Genocide case opens despite trial boycott

UN prosecutors opened their genocide case against Radovan Karadzic yesterday — despite his continued boycott of the case — calling him the “undisputed leader” and “supreme commander” of Serbs responsible for atrocities throughout Bosnia’s brutal four-year war.

Yugoslav war crimes tribunal judges ruled that the case could start despite Karadzic’s refusal to attend for the second straight day. Karadzic, who is defending himself, claims he has not had enough time to prepare.

With the defendant’s chair empty, prosecutor Alan Tieger said Karadzic “harnessed the forces of nationalism, hatred and fear to pursue his vision of an ethnically segregated Bosnia”.