Milosevic's illness disrupts war crimes trial

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) _ Slobodan Milosevic's war crimes trial was postponed Friday after the former Yugoslav president complained of exhaustion. <br><br>Presiding judge Richard May said Milosevic

Friday, November 1st 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) _ Slobodan Milosevic's war crimes trial was postponed Friday after the former Yugoslav president complained of exhaustion.

Presiding judge Richard May said Milosevic required medical attention, and added that he was concerned about further delays. He asked the attorneys in the case to submit proposals in the next week for speeding up the trial.

``In light of the state of the defendant's health and the complexity of the case, the trial chamber is concerned about the completion of the trial,'' May said when the court convened without Milosevic.

It will reconvene Monday to hear a medical update on Milosevic.

The trial that started in February already was disrupted for several weeks in April and June because of Milosevic's ill health.

The 61-year-old Milosevic has a heart condition, and doctors at the U.N. court warned in July he was at ``a serious risk of a heart attack'' because of the stress of the trial.

The trial, expected to last two years, already has been prolonged by breaks ordered by doctors to give Milosevic more rest. May ruled two months ago that Milosevic should have four consecutive days off for every two weeks of trial.

The first head of state to stand trial for genocide, Milosevic is defending himself against 66 counts of war crimes committed during the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990's.