Kosovo hands 13-year prison sentence to man plotting attacks

TIRANA, Albania – A Kosovo court has sentenced a man to 13 years in prison for preparing terrorist attacks.

The Pristina Basic Court on Wednesday said that the ethnic Serb man, identified only by his initials S.B., was plotting a terrorist attack in December 2014. Police found 23 explosive devices weighing 12 kilograms (26 pounds) that he had transported from Belgrade, Serbia.

The Serb was arrested at a quarter near the U.S. embassy. He claims he didn't intend to use the explosives but wanted to sell them.

A Serb minority lives in Kosovo that in 2008 declared independence from Serbia.

Kosovo, with a predominantly Muslim population, is on high alert of terrorist attacks. About 70 citizens are believed to be part of Islamic terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq.