Karadzic Trial Postponed

A file picture dated 03 November 2009 shows former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic appearing in the courtroom of the the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) War Crimes tribunal in the Hague. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The trial against former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was adjourned on Tuesday, pending a decision on his appeal for it to be delayed until June on the grounds that he needed more time to prepare to defend himself.

On Tuesday, during the second day of trial, Radovan Karadzic dismissed as myths the alleged two worst atrocities of the 1992-95 Bosnian war and denied his involvement.

Karadzic told his trial at The Hague that Sarajevo, where some 12,000 people died in 44 months, was "not a city under siege" by Bosnian Serb forces.

He said claims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of more than 7,000 Muslim men and boys were based on "false myths".

He is accused of genocide and war crimes committed during the conflict.

The 64-year-old insists he is innocent of all 11 charges.

He said that Bosnian Serb gunfire and shelling of Bosnia's capital was restricted to legitimate targets.

And he accused Bosnian Muslims and Croats of turning the city's kindergartens, schools and hospitals into military facilities by setting up command posts and sniper positions there.

"We can prove that they [Bosnian Serb enemies] did shell their own people and killed all their own people," Mr Karadzic said.

He said Muslims and Croats had used terror attacks in Sarajevo in an attempt to bring Nato and Western countries and troops on their side.

The 44-month siege of Sarajevo ended in November 1995.

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