Frail Mladic appears in Serb court

“WE have ended a difficult period of our history and removed the stain from the face of Serbia,” Serbian president Boris Tadic said in a triumphant press conference announcing the arrest of Ratko Mladic.

The ruthless Bosnian Serb military leader, charged with orchestrating Europe’s worst massacre of civilians since World War II, was arrested at a relative’s home in a tiny Serbian village yesterday after a 16-year hunt.

He appeared at a closed session in a Belgrade court last night, looking frail and walking slowly as he was escorted by guards.