Yugoslav police discovered a weapons cache in the villa of former Yugoslav president Mr Slobodan Milosevic after he was arrested yesterday, according to a source close to the Yugoslav government.
Police who entered the house after Mr Milosevic's surrender found around 30 automatic weapons, three machineguns, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, a hand-grenade and a large stash of ammunition, the Beta news agency said.
A haggard Mr Milosevic surrendered before dawn, ending a chaotic 26-hour armed stand-off and opening the way for a trial on corruption, abuse of power and other charges tied to his 13 years in power. He was brought to Belgrade's central prison and will be held in custody for 30 days, authorities said.
He has pleaded not guilty and is appealing the detention order, his lawyer, Mr Toma Fila, said. A doctor examined Mr Milosevic and found him exhausted from the weekend ordeal with slightly elevated blood pressure but otherwise in good health. During the preceding standoff on Saturday, Mr Milosevic's bodyguards - who barricaded themselves in his villa - had sprayed gunfire at police charging the compound.
Police regrouped and the government sent in negotiators to persuade Mr Milosevic to give himself up and avoid a bloody confrontation. Outside, hundreds of his supporters gathered to taunt police with screams of "Slobo! Slobo!"
As police pulled on masks in an apparent preparation for a second assault early yesterday, a convoy of vehicles suddenly sped through the villa gates.
Word came soon after that Mr Milosevic had surrendered - but not before brandishing a pistol during the night-long negotiations and pledging at one point to die rather than be taken, according to an account by the Serbian interior minister, Mr Dusan Mihajlovic.
Just before he was whisked away, his 32-year-old daughter, Marija, fired several shots. A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said she was apparently aiming at a government negotiator. There were no injuries.
Justice officials said Mr Milosevic - who as president enjoyed unrivalled deference and luxury - would be treated no better than any other prisoner.
"He has his own room," said Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic. "He will be given food, allowed visitors, to have his own clothes and footwear, money, books, newspapers." US President George W. Bush yesterday welcomed Mr Milosevic's arrest but gave no sign whether the action would avert a cut-off of $50 million in US aid.
Mr Bush urged that Mr Milosevic be tried for "crimes against humanity" by a UN war crimes tribunal and urged Yugoslavian President Vojislav Kostunica to work with the tribunal.
"Milosevic's arrest should be a first step toward trying him for the crimes against humanity with which he is charged," Mr Bush said in a written statement.
Since he was removed from power last autumn, Mr Milosevic has lived under police surveillance in the cavernous villa built for former communist dictator Josip Broz Tito.