The former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, is to face the UN war-crimes tribunal in The Hague on Thursday.
The former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, is to face the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague on Thursday.
Mr Karadzic, arrested in Belgrade last week after 13 years on the run, was extradited to the Netherlands and is being held at a UN detention centre.
Mr Karadzic, arrested in Belgrade last week after 13 years on the run, was extradited to the Netherlands and is being held at a UN detention centre.
He has been indicted for crimes against humanity and genocide during the Bosnian conflict of the 1990s.
He has been indicted for crimes against humanity and genocide during the Bosnian conflict of the 1990s.
The tribunal's chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, said Mr Karadzic's arrest was "immensely important".
The tribunal's chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, said Mr Karadzic's arrest was "immensely important".
Mr Karadzic will appear before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) at 1600 (1400 GMT) to hear the charges against him.
Mr Karadzic will appear before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) at 1600 (1400 GMT) to hear the charges against him, and will have 30 days to enter a plea.
He will be allowed to enter a plea immediately or take 30 days to do so.
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Inside the UN detention centre in The Hague
Inside the UN detention centre in The Hague
He is said by his lawyers to have been in a "relaxed and confident" mood on the eve of his extradition.
Mr Karadzic currently faces 11 charges including genocide, but the exact details will only be revealed when he makes his appearance before the court.
Mr Karadzic currently faces 11 charges including genocide, but the exact details will only be revealed when he makes his appearance before the court.
Speaking at a news conference, Mr Brammertz said the victims of the war had "waited too long for this day".
Speaking at a news conference, Mr Brammertz said the victims of the war had "waited too long for this day".
Mr Karadzic's arrest was a "major achievement" for Serbia's co-operation with the tribunal, he said, and demonstrated that "there is no alternative to the arrest of war criminals and that there can be no safe haven for fugitives".
However, he warned that prosecution and defence teams would need "some months" to prepare for what would be a complex trial. A lawyer for Mr Karadzic said it would take at least three months for his team to prepare its case
However, prosecution and defence teams would need "some months" to prepare for what would be a complex trial, he added.
Appeal ruse
Car convoy
Mr Karadzic left Belgrade hours after clashes at a rally attended by at least 10,000 supporters to protest about his arrest.
Mr Karadzic left Belgrade hours after clashes at a rally attended by at least 10,000 supporters to protest about his arrest.
More than 40 people - most of them police officers - were injured in clashes during the final speeches at the rally organised by the hardline nationalist Radical Party.
THE CHARGES Eleven counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocitiesCharged over shelling Sarajevo during the city's siege, in which some 12,000 civilians diedAllegedly organised the massacre of up to 8,000 Bosniak men and youths in SrebrenicaTargeted Bosniak and Croat political leaders, intellectuals and professionalsUnlawfully deported and transferred civilians because of national or religious identityDestroyed homes, businesses and sacred sites Mr Karadzic left a court building in Belgrade at 0345 (0145 GMT), in a convoy of cars with tinted windows.
THE CHARGES Eleven counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocitiesCharged over shelling Sarajevo during the city's siege, in which some 12,000 civilians diedAllegedly organised the massacre of up to 8,000 Bosniak men and youths in SrebrenicaTargeted Bosniak and Croat political leaders, intellectuals and professionalsUnlawfully deported and transferred civilians because of national or religious identityDestroyed homes, businesses and sacred sites Mr Karadzic left a court building in Belgrade at 0345 (0145 GMT), in a convoy of cars with tinted windows.
More than 40 people - most of them police officers - were injured in clashes during the final speeches at the rally organised by the hardline nationalist Radical Party.
He then took a special flight to Rotterdam airport in the Netherlands, from where he was transferred to the UN's detention unit.
He then took a special flight to Rotterdam airport in the Netherlands, from where he was transferred to the UN's detention unit.
Under normal procedure, he would be read his rights, fingerprinted and photographed, and then undergo a medical examination.
Under normal procedure, he would be read his rights, fingerprinted and photographed, and then undergo a medical examination.
The 63-year-old had attempted to challenge the legality of his transfer.
The 63-year-old had reportedly attempted to challenge the legality of his transfer but a senior member of his legal team has now told the BBC that no appeal was ever lodged.
An appeal, sent by post on Friday, had still not been received by the Serbian court on Tuesday, prompting Serbia's justice minister to issue the final extradition order.
Goran Petronijevic, who joined the Karadzic legal team on Tuesday, admitted that reports of an appeal being posted from somewhere in Serbia had been a ruse designed to buy time for Mr Karadzic's family to visit him in jail.
The ruse failed since they did not manage to visit him in Belgrade.
Mr Karadzic was arrested on 21 July in Belgrade. He had changed his appearance, having grown a long beard, and was working as an alternative therapist.
Mr Karadzic was arrested on 21 July in Belgrade. He had changed his appearance, having grown a long beard, and was working as an alternative therapist.
EU pressure
EU pressure
Mr Karadzic led the formation of a separate Bosnian Serb assembly in 1991 - one of the sparks that ignited the 1992-1995 Bosnian war.
Mr Karadzic led the formation of a separate Bosnian Serb assembly in 1991 - one of the sparks that ignited the 1992-1995 Bosnian war.
Mr Karadzic has been taken to a UN detention centre
He has been indicted for crimes against humanity and genocide over the massacre of up to 8,000 mainly Muslim Bosniaks at Srebrenica in 1995.
He has been indicted for crimes against humanity and genocide over the massacre of up to 8,000 mainly Muslim Bosniaks at Srebrenica in 1995.
Mr Karadzic has been taken to a UN detention centreHe has also been charged over the shelling of Sarajevo, and the use of 284 UN peacekeepers as human shields in May and June 1995.
He has also been charged over the shelling of Sarajevo, and the use of 284 UN peacekeepers as human shields in May and June 1995.
On Tuesday, EU ambassadors meeting in Brussels decided to defer a decision on unfreezing trade benefits until Mr Karadzic was transferred to The Hague.
On Tuesday, EU ambassadors meeting in Brussels decided to defer a decision on unfreezing trade benefits for Serbia until Mr Karadzic was transferred to The Hague.
Diplomats from the 27 EU member states also said they would wait for a report by the UN war crimes prosecutor Serge Brammertz on whether Serbia was fully co-operating with the court - a condition necessary for talks on Serbia's possible membership to the EU.
The EU is also demanding the arrest of Mr Karadzic's wartime military commander General Ratko Mladic, who remains at large.
The EU is also demanding the arrest of Mr Karadzic's wartime military commander General Ratko Mladic, who remains at large.
Were you affected by the Bosnian war? What will be the impact of the trial at The Hague? Send your comments using the form below:
Were you affected by the Bosnian war? What will be the impact of the trial at The Hague? Send your comments using the form below:
