Karadzic: US out to kill me

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Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic claimed he is the victim of a media witch hunt that will prevent him from getting a fair trial before the UN Yugoslav war crimes tribunal.

Karadzic made his first appearance at the tribunal last week, 13 years after being indicted on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

He declined to plead to the 11 charges against him, and another hearing was scheduled for August 29 when he will again be asked to enter a plea. If he again refuses, the judge will enter not guilty pleas on his behalf.

In court on Thursday, Karadzic tried to protest about what he called "numerous irregularities". Judge Alphons Orie cut him short, saying the plea hearing was inappropriate for such remarks.

Orie suggested Karadzic, who has asked to act as his own attorney, submit his statement as a brief to the court after the hearing.

In the four-page document published on the tribunal's website, Karadzic said he expected his case to be subjected to a "lynch atmosphere in the media and the public," fuelled by the US, which he claimed was out to kill him.

"It is unimaginable to many people this court could acquit me," Karadzic wrote. "I believe this fact seriously jeopardises the trial itself."

Karadzic outlined a tale of intrigue that began in 1996 when, he said, US negotiator Richard Holbrooke offered him a deal: If Karadzic quit as president of the Bosnian-Serb republic and disappeared, the US would ensure he "will not be tried before this tribunal".

But Karadzic said the US reneged and was intent on silencing him.

Holbrooke denied Karadzic's account in an interview on Thursday.

"He's one of the greatest mass murderers of the world and he's putting this out to defend himself. It's an invented story and no one ought to believe it," Holbrooke said.

"What I said was, 'If anyone deserves the death penalty, it's Karadzic and Mladic'," Holbrooke said, referring to Karadzic's top military commander Ratko Mladic, who is still a fugitive. continues here

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