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| Serbia war crimes tribunal opens | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The war crimes tribunal of Serbian ultra-nationalist leader Vojislav Seselj has opened at The Hague. | |
| Mr Seselj denies the charges of murder, torture and the persecution of non-Serbs brought against him at the International War Crimes Tribunal. | Mr Seselj denies the charges of murder, torture and the persecution of non-Serbs brought against him at the International War Crimes Tribunal. |
| Mr Seselj's Radical Party is the biggest party in Serbia's parliament. | Mr Seselj's Radical Party is the biggest party in Serbia's parliament. |
| The trial, which is expected to last for about a year, will focus on Serbia's involvement in the wars in Bosnia and Croatia in the early 1990s. | The trial, which is expected to last for about a year, will focus on Serbia's involvement in the wars in Bosnia and Croatia in the early 1990s. |
| It is the first case to look at the alleged role of Serbian leaders in the atrocities unleashed during the break-up of Yugoslavia since the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who died in custody last year before his genocide trial could finish. | It is the first case to look at the alleged role of Serbian leaders in the atrocities unleashed during the break-up of Yugoslavia since the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who died in custody last year before his genocide trial could finish. |
| The trial is expected to start with a four-hour opening statement by the prosecution. | The trial is expected to start with a four-hour opening statement by the prosecution. |
| Defending himself | Defending himself |
| Prosecutors say Mr Seselj, 53, was "the chief propagandist for a Greater Serbia". | Prosecutors say Mr Seselj, 53, was "the chief propagandist for a Greater Serbia". |
| VOJISLAV SESELJ 1954: Born in eastern Herzegovina1984: Jailed for criticising Communists1990: Sets up Serbian Radical Party (SRS)1991: Elected to Serbian Assembly1993: Forces dissolution of Serbian parliament1999: Resigns as vice-president in Serbian Government2002: Stands in Serbian presidential elections2003: Indicted by UN war crimes tribunal2007: War crimes tribunal opens at The Hague Profile: Vojislav Seselj Seselj in his own words | |
| He is accused of being part of a joint criminal enterprise with Mr Milosevic that planned to "ethnically cleanse" parts of Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia. | He is accused of being part of a joint criminal enterprise with Mr Milosevic that planned to "ethnically cleanse" parts of Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia. |
| Like Mr Milosevic, Mr Seselj is acting as his own lawyer and displays contempt for the court. | Like Mr Milosevic, Mr Seselj is acting as his own lawyer and displays contempt for the court. |
| In pre-trial hearings he said that he too would rely on a political defence, and would use the trial to show that there was an international conspiracy against the Serbs. | In pre-trial hearings he said that he too would rely on a political defence, and would use the trial to show that there was an international conspiracy against the Serbs. |
| Mr Seselj's trial began a year ago but was almost immediately stopped when the defendant went on a hunger strike to push various demands, including that he be able to defend himself. | Mr Seselj's trial began a year ago but was almost immediately stopped when the defendant went on a hunger strike to push various demands, including that he be able to defend himself. |
| He surrendered to the court voluntarily in February 2003 vowing to clear his name. | He surrendered to the court voluntarily in February 2003 vowing to clear his name. |
| Other key war crimes suspects, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and his military chief Gen Ratko Mladic, remain at large. | Other key war crimes suspects, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and his military chief Gen Ratko Mladic, remain at large. |