This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/8617152.stm

The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Karadzic faces witnesses at trial Karadzic faces witnesses at trial
(about 2 hours later)
Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic is facing the first prosecution witnesses as his trial for genocide resumes at The Hague. The former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, is facing the first prosecution witnesses as his war crimes trial resumes at The Hague.
The first witness is Ahmet Zulic, who was a prisoner in a Serb detention camp in north-western Bosnia. Ahmet Zulic, a Bosnian Muslim, told the judges his elderly father-in-law was burned alive by advancing Serb forces.
Mr Karadzic, who has been conducting his own defence, is expected to cross-examine him. Mr Karadzic has said he wants to conduct his own defence and intends to cross-examine the witnesses himself.
Mr Karadzic denies 11 counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. He denies 11 charges of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity relating to the 1992-95 Bosnian war.
All charges relate to the conflict in Bosnia-Hercegovina during the early 1990s. In his opening statement last month, Mr Karadzic described the conflict as "just and holy", and blamed Bosnian Muslims for starting it.
The prosecution is expected to present evidence from some 410 witnesses, over a period of several months. Up until then, he had boycotted the trial and sought to delay it.
WITNESS - AHMET ZULIC Previously gave evidence in three other trials, including that of former Yugoslav President Slobodan MilosevicMuslim former inmate of Manjaca detention camp, near Sanski MostTestimony includes alleged murder in June 1992 of about 20 men made to dig their own graves by - it is claimed - Serb soldiersAlso a witness to alleged prisoner beatings and starvation. 'Throats slit'
Mr Zulic, who was a prisoner in a detention camp near Sanski Most, has given evidence to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) on three previous occasions, including in the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) are expected to present evidence from some 410 witnesses, over several months.
Mr Milosevic died of a heart attack in 2006 before the trial was concluded. WITNESS - AHMET ZULIC Previously gave evidence in three other trials, including that of former Yugoslav President Slobodan MilosevicMuslim former inmate of Manjaca detention camp, near Sanski MostTestimony includes alleged murder in June 1992 of about 20 men made to dig their own graves by - it is claimed - Serb soldiersAlso a witness to alleged prisoner beatings and starvation
Mr Zulic's evidence will last about an hour and it is expected that he will then be cross-examined by Mr Karadzic. In his testimony, Mr Zulic said his father-in-law had been killed by Serb troops "mopping up" the survivors of an artillery attack in May 1992 on the mainly Muslim village of Mahala, near Sanski Most in north-western Bosnia.
Although Mr Karadzic has said he wants to defend himself, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has ordered that British lawyer Richard Harvey be present in court to represent him if that becomes necessary. "You could see houses burning," he said. "People who were infirm remained in Mahala... because they had no time to escape.
Mr Karadzic boycotted court proceedings last October when the prosecution first laid out the case against him. "I could see the shells flying and exploding."
THE CHARGES Eleven counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocitiesCharged over shelling of 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 class="" href="/2/hi/europe/8539922.stm">Delays and prevarications at trial When asked who was responsible for the attack, Mr Zulic responded: "It was the Serb army of occupation and Serb paramilitary units."
He has consistently asked for more time to prepare his defence. His last attempt to have the trial postponed was dismissed earlier this month. Mr Zulic also watched Serbs force about 20 Muslim men to dig their own graves before slashing their throats or shooting them, prosecutor Ann Sutherland said.
Mr Karadzic has been in custody for nearly two years and judges are determined that the hearings should get under way without further delay, says the BBC's Peter Biles in The Hague. He was later held in Bosnian Serb-run detention centres from June to November 1992, during which time his weight dropped from 90kg to 55kg, she added.
Mr Zulic has given evidence to the ICTY on three previous occasions, including in the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.
Milosevic died of a heart attack in 2006 before his trial concluded.
Delays
Mr Karadzic faces two charges of genocide, as well as nine other counts including murder, extermination, persecution and forced deportation.
KARADZIC CHARGES Eleven counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocitiesCharged over shelling of 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 Delays and prevarications at trial
Prosecutors say he orchestrated a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" against Muslims and Croats in eastern Bosnia to create an ethnically pure Serbian state.
In his opening statement last October, prosecutor Alan Tieger said Mr Karadzic had "harnessed the forces of nationalism, hatred and fear to pursue his vision of an ethnically segregated Bosnia".
Mr Karadzic had boycotted earlier proceedings, insisting on more time to prepare his case. His last attempt to have the trial postponed was dismissed by the tribunal's judges this month.
In November, the court appointed British lawyer Richard Harvey to be present in court to represent him if that became necessary.
Mr Karadzic has said he does not plan to testify in his own defence, which would deprive prosecutors the chance to cross-examine him.
Mr Karadzic was arrested in Belgrade in 2008 after nearly 13 years on the run.Mr Karadzic was arrested in Belgrade in 2008 after nearly 13 years on the run.
Prosecutors say he orchestrated a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" against Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) and Croats in eastern Bosnia, to create an ethnically pure Serbian state. During his time in power, he was president of the self-styled Bosnian Serb Republic and commander of its army during the Bosnian conflict which left more than 100,000 people dead. He is the most significant figure to go before the ICTY since Milosevic.
However, in March Mr Karadzic used his opening statement to dismiss some of the worst alleged atrocities of the 1992-95 Bosnian war as myths.