Milosevic launches appeal over detention

Slobodan Milosevic is to appeal against a decision to remand him in custody for 30 days.

However, his lawyer, Toma Fila, says he does not expect the appeal against the detention order to succeed.

He says the former Yugoslav President is co-operating with investigators but denies all the charges of corruption and abuse of power.

The legal move follows a vast cache of weapons being seized from Slobodan Milosevic's mansion.

Milosevic is facing corruption charges arising from his 13-year rule and is maintaining his innocence.

The judge has ordered he be held for at least 30 days in Belgrade's Central Prison while police continue investigations into allegations of criminal conspiracy and diverting millions of pounds of state funds.

After Milosevic was whisked away to Belgrade's Central Prison, police entered his compound in the tree-lined Dedinje district and found a vast arsenal.

It included two armoured personnel carriers, 30 automatic weapons, three heavy machine guns, an anti-tank grenade launcher, 23 pistols of varying calibres, 30 rifle grenades, two cases of hand grenades and several cases of machine gun clips and other ammunition.

Milosevic had promised never to be taken alive and brandished a pistol during negotiations that led to his surrender.