Genocide court rapped as ‘child of western powers’

Former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic said he had been “pushed into war” and dismissed a UN court as a “child of western powers” in a dramatic end to his appeal against his conviction for genocide, according to an AFP report.

A UN judge cut short the closing remarks of Mladic on Wednesday as he appealed his life sentence for war crimes, including genocide, during the break-up of the former Yugoslavia.

“I am not a saint, madam judge, I am a simple man. Fate put me in a position to defend my country,” said Mladic, who rose to his feet to speak from behind a plexiglass screen installed because of coronavirus restrictions.

According to AFP, the 78-year-old Mladic said he remained a “target of the NATO alliance” and accused prosecutors in The Hague of “showering me with satanic, snaky, devilish words.”