Court rules Mladic fit to face genocide charges at UN tribunal

A SERBIAN court has directed that Ratko Mladic be deported to The Hague as he is fit enough to face genocide charges at the United Nations war crimes tribunal, despite protests from relatives and supporters who say the former general is too frail to survive the ordeal.

Judge Maja Kovacevic studied the results of a medical examination on the 69-year-old Gen Mladic before ordering extradition papers to be delivered to his lawyer Milos Saljic, who said he would appeal against the decision.

Gen Mladic was arrested in a dawn raid on Thursday at his cousin’s house in the village of Lazarevo in northeastern Serbia. He had spent 16 years eluding charges of responsibility for the siege of Sarajevo and the Srebrenica massacre of some 8,000 Muslims during Bosnia’s 1992-1995 war.

“He has a series of chronic ailments, but he’s capable of following the trial,” Judge Kovacevic said.

Mr Saljic said his client “jumped from subject to subject, and spoke inconsistently” during the court hearing and he requested an independent medical examination for him.

“He must be provided with adequate treatment before the extradition,” the lawyer insisted.

Officials say Gen Mladic has high blood pressure, heart disease and a kidney stone. His son Darko Mladic said his father was suffering the after-effects of two strokes, but had recognised the family and understood that he was in detention.

“We are almost certain he cannot be extradited in such condition. He is in very bad shape; his right arm is half-paralysed,” said Darko Mladic, adding that his father denied the charges and did not recognise the authority of the UN tribunal.

Amid widespread international praise for Serbia’s government for finally catching Gen Mladic, the UN court at The Hague said it was capable of looking after the wartime Bosnian Serb military leader even if his health was poor.

“The detention centre has been taking care of ill people since it has been created. We have our own medical unit and we also have access to the Dutch medical system . . . and prison,” said court spokeswoman Nerma Jelacic.

As fascinating details emerged about Gen Mladic’s capture, Serb war crimes prosecutor Bruno Vekaric said the prisoner had seemed fitter yesterday than at Thursday’s initial court appearance.

“Mladic was making questions about his pension and sought it back. He also wanted a television set and Russian novels,” Mr Vekaric said.

Another source in Serbia’s war crimes court said Gen Mladic had asked for strawberries and to visit the grave of his daughter, Ana, who committed suicide in 1994.