping and abuse of Serb civilians after the NATO-led war that drove Serbian forces from Kosovo. The allegations involve about 400 Serbs who went missing after the war, which ended in June 1999. At that time, Kosovo Albanians were gaining power, backed by the United Nations and the United States. Human Rights Watch, in urging an investigation, cited new information, some of it contained in a controversial book written and released in April by the former lead war crimes prosecutor for the Balkans, Carla Del Ponte. (Los Angeles Times)

SUKHUMI - Officials in the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia showed off yesterday what they said was the wreckage of two unmanned Georgian spy planes that were downed over the weekend. Georgia has denied that any of its planes were shot down, but Russia - a longtime backer of Abkhazia - quickly accused Georgia of inflaming tensions by sending the unmanned planes to spy on Abkhazian forces. Georgia retorted that it was Moscow that was being provocative by unilaterally bolstering its peacekeeping forces. (AP)

BEIRUT - Lebanon began an investigation yesterday into allegations that the militant Hezbollah group set up surveillance cameras near the Beirut airport to monitor the comings and goings of anti-Syria Lebanese politicians and foreign dignitaries. The charges have intensified political tensions in the country, giving a new twist to the war of words between Lebanese factions that support the Western-backed parliament majority and the Hezbollah-led pro-Syria opposition. Officials said Prosecutor General Saeed Mirza ordered the investigation after receiving documents from the about Hezbollah's alleged placement of cameras just outside the airport in the Lebanese capital. (AP)