From Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al / In mid-October 1982, immediately after the arrest of the former Minister of Internal Affairs Kadri Hazbiu (at that time Minister of People’s Defense) and his deputy, Feçor Shehu, (at that time Minister of Internal Affairs, arrested on March 22, 1982), by order of Enver Hoxha and Hekuran Isai, the “Special Operative Group” was created, headed by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and at the same time Director of State Security, Zylyftar Ramizi, whose assistants were Enver Zeneli and Hasan Ulqinaku. The main task of this group was; “the discovery and investigation of the activity of the hostile group”, led by Kadri Hazbiu, which also included Feçor Shehu, Llambi Ziçishti, Nesti Nase, Mihallaq Ziçishti, Llambi Peçini, Fiqret Shehu, etc., as well as the connections they had with the former Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu.
In addition to other tasks, such as; the review, study and analysis of a large number of files and archival documents, which belonged to a long period of time, (1945-1982), the “Special Operative Group” also called and asked some of the former high officials of the leadership of the PPSH and former high leading cadres of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, State Security officers, etc., to give in writing, what they knew or had doubts about, regarding the “hostile activity” of Kadri Hazbiu, Feçor Shehu, or other persons, with whom they were connected by work or not, during the period they had served near that ministry, or in the Internal Branches in the districts, in the Political Intelligence sector, near our diplomatic missions accredited in different countries of the world, etc.
Likewise, by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hekuran Isai (member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the PPSH), five “working groups” were created, with experts from the respective fields and departments, from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and People’s Defense (for Kadri Hazbiu, Feçor Shehu and Llambi Peçini), from the Ministry of Health, (for Llambi Ziçishti) from the district of Durrës and that of Korça, (for Mihallaq Ziçishti, former first secretary in those two districts). All five of these “expert groups”, after they would “discover and investigate the hostile activity”, for the five arrested and their collaborators, in the end, would present a detailed report to the “Special Operative Group”, which, as we mentioned above, was led by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and at the same time Director of State Security, Zylyftar Ramizi.
Among the former high officials of the PPSH and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, former leading cadres and State Security officers, etc., who were forced and responded to the call to give their written testimonies, near the “Special Operative Group”, were: Liri Belishova, (former member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the PPSH for propaganda, art and culture), Nesti Kerenxhi, (former major general, Director of State Security and Minister of Internal Affairs), Xhule Çiraku (former major general, Director of Security and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs), Rexhep Kolli (former major general, Director of State Security and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs), Zija Kambo (former major general and commander1 of the Republic Guard), Zoi Themeli (former major general, Director of State Security and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs), Nevzat Haznedari, (former major general and Head of Investigations in the Ministry of Internal Affairs), Hekuran Pobrati (former colonel and senior State Security officer), Feti Smokthina (former colonel and Commander of the Republic Guard), Zylfi Saliu (former colonel, senior State Security officer, head of the Internal Branch in several districts, and member of the People’s Assembly), Lelo Sinaj, (former senior officer and Director of State Security), Halil Zeneli (former Security colonel and head of the Internal Branch in several districts), Ilo Manushi (senior officer and head of the Cadre Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs), Xhemal Bejto Fasllia, (former senior State Security officer in the Ministry of Internal Affairs), Ibrahim Kubati (former senior cadre, sentenced to political prison, together with his brother, Ali Kubati, former vice-chairman of the Executive Committee of Tirana, close friends and companions of Myslym Keta), Mark Dodani (former vice-chairman of the Internal Branch of the Saranda district with the rank of lieutenant colonel, senior State Security officer) etc., etc.
While the testimonies of the aforementioned persons have been published in some of the previous issues, in this writing we are publishing some archival documents taken from a voluminous file that is in the archival fund of the Authority for Information of the Files of the former State Security. The first document talks about the testimonies given by the State Security collaborator with the pseudonym “Qershiza”, who informs about a conversation he had with a former high official, regarding the Tirana Conference of 1956.
As well as another conversation with a driver from Tepelena, (reported in writing by the Security officer Moisi Nushi), about what was rumored in the Ministry of People’s Defense and the office of the Chief of the General Staff, Veli Llakaj, after the arrest of Kadri Hazbiu, for the elimination of Mehmet Shehu. While the third document, drafted by the State Security officer, Koli Sallaku, (part of the “Special Operative Group”), talks about the wiretaps made with operative technique in Burrel prison, about the conversations made there by some convicts, former military and high officials of the PPSH and the government led by Mehmet Shehu, such as Kiço Ngjela, etc. For more about these etc., the documents in question, which are published for the first time and with the corresponding facsimiles and photos, from Memorie.al
THE SECRET INFORMATION OF THE TWO OPERATIONAL WORKERS OF THE SECURITY, ENVER ZENELI AND KOLI SALLAKU, SENT TO THE MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS HEKURAN ISAI, REGARDING THE TESTIMONIES OF THE AGENT “QERSHIZA” FOR THE TIRANA CONFERENCE IN 1956, AS WELL AS THE CONVERSATIONS MADE BY VELI LLAKAJ, FOR MEHMET SHEHU, KADRI HAZBIU, ETC.
S E C R E T
Copy No. 1
Tirana, 11.10.1982
INFORMATION
In the personal file and the work file of (………) we found the following data that are of interest:
In the report of 14.8.1957, the collaborator “Qershiza” reported that (………) told him:
“…In the Tirana Conference, a few comrades were exposed, while the overwhelming majority was outside it. Among others, there were also people from the Security and the Army who are hidden.
