Karadzic finally appears in Hague trial

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic finally appeared at his war crimes trial in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, demanding more time to prepare.

Karadzic, 64, had refused to leave his jail cell since the trial started Oct. 26, insisting he needed more time to review the mound of prosecution evidence and witness statements, The Times of London reported

"I do not want to boycott these proceedings, but I cannot take part in something that has been bad from the start and where my fundamental rights have been violated," Karadzic said. "The situation is such that I would really be a criminal if I were to accept these conditions."

Karadzic is acting as his own lawyer on 11 charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the Bosnian war that left an estimated 100,000 dead between 1992 and 1995. However, a member of his defense team has estimated it would take between nine and 10 months to prepare his case, The Times said.

He has refused to enter pleas to the charges, which include his actions during the siege of Sarajevo in which 10,000 people died, and the taking some 200 U.N. observers as hostages to be used as "human shields" to protect Serb targets from NATO attacks.