Witness snubs hold up Milosevic's defence

Just two days into their attempts to defend Slobodan Milosevic, British lawyers appointed to represent the former Yugoslav leader said that witnesses are refusing to testify because the court will not let him present his own case.

Milosevic, on trial for alleged genocide and other war crimes during the break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, also has refused to work with – or even meet – the two barristers assigned to his defence.

Calling the imposition of lawyers “an obvious effort to dilute and maim my defence,” Milosevic has sat sullenly during the three days of defence testimony in The Hague, and has refused the judges’ offers to let him ask the witnesses follow-up questions.

In a public hearing, barrister Steven Kay appealed to the witnesses chosen by Milosevic to come to the Netherlands and testify in support of his case.

“We welcome all Milosevic’s witnesses to give evidence and indeed to co-operate. Not attending will not do the defence case any good at all,” he said. Milosevic submitted a list of 1,600 potential witnesses before he was told he could no longer present his own case.

After months of delays due to Milosevic’s heart trouble, Kay and Gillian Higgins were appointed last week to take over the case. Milosevic, who represented himself during the two-year presentation of the prosecution case, insists that he be given back his right to self defence.

Kay took the first legal steps on Milosevic’s behalf to appeal against his own appointment as defence counsel by filing documents with the appeals chamber.

Milosevic could face life imprisonment if convicted of any of the 66 counts in his indictment.

The panel of three UN judges warned Milosevic today that he will “bear responsibility” if important evidence isn’t presented due to his obstruction.