RADOVAN Karadzic’s one regret over the massacre at Srebrenica was that some Bosnian Muslims ‘got away’, prosecutors have alleged.
The former Bosnian Serb president again refused to attend the United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague as Alan Tieger, the lead prosecutor, concluded his opening statement. He accused Karadzic of personal responsibility for ‘one of humanity’s dark chapters’ – the slaughter of more than 7000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica.
‘He was informed of its progress throughout. He knew that men were being killed. He covered up the mass expulsions and murders and continues to do so today,’ he said. ‘The only regret he had about the entire operation was that some Muslim men got away.’
War crimes investigators alleged that Karadzic ”issued and signed” orders, between 1992 and 1995, commanding troops to drive out Muslims in the Srebrenica region.
”These crimes were the culmination of [his] determination to cleanse eastern Bosnia to ensure the Serb state he envisioned,” said Mr Tieger.
On August 6, 1995, less than three weeks after the Srebrenica massacre, Karadzic was alleged to have castigated subordinates for allowing 9000 Muslims to escape.
Karadzic, 64, has denied 11 war crimes charges, including genocide. He claimed that he needed more time to prepare his defence.
