After 40 years, the story of a still-mysterious secret mission is reopened The graves of two agents in Fier FATOS BAXHAKU TIRANA — The discovery of the graves of the two Kabashi cousins near Fier reopens a story unknown to many. It is an enigmatic story of secret services, planned in secrecy to overthrow the communist regime in Albania. Few know that the American CIA and the M.16 branch of British intelligence tried for four years, from 1949 to 1953, to change the situation by parachuting in several groups of nationalists, secretly trained in Malta and Germany and kept hidden even from their own allies. Everything is still shrouded in mystery, although the CIA—despite opening its archives recently—has so far refused to provide explanations about the operation in which the two Kabashi cousins took part. Is the regime’s official propaganda claim, repeated for years, true—that “the failure of this attempt was thanks to the unity of the people around the Party”? In fact, the entire effort failed only because someone in the upper ranks of British intelligence began telling the Russians every detail of the allies’ plan, which they naturally passed on to the Albanian Sigurimi. Now only the recollections of a few surviving participants allow the first and only Western attempt to spark an armed uprising in Eastern Europe to be reconstructed. On the night of October 4, 1949, two young Englishmen, Sam Barclay and John Leatham, secretly steered their boat, Stormle Seas, toward Karaburun. They had already passed through Malta and Greece, and their vessel carried no ordinary cargo: nine men, all from the regions of southern Albania and determined to fight to the end against communism and for their homeland. In addition to weapons and other special equipment, each was also carrying a cyanide pill. They knew the fate of those who fell into the hands of the Sigurimi. Thus began the great adventure, which would continue for another four years. In an irony of fate, almost at the same time one of the main protagonists entered the picture. He, too, traveled by sea, but was headed for Washington. He had been assigned to oversee relations between the CIA and British intelligence. His name has since become very well known. He was called Kim Philby and was working for the KGB. He would soon become a symbol of the failure of many years of effort and preparation. The first group of infiltrators was ambushed by the communists within the first few days. It was an ambush prepared well in advance. Three men—the two young cousins and another member of the group—were killed on the spot. The others, led by Bido Kuka, escaped by crossing into Greek territory. Dozens of other groups later continued entering Albania. They all met the same fate. Unexpected ambushes and large military forces would appear as if by magic at the places where they landed. At the time, no one suspected that everything was the result of Kim Philby’s treachery. In July 1949, the CIA entered the picture. To train groups of Albanian guerrillas, other groups from different countries were also prepared. These, the CIA entered the picture. A veteran of the American secret services, Michael Burke, who had served in Albania and Sicily during the war, was assigned to train the Albanian guerrilla groups. Training began at a camp near Munich and continued later at a castle in Heidelberg. In November 1950, the CIA parachuted the first group into Martanesh. The planes were piloted by veteran Polish pilots, renowned for their exploits during the Second World War. Only Adem Gjura and Sali Dalu survived from the group, and their only route left was through Yugoslavia. They did not escape prison there either. Thus two of the world’s most powerful secret services continued parachuting people in, unaware that they had fallen victim to a gigantic deception. The story continued until late 1952–53, when the Sigurimi, assisted by its Soviet colleagues, decided to end the game. This time its targets were members of the groups led by Zenel Shehu and Hamit Matjani, both fierce opponents of communism. The method devised was simple: the arrest of radio operator Prençi and the seizure of the transmission code. Starting in August 1952, “optimistic messages” began arriving at the CIA base in Greece: “we are ready to start the uprising and need directed materials.” In this way, many of their opponents fell into the hands of the Sigurimi. The death of the Kabashi cousins FIER — After 40 years, the bodies of two CIA agents who took part in the betrayed 1951 mission have been pulled from a well. The skeletons were discovered in a ditch near Fier and belong to the cousins Ilmi and Ahmet Kabashi, born in Kosovo and killed during the failed military operation. According to what the brother of one of the victims, Shaqir Kabashi, told foreign journalists, he himself made the discovery after years of searching. However, the bones must undergo several tests to establish their identity with certainty. Shaqir Kabashi himself has acknowledged that he, too, was one of the CIA agents who took part in the mission. The cousins Ilmi and Ahmet were parachuted into the village of Mjeshov, but their mission did not go well. Ilmi Kabashi died of injuries sustained when he fell onto some rocks, while Ahmet’s name appears on the list of those sentenced to death by the communist regime; he was hanged in April 1954. Hamit Matjani, one of the Albanian leaders of the Anglo-American mission, died alongside him. Matjani fell into a trap set by the communist Sigurimi, which, using the CIA’s secret codes, directed the parachute drop to a predetermined area of Albania. When he landed, he found the secret police waiting for him. [The opening is cut off] ... of the allies, who certainly passed this on to the Albanian Sigurimi. Now only the memories of a few protagonists, still alive, remain. ... Those fighting against communism travelled in great secrecy to their homeland. All, apart from weapons and other special equipment, were ... of failure of the CIA’s attack. A veteran of Kim Philby’s treachery was assigned to prepare the Albanian guerrilla groups. In July 1949, the CIA entered the picture. A veteran was assigned to prepare the Albanian guerrilla groups ... [garbled text]. to ... people without realizing that they had fallen victim to a traitor like Kim Philby. was assigned to prepare the Albanian guerrilla groups ... [garbled text]. Thus, many of his opponents fell into the hands of the Sigurimi. — Hasançoit’s bank account number. “The contract made no provision for any ... we must begin the uprising and we need materials and leaders.” the Sigurimi. — any ... [garbled text]. to ... traitor like Kim Philby. of espionage was assigned to prepare the Albanian guerrilla groups. the Sigurimi. — any ...” [?] A group of Albanians preparing for the secret mission in Hohenbrunn near Munich (November 1950)

