The Hague: A UN court has acquitted Kosovo's former prime minister of murdering and torturing Serbs and their supporters during the province's battle to free itself of Serb rule in 1998.
Ramush Haradinaj, 39,had pleaded not guilty to 37 counts including murder, rape and torture of Serbs at the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal. As presiding judge Alphons Orie announced the verdict today, Haradinaj's supporters in the public gallery let out a loud cheer.
Another former rebel commander, Idriz Balaj, also was acquitted of all charges while a third, Lahi Brahimaj, was convicted of two counts of torture and sentenced to six years imprisonment.
