Probe Into Milosevic
Death
Updated: 19:01, Sunday March 12, 2006
Traces
of drugs which could have stopped former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's
heart medication working were found in blood tests, according to
reports.
The 64 year-old, who had suffered from high blood pressure and
heart problems, was found dead in his cell in the Hague, where he was being
tried on war crimes.
A blood sample taken from Milosevic between November
and January contained unusual substances, according to Dutch public television
NOS.
It said doctors found traces of drugs
which could have neutralised the medicine Milosevic was taking for high blood
pressure and heart problems.
An autopsy has been
conducted to establish how former Milosevic died but the results have not yet
been released.
A coroner was unable to pinpoint the exact cause of death
on Saturday, amid rumours that he was poisoned or committed
suicide.
Milosevic's body is to be returned to his family on Monday,
according to Serbia-Montenegro's human rights minister Rasim
Ljajic.
Milosevic's lawyer, Zdenko Tomanovic, said Milosevic had told him
that he thought he was being poisoned.
He said: "I informed the Russian
embassy on behalf of Mr Milosevic about his claims that his health was being
wilfully destroyed, and that this should be investigated by the
Russians."
He also claimed that Milosevic had written a six-page letter
the day before he died reiterating the claims.
Milosevic's family said
prosecutors and judges were to blame for his death because they refused to allow
him to visit Russia for specialist treatment.
His older brother, Borislav
Milosevic, said in Moscow: "All responsibility for this lies on the shoulders of
the international tribunal. He asked for treatment several months ago, they knew
this.
"They drove him to this as they didn't want to let him out
alive."
Milosevic had been defending himself against 66 counts, including
genocide, in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo.
The long-running hearings at the
Hague were entering their final phase, with the former President expected to
finish his defence by the summer.
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