According to Blerim Çela, Alia could be sentenced to life imprisonment In a time of crisis, the PD’s only remaining campaign weapon is “anti-communism” page 2

Ilir Hoxha speaks

Masked individuals carrying firearms attacked the State Bank yesterday morning, in the heart of the capital. But the alarm system, which began to “wail” as soon as the criminals entered the Bank’s interior, helped prevent the robbery. A large number of police officers arrived at the institution immediately and managed to apprehend the bandits. There were 3–4 people whose faces were covered with black stockings. They were carrying submachine guns. At around 10 yesterday morning, they had planned to rob the Central Bank. After neutralizing the police officer guarding the main entrance, the bandits entered the institution, shocking its employees and the customers who happened to be there. But when the robbers crossed the counter, the security system sounded the alarm. Its signals were relayed instantly to the Objects Police Command, located near Embassy Street. The alarm was raised there immediately, and within minutes the Bank was surrounded by police. The bandits had not yet managed to open the safe when they fell into the trap. Police officers wearing bulletproof vests, accompanied by dogs eager to be unleashed on their “prey,” entered the Bank, rendering their operation ineffective. And everything unfolded before the “eyes” of a camera belonging to Albanian television. This was a carefully devised exercise by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the first of its kind in Albania. Mr. DULE

Exclusive interview one day after his arrest page 5 Ilir Hoxha reading the interview for which he was arrested photo A. BABANI Ilir Hoxha reading the interview for which he was arrested — photo A. BABANI

The organizers of the escape remain in the shadows TIRANA/It has still not been fully clarified who devised the plan for the escape of the 20 prisoners. During yesterday’s second day of proceedings, six participants in the escape who had been captured by police testified. But their testimony did not help the military judges uncover the truth about that night. Ylli Zavalani, Kujtim Muça, Artur Xhemali, Gëzim Kelmendi, and others once again recounted the story of the night of January 15. But their explanations, this time in their role as witnesses, were, according to the military prosecutor, contradictory. Thus, witness Kujtim Muça, according to the prosecution, had stated during the investigation that he was the one “who had held the pincers for cutting the dividing wires between the capital’s prison and unit 88.” At trial, however, he denied this. Another witness, Artur Xhemali, had confirmed the day after his capture that on the afternoon of the escape he had seen “an employee of unit 88 throw into the prison yard a large box of ‘Karelia’ brand cigarettes, which contained, in addition to food items, two hacksaw blades.” But he too denied this in court. The witnesses tried to create the impression that the escape was spontaneous and not organized, as the prosecution claims. By yesterday’s hearing, the “bosses” who organized the escape had still remained hidden. A. PEZA

“We as a party are not against the unification of Albania with Kosovo,” Melo declares after the meeting page 3

Tropojan arrested for possessing drugs page 2