Smilkovci lake killings

After the residents of the villages where the victims lived heard about the killings, angry crowds blocked the highway near the Smilkovci lake. An OSCE vehicle was attacked after an OSCE employee drove the vehicle towards an angry crowd of ethnic Macedonians. Interior Minister Gordana Jankuloska said in a press conference that "more than one perpetrator" killed five fishermen and that "by this point we [the police] are still unable to say that the killings were ethnic-related because the police have no suspects".[13]

On 15 April, the Macedonian police contacted police in neighboring countries and found a car thought to have been used by the killers near the border with Kosovo. The Interior Minister said that the police had the killers' "profile" but had not identified them.[14]

In the early hours of 1 May 2012 about 800 police officers raided 26 properties, arresting 20 people on a variety of charges. They were confirmed by Macedonian Interior Minister Gordana Jankuloska as Islamic fundamentalists, some of whom had fought in Pakistan and Afghanistan.[15][16] The arrests took place in the villages of Šuto Orizari, Jaja Paša and Aračinovo, and weapons were found in the residences of the suspects.[17] Also, among the seized items, National Liberation Army propraganda was present.[18][19] The police used surveillance and phone tapping during the operation.[20]

In addition to primary assailants Afrim Ismailoviq (alias Afrim Ismaili), Agim Ismailoviq (alias Agim Ismaili), Alil Demiri, Fejzi Aziri and Rami Sejdi, police also charged a number of co-conspirators and associates. At the home of Nazif Memeti, police found a handgun and ammunition. Ibrahim Zajdini possessed an automatic firearm, several magazines of ammunition and a hand grenade. Sixty-year-old grandmother Feride Bilalli possessed substantial ammunition for automatic firearms, ammunition belts for machine guns, military camouflage clothing with National Liberation Army insignia and symbols, and NLA identity cards and photo albums. Father and son Isni and Ramadan Asani had weapons in their home. A special report to the public prosecutor was filed against Qezmedin Demiri, Haki Aziri, Muamer Qailovski (alias Muamer Qaili), Besim Hajdari, Mervan Memeti, Abdula Rashitov (alias Abdula Rashiti), Suraj Asipi, Mirvet Ismailoviq (alias Mirvet Ismaili), Kimet Demiri, Qani Aziri and Rami Xhaviti.[21][22] On 3 May 2012, 13 of the 20 arrested suspects were released and charges were brought against four others for weapons possession.[23][24]

Protests were organised in cities and towns throughout Macedonia, two of which turned violent: in the village of Smiljkovci (the victims' home) and the city of Skopje. The Skopje protest was organized by young people, who wanted to march in the Saraj Municipality where there is an Albanian-speaking majority. The protesters were stopped by police, which sparked a 10-minute conflict between police and protesters.[25] The protesters were recorded as chanting, "A good Albanian is a dead Albanian" and "Gas chambers for the Albanians".[26][27][28][29] A large, peaceful protest was reportedly organised by Čkembari in Bitola, where Macedonian demonstrators marched through the main street of Širok Sokak and lit candles for the victims under the city's clock tower.[30]