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Karadzic Threatens to Skip Genocide Trial

Judges determined not to let threat to boycott prevent Monday’s hearing.

Radovan Karadzic, the former Bosnian Serb leader accused of masterminding the greatest genocide in post-war era Europe, is set to face the United Nations tribunal Monday. After 13 years as a fugitive, Karadzic was arrested in Serbia last year for allegedly overseeing the mass execution and deportation of tens of thousands of Muslims in Bosnia in 1992 and at Srebrenica in 1995. Karadzic faces 11 war crimes charges, two counts of genocide, and 9 more for other war crimes and crimes against humanity. The trial may be both the last and biggest case of the U.N.’s Yugoslav war crimes tribunal. Karadzic, however, has long argued he is immune from prosecution because he alleges he struck a deal with Richard Holbrooke, then the U.S. Balkan envoy, at the war’s end in 1995. He also insists on acting as his own defense and declared last week he would not be in court, claiming he needs more time to prepare. Previous Serbian leaders have used similar tactics to politicize their endless trials. Despite Karadzic’s threat to boycott, the court stressed that the trial would begin Monday as scheduled, though Karadzic will not make his defense until next week.