Karadzic set to attend UN tribunal for 1st time

[November 03, 2009]  THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- Radovan Karadzic is set to appear in the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal's courtroom for the first time since his trial began last week on charges of ordering Serb atrocities throughout the Bosnian war.

The former Bosnian Serb leader has boycotted the trial's first three days, saying he has not had enough time to prepare his defense even though he was indicted in 1995.

Presiding Judge O-Gon Kwon has scheduled a hearing Tuesday afternoon to discuss how to proceed with the trial if Karadzic continues his boycott. Karadzic is defending himself but the three-judge panel is considering imposing a defense attorney on him.

In a letter to judges released by the U.N. court on Monday, Karadzic says he will attend the hearing to help find a way out of the stalemate.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.