Karadzic fights extradition over war crimes charges

Published on Wednesday 23 July 2008 11:18

FORMER Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic is battling extradition from Serbia to the Netherlands, where he faces trial for genocide.

Karadzic's lawyers have been given three days to appeal against the extradition ruling by a Serbian judge.

If the extradition goes ahead, he will stand trial at the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague on war crimes charges – including masterminding the siege of Sarajevo and the massacre of 8000 Muslims at Srebrenica during the Bosnian war of 1992-95.

Karadzic was arrested while travelling on a bus in Belgrade, Serbia. The one-time psychiatrist had been practising alternative medicine during his decade as a fugitive from international justice.

Sveta Vujacic, Karadzic's lawyer, said his client was in good spirits but was not co-operating with police.

Yesterday, foreign secretary David Miliband suggested Karadzic's arrest could help pave the way for Serbia finally to join the European Union.