Wanted Kosovo Teen Escapes Detention

By Fisnik Abrashi
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2000; 9:09 p.m. EST

PRISTINA, Yugoslavia -- A 15-year-old suspected of killing a Russian
peacekeeper has escaped from U.N. custody for a fourth time, prompting
officials to nickname him "Houdini."

The ethnic Albanian teen slipped out of the U.N. detention center in
Kosovo's capital late Tuesday.

"He has escaped again," U.N. spokesman Susan Manuel said, comparing
him to Harry Houdini, the legendary magician known for his ability to
escape handcuffs and sealed containers.

Officials discovered he was missing early Wednesday, according to U.N.
police spokesman Charlie Johnson.

Faton Hajrizi had been in custody - off and on - since being detained in
late March for shooting a Russian peacekeeper.

Hajrizi's father told The Associated Press earlier this year that the boy
admitted shooting Pvt. Igor Korshunov with the soldier's own gun after
provoking a fight. Korshunov died March 2.

But the boy, who is from the central town of Srbica, has proven hard to
keep in custody.

Once Hajrizi broke his leg during a breakout. That didn't stop him from
trying again. A few weeks later, he crawled through a ventilation shaft
while wearing the leg cast. Each time he had ended apprehended at
military checkpoints around the province.

This time, U.N. police declined to say precisely how the teen managed to
flee from a detention center that is monitored by both U.N. officers and
Kosovo police.

"I can assure you that when we get him back he will be watched more
closely, but that doesn't mean that we are going to chain him to the wall,"
said Barry Fletcher, a U.N. police spokesman.

© Copyright 2000 The Associated Press