Albanian separatists blamed for murdering a prominent Serb in Kosovo

A magistrate investigating the killing of a prominent Serb in Kosovo on Friday has blamed the death on ethnic Albanian separatists.

The judge Veselin Cadjienovic said he was sure the underground Kosovo Liberation Army had killed Djordje Belic in a machine-gun attack in Stepenice village in the mountainous West of the province.

Associations representing the dwindling ethnic Serb minority in Kosovo have called a demonstration next week against what they say is increasing Albanian terrorism.

The Serb community spokesmen also say they will demand extra protection from the Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic.

Kosovo Province, which has a mainly ethnic Albanian population, is under direct rule by the Serbian authorities in Belgrade.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service