There are two captains who stay with comrade Enver and comrade Mehmet, who are ours, I have talked to them and they are my friends. After the Tirana Conference, officers, even colonels, caught me and told me; ‘please Peço, don’t talk…’!”
In the report of 18.2.1982, Peçua reported that (….in 2/A for agitation and propaganda, he is followed by Fier), told him:
“Mehmet was killed; he was killed by the main leader, just as he killed all his comrades. The master is not imperialism, or someone else, but it is the main leader himself, because he forced him to kill himself.
Very soon, even within June, at the meeting of the Central Committee, the rifle will fire from within. The first one who will fire it will be the Minister of Defense, because he cannot reconcile with the accusation of treason against Mehmet Shehu.
Let’s not forget that the Minister of Defense was raised by Mehmet Shehu…! I told the Chief of Staff of the Army that the corlushites are stupid for not acting?! ‘What did the Chief tell you,’ he asked (…….)? The Chief laughed and said (……).”
In the operational note of 3.5.1982, made by the Operational Worker, Moisi Nushi, it is said that (……) reported:
“….On 16.4.1982, I met with (…..) Who during the conversation told me: My word came out. The main leader is crying day and night for these things that are happening. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is being cleaned, about 40-50 cadres will be convicted, a special book will be published for this.
I was in Tirana these days with my wife and I went to the office of the Chief of the General Staff of the Army (……….). In his office there was another comrade, (whose name he did not tell me), who also used to have a function, but has now fallen.
I told them: “What are you doing”? Veli Llaka looked at me with a smile and answered: “What should we do, we’re waiting”?! I told them: “What are you waiting for, there is no more this way or that way, he was the only man (Mehmet Shehu). What is the minister doing”? The Chief of Staff answered me: “Let him act, why, should we teach him”?
In continuation (S……..), he told me that I also went to (……), but he told me to wait and I did not meet him because I was with my wife and I could not wait long. I know Aranit because I was his driver…”.
Clarification: (Sh……), is from Tepelena, from a poor layer, works as a driver. In 1979, he was advised by the Fier Branch, for agitation and propaganda. He has 2 pieces of evidence for hostile activity.
Our opinion is that since he has been advised once and to clarify the attitudes that the collaborator “Lundra” raises, he should be arrested.
OPERATIONAL WORKERS
ENVER ZENELI KOLI SOLLAKU
THE SECRET REPORT OF THE OPERATIONAL WORKER, KOLI SOLLAKU, SENT TO THE SPECIAL OPERATIVE GROUP, ON THE WIRETAPS MADE IN BURREL PRISON, REGARDING THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE CONVICTION OF THE “HOSTILE GROUP” OF BEQIR BALLUKU, MEHMET SHEHU AND KADRI HAZBIU
E X T R A C T
FROM THE INFORMATION WITH OPERATIONAL TECHNIQUE DATED 3.4. AND 5.7.1982
ON THE CONVERSATIONS OF THE CONVICTED (………) BURREL
The convict (……..) talking about the blows that were made in the army on the occasion of the discovery of the conspiratorial group of Beqir Balluku and his friends, in conversation with Kiço Ngjela, he says: “How did (……….) remain outside, who had written everything, and for the Prime Minister (Mehmet Shehu) he had written everything and remained outside (………), and none from his sector, some were convicted, some were removed, but in the responsibilities and so they did not come out anywhere, and they went and caught a corner…and (……..) for a while….but they went to works like this….Party Committee secretary.
They brought him for confrontation with us, from the Political Directorate; they have taken all the data and have brought out witnesses! But then when Vaska was at school, he rose up there, because (………) saved the Army. So the political sector saved it…!”
Additional clarification: (……….) at the time when the group of Beqir Balluku and his friends was hit, he was the Deputy Director of the Political Directorate and as such, he was charged with serious responsibility for the events in the Army. Also the convicts and the executed (……………) and on the basis of these materials, he was taken into processing for a while, remaining in the ranks of the Party, which he continues to be today.
On the other hand, when all the persons involved in the plot were separated, from Tirana, (……..) also moved but was taken to the city of Kruja and after a while he was removed from processing, keeping the compromising materials in storage, which today the Kruja Internal Branch has.
I remember that when I went as a management officer to the Kruja Internal Affairs Branch, the head of this Branch, comrade Hamit Myhyrdari, while talking about the issue of (…….) would say that here in Kruja (…….) they treat him very well, cadres with responsibility in the district stay and socialize with him, so much so that he also makes the life of the Party in the Executive Committee of the district, where he was appointed as responsible for Defense problems in the Committee.
Being in contact with such cadres of the district (…….), he would speak to one and the other with pride, saying: “I was in Tirana, I was at Kadri Hazbiu’s house, I met comrade Kadri, who said this or that, etc.
So, in this way he demonstrates the support that was given to him by Kadri Hazbiu, maybe this could have also influenced his treatment in this way by the Party and the government in Kruja.
It should be noted here that Kadri Hazbiu’s wife is a close relative of (…….), whose brother (………), is (……..), in Turkey. I think the materials in storage of (……..) should be studied. Memorie.al
OPERATIONAL WORKER
Koli Sollaku
