Mr Slobodan Milosevic, claiming to be the victim of a court of "force and injustice," pressed today for his provisional release so he can better prepare his defense against charges of war crimes.
The former Yugoslav president, becoming increasingly frustrated and agitated in recent days, said he had been denied basic resources to defend himself against what he called a series of "false witnesses" presented by the prosecution.
"Osama bin Laden could bring as many witnesses from Kosovo who could swear that they saw George Bush throw grenades and bombs at the Pentagon and the White House," he huffed before the UN tribunal here.
Mr Milosevic made his comments as the court turned to some procedural matters on the 11th day of his landmark trial for alleged genocide and crimes against humanity during nearly a decade of Balkans conflicts in the 1990s.
"A basic right is the right to defense. I have been denied this right through isolation," said Mr Milosevic, who has been held at a UN detention outside The Hague since June and is acting as his own counsel.
"I am not going to run away from this place of force and injustice, where my people and my country are on trial," he said. "You should release me. You know full well I am not going to escape."
Presiding Judge Richard May snapped back that "we are not impressed by your political points. You have made them a great many times and they do not improve with repetition." But he said the court would consider his request.
AFP