The money was paid for safes TIRANA — (Ed. La.) — This time the Albanian Agricultural Bank has fallen victim to a scam. Under a contract made by some employees of the bank, a private individual managed to extract from it a sum of approximately 22,000 dollars. After two court cases—the Agricultural Bank won in the first instance but lost in the Court of Appeal—the Investigation Department has now opened criminal proceedings. The Investigation Department’s documents name, in addition to the two private individuals involved in this story, Qazim Bulku, Director of Personnel and Administration, and Aleksandër Nushi, Director of Finance at the bank. All four are being prosecuted while at liberty. The story began when citizen Mirush Bejko—a private trader—signed a contract with the bank employees, promising to buy 30 safes for them on the foreign market, safes that the institution still greatly needed. But this is where the scam began: Bejko, who had previously owed money to another citizen, Hysen Hasandoçi, gave the bank Hasandoçi’s bank account number for depositing the sum intended for the purchase of the safes. “The contract stipulated neither any penalty nor any deadline,” Niko Gjogoreci, Director General of the Agricultural Bank, told the newspaper. “That was my employees’ mistake.” After uncovering this scheme, the bank sued Hysen Hasandoçi, and the Tirana Court ruled that he—accidentally entangled in this story—must return to the bank the money deposited in his name, together with interest. But only a few days later, the Court of Appeal ruled in Hasandoçi’s favor. “We have of course appealed this decision,” Director Gjogoreci continued, “because we know both the swindler and the person who, by chance but unlawfully, has possession of the Agricultural Bank’s money.” The bank’s Director General also admitted that his employees bore the main responsibility for signing the contract that led to the loss of approximately 22,000 dollars. According to him, their personal acquaintance with the person who later swindled them also contributed to their careless signing of the contract. Both senior bank employees are still working in their previous positions today. “At present I cannot take any action against them,” Gjogoreci explained. “If the Investigation Department confirms that my employees were also bribed, then I will.”

WEAK TVSH SIGNAL IN LAÇ — Only 45 kilometers from the Albanian capital, in the Laç area, TVSH is received with great difficulty. Although this situation has been recurring for almost a year, no solution in favor of Laç viewers has yet been found. The problem remains unresolved even though the Mayor of Laç has repeatedly complained on behalf of the residents. So far, only the cause of this anomaly is known: the radio wave installed to connect our railway system. A change in the wavelengths or frequencies is now awaited. MOTION ON THE CONSTITUTION FROM THE PSD PARLIAMENTARY GROUP — The motion submitted by the PSD parliamentary group concerning the work of the Commission for the Preparation of the Draft Constitution of the Republic of Albania was discussed in the People’s Assembly. Aleksandër Meksi, Chairman of this Commission, expressed in a letter submitted to the Assembly his acceptance of the motion’s requests. Although the motion was presented in principle, discussions continued ... SEMINAR BY THE GERMAN “FRIEDRICH EBERT” FOUNDATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION — The German “Friedrich Ebert” Foundation, in cooperation with the Committee for Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Education, held an awareness-raising seminar on environmental protection in Tirana. Dr. Elmar Romberg, the Foundation’s environmental policy coordinator in Bonn, also spoke at the seminar. The same ... [text cut off]

