U.N. Court Aims to Start Mladic Trial March 27
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladic, who was arrested Thursday, May 26, 2011, in Serbia after years in hiding. Genocide suspect Ratko Mladic in due in a Belgrade court for a hearing which is a legal step toward his extradition to a U.N. war crimes tribunal. Europe's most wanted war crimes fugitive was arrested Thursday in a northern Serbian village after 16 years on the run. The hearing is set for noon (1000 GMT) Friday, May 27, 2011. (AP2011)
THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Judges at the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal are aiming to start Gen. Ratko Mladic's genocide trial on March 27.
At a status conference Thursday for the former Bosnian Serb military chief, presiding judge Alphons Orie said he aims to hold a pre-trial conference March 26 and prosecution opening statements the following day.
Also Thursday, Mladic pleaded not guilty to charges linked to a new allegation filed recently by prosecutors -- that Bosnian Serb troops executed more than 30 Muslim prisoners in the eastern Bosnian town of Bisina in July 1995.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mladic had previously refused to enter pleas to any of the charges against him. Judges had entered not guilty pleas on his behalf.