Milosevic to face U.N. court alone

Milosevic supporters march through Belgrade on Monday

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (CNN) -- Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic is to represent himself when he appears before the U.N. war crimes tribunal.

Milosevic -- the first head of state to face trial in The Hague -- and his lawyers have said that he refuses to recognise the tribunal and believes his extradition was illegal.

In Belgrade up to 15,000 supporters gathered to protest his transfer outside the federal government buildings.

Ignoring a ban on the gathering the participants, mainly members of Milosevic's Socialist Party and the ultra-nationalist Radical Party listened to speeches and nationalist songs.

At his first appearance before the tribunal on Tuesday, Milosevic, 59, is expected to hear the charges against him read in court. He faces charges of crimes against humanity stemming from the Yugoslav campaign against ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo.

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Zdenko Tomanovic, one of two Belgrade lawyers who met Milosevic on Monday afternoon, said that Milosevic, who ruled Yugoslavia for 13 years until his downfall in October 2000, believes the tribunal is a "mechanism to conduct genocide on the Serb people."

"As long as the tribunal lasts, he will not have legal counsel. He will answer for himself," said.

Tribunal officials said they too were advised that Milosevic rejected legal counsel. Calling it unprecedented, they said they have recommended the defendant come with lawyers for the session, scheduled for 10 a.m. (0800 GMT).

Tomanovic said Milosevic believes he was transferred illegally to The Hague and that he was essentially kidnapped from his homeland. He said Milosevic appeared in good health, was dressed sharply and felt proud: "He looks and feels great."

Tomanovic said it is his understanding Milosevic has not read the indictment against him because he "does not agree and does not accept it."

He is accused of crimes against humanity for actions carried out by the Yugoslav Army and Serbian security forces in Kosovo in 1999, including murder, deportation and prosecution of people on political, racial and ethnic grounds. He faces life in prison if convicted of any of the four charges.

Milosevic's lawyers have said he feels he is not guilty and was acting in the best interests of his country.

Milosevic could enter pleas during the Tuesday hearing, although war crimes suspects have 30 days to enter a plea. Tribunal officials said previous suspects entered pleas during their initial hearings.

Since his extradition last Thursday, Milosevic has spoken to his wife three times during what were described as seven-minute conversations. He had no visitors until the meeting with his lawyer.

Milosevic will be the first head of state tried for crimes committed in office and the trial will be a test for new ideas on international justice.

Milosevic arrives at The Hague on Friday

In the Yugoslav capital Belgrade, about 15,000 flag-waving Milosevic supporters gathered in front of the federal parliament on Monday in the biggest protest since the former ruler was extradited, the Associated Press reported.

Protesters demanded new elections, hoping they would unseat the pro-democracy government of Serbia, the main Yugoslav republic, whose leaders handed Milosevic to the tribunal.

Milosevic's allies in Belgrade say that the former president, who was forced from power in October, believes he is being persecuted because he stood up to NATO, refusing to sign a power-sharing deal with Kosovo Albanians in 1999.

Milosevic's crackdown on ethnic Albanians triggered a 78-day NATO bombing campaign against Yugoslavia, which ended with the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces from Kosovo and the handing over of the Serbian province to the United Nations and NATO.

Ramsey Clark, who served as U.S. attorney general under President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s, offered to aid in Milosevic's defence. Clark told reporters in Belgrade he was considering joining Milosevic's defence team but that he would insist that Yugoslav lawyers take the lead.

Clark, who had been an outspoken opponent of NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia, said he was holding talks with Milosevic's lawyers. He said the United Nations, "coerced by the USA," was behind the charges against Milosevic. He said he had not spoken with Milosevic.