SARANDË — Another victim of clandestine emigration has been confirmed in the waters of the Corfu Channel. Mejar Bruci, 19, from the village of Lukaj in Dibër, was found drowned on the Greek coast. The fatal accident occurred on the night of September 19, when Bruci, together with a group of other clandestine migrants, was trying to land in Greece aboard a private motorboat from Sarandë. On Monday, the victim’s family received his body from the Greek authorities. The case of the young villager from Dibër thus adds to the list of victims of clandestine emigration. Several months ago, near Ksamil, a group of four refugees—including a small child—met the same fate.

DURRËS/ Sailors also detained DURRËS — Albanians continue to flee clandestinely, though not on the spectacular mass scale of the exoduses. This time, 17 people aged 20–35 tried to leave illegally from the Port of Durrës, but without success. Just before departure, they were discovered hiding in the water tanks and sailors’ quarters of the ships “Butrinti” and “Tomorri,” bound for Italy. The discovery was made during a joint inspection by the Port’s Criminal Police and Border Police. Among other things, it revealed that clandestine emigration, which after the exoduses by boats and motorboats had been taking place, is returning to the Merchant Fleet’s ships. This time, illegally. Along with the clandestine migrants, the crews of both ships were detained by the police. “He declared that there was no one extra on board,” the commander of the port border post, Hysen Kacela, told the newspaper about one of the captains, “while the inspection showed otherwise.” The crew members are therefore suspected of involvement in this people-smuggling operation, which in its form recalls the slave trade of the past. The suspicion is reinforced by the statements of the detained clandestine migrants. “I would pay 80,000 lekë to get to Italy,” one of them told the newspaper. The police authorities say that the previous day another 20 clandestine migrants had also been discovered. They all have the same goal in this attempt, as illegal as it is desperate: finding work and hoping for a better life.

LAÇ — A false alarm among the citizens of Laç about the possibility that counterfeit 500-lekë notes were circulating in the city. The unusual increase in the number of customers outside the city’s bank, seeking to verify this type of banknote, also caused concern among police officers. The Deputy Governor of the Bank of Albania and the Minister of Public Order immediately went to the city. Apart from an extraordinary confusion at the bank, nothing further happened. The senior official of the Bank of Albania also explained on television that, although cases of counterfeit notes in circulation have been confirmed, the likelihood of detecting them is very high, because they differ greatly from genuine banknotes.

INSIDE A survey of young people: “How much and what do we know about AIDS?” Most do not know about prevention ON PAGE 3

Charge of intentional killing after the animal’s death EDMOND LAÇI TIRANA — The death of a horse has ended up under one of the articles of the Criminal Code. This unusual story took place some time ago in Tirana, where the materials have also ended up at its Prosecutor’s Office, and it [partly illegible text]. Electricity Enterprise, Tirana. This enterprise has entered this astonishing story because, after it died from electrical installations, efforts were made by several citizens. The story ended up at the Prosecutor’s Office, where an investigation was immediately initiated, on the grounds that Article 83 of the Criminal Code provides for penalties only against perpetrators who cause the death of people. Ramazani’s horse—that is what its owner calls it—has now entered the history of Albanian justice. That day, as the Investigative Police officer wrote, around ... [illegible passage] ... The investigative materials also precisely describe the scene, where an “electricity supply installation” stood out, 1.20 meters above the ground. But even though the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the criminal case, the horse’s owner filed another lawsuit, and the horse’s case has gone to the Tirana Court. The horse of the Criminal Code will be in court on October 15 [text cut off].

The sister donated a kidney to her brother ON PAGE 2

Yesterday in Albania Sarandë: drowns DURRES/ Sailors also detained Banknotes IN THE INTERIOR