Karadzic 'to boycott' war crimes trial
Radovan Karadzic has threatened to boycott his United Nations war-crimes tribunal in The Hague
Thursday, 22, Oct 2009 12:04
By Richard James.
Former Bosnian-Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has threatened to boycott his trial at the United Nations war-crimes tribunal in The Hague due to begin next week.
The trial is set to start on Monday but Mr Karadzic released a letter on Thursday claiming he needs more time to prepare.
The 64-year-old is defending himself as he faces 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including genocide, dating back to the Bosnian war.
In the letter to the UN judges, Mr Karadzic claims he should be given two years to prepare for the trial.
"The biggest, most complex, important and sensitive case ever before this tribunal is about to begin without proper preparation," he declares.
The former Bosnian-Serb leader claims he is not ready and "therefore I shall not appear before you on that date [Monday October 26th]".
Officials at the tribunal claim the trial can still go ahead even if Mr Karadzic decides to stay in his cell.
Prosecutors are expected to make opening statements for the first two days of the case.
Mr Karadzic is suspected of being directly involved in the killing of 8,000 Muslim Bosnians in the town of Srebrenica in 1995. He faces life imprisonment if convicted of the charges.
The 64-year-old was arrested in Belgrade last year after more than a decade on the run during which time he posed as an expert in 'human quantum energy'.
Mr Karadzic's former military commander, Ratko Mladic, is also wanted by the United Nations court, but remains at large.