UN personnel feared for their lives in Kosovo while some of the judges presiding over the Hague Tribunal for former Yugoslavia were in fear from Kosovo Albanians that have committed atrocities against Serbs and that is why very few cases of Kosovo Albanian war criminals have been prosecuted, writes Carla Del Ponte, former Chief Prosecutor of the UN Tribunal, in her new book.

"I am sure that some of the top UNMIK and even KFOR officials feared for their lives and the lives of their missions’ members," says Del Ponte.

Del Ponte's new book "The Hunt" details her work as the chief war crimes prosecutor for former Yugoslavia.

"I think that some of the judges of the Tribunal for Yugoslavia were afraid that the Albanians might come and get them," writes Del Ponte.

In her book, Del Ponte details her meeting with the current so-called Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Taci, at the 5th Anniversary of the Dayton Peace Treaty that ended the Bosnian conflict and says that, while sitting at a table, Taci admitted to her that Kosovo Albanians committed atrocities.

Those atrocities, also said Taci, were not done by the Kosovo Liberation Army, the KLA, of which he was the leader but, instead, atrocities were committed by regular civilian Albanians only dressed up in KLA uniforms.

"I looked him in the eyes and told him that I have launched the investigation over crimes that the Albanians had committed in Kosovo. I have not said a word implying indictment against him, but Thaci certainly concluded that I had done so since his face turned into stone," Del Ponte writes.

Del Ponte also notes in her book Hashim Thaci and Agim Ceku are considered by UNMIK and KFOR as "more than dangerous in the peaceful efforts in the Balkans".

"Thaci and Ceku, in theory can stir up the minority Albanian rebels, to start violence in Macedonia, South Serbia and other regions," writes Del Ponte in her book reports newsagency BETA.

Kosovo is a Serbian province whose illegal declaration of independence has been recognized by Washington.

Yesterday, President Bush has ordered an arming of the Kosovo Albanian government whose so-called Prime MInister was the former leader of the KLA.