Mladic to appear before war crimes tribunal on Bosnia genocide charges

The United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague awaits Ratko Mladic where he is going to answer charges of genocide in the Bosnia war on Friday, Reuters reported.

Once a husky and threatening figure on the battlefield, 69 years old Mladic is now looking much older than his current age, struggling with his weak health.

The former Bosnian Serb Army commander was arrested last week in a Serbian village on the charges of genocide for the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of 8,000 Muslim males and for the 43-month siege of Sarajevo from 1992 to 1995 in which some 12,000 were killed.

Mladic, whose capture came nearly 16 years after The Hague court issued its indictment against him, was extradited by Serbia on Tuesday.

Hague chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz said Mladic had used his power to commit brutal atrocities, for which he has to answer.

Aleksandar Aleksic, a prominent Belgrade lawyer appointed by the tribunal on Thursday to represent Mladic said the former Bosnian Serb Army commander was spending the night in a prison hospital bed under medical supervision.

Following Mladic's capture, Serbian media reported that he has partially lost the use of one hand due to a stroke suffered years ago. But, Alexsic confirmed the description given by tribunal officials and diplomats who met the general on his arrival, of a man who appears frail but mentally capable and responsive, and was cooperative and talkative, Reuters reported.