Lawyer: Mladic has cancer
Source: Agencies |
June 3, 2011, Friday
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RATKO Mladic's lawyer said yesterday that he has a document proving the war crimes suspect has been battling cancer and that he was treated at a Serbian hospital in 2009.
Milos Saljic said that Mladic has suffered from lymph node cancer and that he underwent surgery and chemotherapy for it in 2009. The lawyer showed reporters what he called a photocopy of a doctors' diagnosis saying that Mladic was in a Serbia hospital between April 20 and July 18, 2009.
The document's letterhead and signatures are blackened out to hide the names of the hospital and the doctors who allegedly treated Mladic. Serbia handed over the wartime Bosnian Serb army commander to the UN war crimes tribunal in the Hague, Netherlands, on Tuesday, five days after arresting him.
Saljic had argued that Mladic should not be extradited because of his ill health, and the general's family also had said he is in poor mental and physical condition.
Tribunal spokeswoman Nerma Jelacic declined yesterday to comment on Saljic's claim that Mladic had cancer, and there was no way to immediately check the authenticity of the lawyer's document.
Serbia's Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac accused Saljic of "manipulating the public" and was skeptical about his claims. "I really don't believe in that story, but we'll investigate," the minister said.
If the document is accurate, it could add weight to long-standing claims that Serbian authorities knew Mladic's whereabouts when he was at large, but only decided to arrest him recently because it would benefit Serbia's bid to join the European Union.
Saljic said he received the document on Monday, the day before Mladic's extradition.
At Mladic's hearing, which starts today, a judge will first ask him to confirm his identity, if he understands the 11 charges against him and if he wants to enter pleas.
Saljic said Mladic would not enter pleas at the hearing.
Milos Saljic said that Mladic has suffered from lymph node cancer and that he underwent surgery and chemotherapy for it in 2009. The lawyer showed reporters what he called a photocopy of a doctors' diagnosis saying that Mladic was in a Serbia hospital between April 20 and July 18, 2009.
The document's letterhead and signatures are blackened out to hide the names of the hospital and the doctors who allegedly treated Mladic. Serbia handed over the wartime Bosnian Serb army commander to the UN war crimes tribunal in the Hague, Netherlands, on Tuesday, five days after arresting him.
Saljic had argued that Mladic should not be extradited because of his ill health, and the general's family also had said he is in poor mental and physical condition.
Tribunal spokeswoman Nerma Jelacic declined yesterday to comment on Saljic's claim that Mladic had cancer, and there was no way to immediately check the authenticity of the lawyer's document.
Serbia's Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac accused Saljic of "manipulating the public" and was skeptical about his claims. "I really don't believe in that story, but we'll investigate," the minister said.
If the document is accurate, it could add weight to long-standing claims that Serbian authorities knew Mladic's whereabouts when he was at large, but only decided to arrest him recently because it would benefit Serbia's bid to join the European Union.
Saljic said he received the document on Monday, the day before Mladic's extradition.
At Mladic's hearing, which starts today, a judge will first ask him to confirm his identity, if he understands the 11 charges against him and if he wants to enter pleas.
Saljic said Mladic would not enter pleas at the hearing.
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