Ex-Serb leader denies warcrimes

Martic leaves Belgrade bound for The Hague

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- Former Serb Croatian leader Milan Martic has pleaded not guilty at The Hague to charges of ordering a rocket attack on Zagreb.

Martic, who surrendered to the International War Crimes Tribunal last Wednesday along with a former army general, denied committing warcrimes with an unlawful attack against civilians.

Seven people died and many more were injured when missiles were alleged to have been targeted at civilians in the Croatian capital during the Balkans war in 1995.

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Martic was president of a self-proclaimed Serb republic that opposed Croatia's independence from Yugoslavia, and has always insisted the rockets were aimed at military targets.

Martic, 56, vowed he would shortly return to Belgrade after proving his innocence as he left for the tribunal last week. He faces four charges.

He surrendered to the court together with ex-Yugoslav Army General Mile Mrksic, who is charged over the mass killing of at least 200 non-Serbs near the Croatian city of Vukovar in 1991.

Mrksic pleaded not guilty to war crimes last Thursday.

Martic and Mrksic are among a recent string of war crimes suspects to give themselves up at the urging of Belgrade authorities.