Karadzic to be extradited 'within days'

Mass murderer Radovan Karadzic will be handed over to the UN tribunal in The Hague this weekend or early next week, Serbia said today.

Radovan Karadzic will be handed over to the UN tribunal in The Hague this weekend or early next week, Serbia said today.

A spokesman for the country's war crimes prosecutor said the former Bosnian Serb leader's extradition "could be Monday or Tuesday - but it could be earlier, too".

Karadzic is wanted on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. He was captured on Monday in Serbia after more than a decade on the run.

Karadzic's lawyer has said he would resist extradition.

The prosecutor's office said that a 72-hour period for Karadzic to launch a formal appeal started yesterday and expires on Friday.

In The Hague a tribunal spokeswoman said the court was waiting on Belgrade.

Depending on when he arrives, Karadzic is expected to appear next week at a hearing, where he will be asked to enter pleas to the 11 charges against him - which include genocide and crimes against humanity.

Karadzic has 30 days after his transfer to enter the pleas. If he refuses, judges will automatically enter not guilty pleas on his behalf.

Karadzic's lawyer Sveta Vujacic said he intends to defend himself with the help of a team of legal advisers, just as the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic did. Milosevic died in 2006 while on trial in The Hague.

Meanwhile Karadzic has apparently got rid of his long hair and beard that served as his disguise.

His lawyer said he had his hair cut and beard shaved.

Sveta Vujacic says Karadzic now looked “exactly the same as 14 years ago, only older.”

The lawyer said Karadzic had asked for the barber to be sent in to the detention unit in Belgrade.