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Karadzic asks for more time to study warcrimes case against him

by Amy Judd | July 31, 2008 at 10:22 am

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Radovan Karadzic has asked for more time to study the genocide charges against him before he will enter a plea. He appeared in court today, and is defending himself.

Under court rules he is allowed 30 days to decide how to plead. If he refuses to enter a plea then, a plea of 'not guilty' is entered for him.

He made it known that he is not going to make life easy for the Hague while he is there. He claimed 'irregularities' in his capture, but didn't elaborate on that.

After hearing Judge Alphons Orie read out the 11 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity on his indictment, Karadzic opted to delay entering a plea for up to 30 days.

Looking more like the man who became one of the world's most feared faces in the Bosnian conflict in the 1990s, he said:

"I intend to represent myself ... "as I would defend myself against any natural catastrophe," he told Orie.

The same tactic was adopted by his one time ally, late Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic, whose own ICTY trial dragged on for more than four years and ended with his death in March 2006.

It is not yet known if he will get the extra time he desires.

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