Karadzic Makes Court Appearance

He said he remained concerned about his safety in the court, and offered a somewhat bizarre accusation. “He still wants my death,” he said of Mr. Holbrooke, wondering aloud if his “arm is long enough to reach me here.”

As the session began sitting in Courtroom One of the war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Mr. Karadzic, wearing a dark suit and tie, listened silently as a summary of the indictment was read out in the court in English.

Asked by the judge if were indeed Radovan Karadzic, he answered in Serbian, “I am.”

He told the court he would act as his own lawyer.

"I have an invisible adviser but I have decided to represent myself," he calmly told the presiding judge, Alphons Orie.

Radovan Karadzic today asked for more time to enter a plea as he made his first appearance before a war crimes tribunal in The Hague.

In a sometimes erratic and rambling appearance, the former Bosnian Serb leader - charged with 11 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity - complained he had been "kidnapped" to appear before the court.

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic (RA'-doh-van KA'-ra-jich) says he cut a deal in 1996 with a U.S. negotiator to drop out of public life, apparently in return for his indictment being scrapped.

But the United States is dismissing the claim.

Karadzic, appearing at the U.N.'s Yugoslav war crimes tribunal for the first time, told the judge he will defend himself against charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.