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| Kosovo trial clears Serbia leader | Kosovo trial clears Serbia leader |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| Serbian ex-President Milan Milutinovic has been acquitted on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Kosovo by a UN war crimes tribunal. | Serbian ex-President Milan Milutinovic has been acquitted on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Kosovo by a UN war crimes tribunal. |
| Five former top Serbian officials were found guilty on some or all the charges relating to the 1990s conflict. Their sentences range from 15 to 22 years. | Five former top Serbian officials were found guilty on some or all the charges relating to the 1990s conflict. Their sentences range from 15 to 22 years. |
| It was the court's first ruling on alleged crimes committed by Serbian forces in the breakaway region. | It was the court's first ruling on alleged crimes committed by Serbian forces in the breakaway region. |
| Mr Milutinovic was seen largely as a figurehead president during that time. | Mr Milutinovic was seen largely as a figurehead president during that time. |
| The court found that the 66-year-old, who led Serbia from December 1997 to December 2002, had no direct control over the Yugoslav army. His release from custody was ordered. | The court found that the 66-year-old, who led Serbia from December 1997 to December 2002, had no direct control over the Yugoslav army. His release from custody was ordered. |
| Judge Iain Bonomy pointed the finger at then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, saying: "In practice, it was Milosevic, sometimes termed the 'Supreme Commander', who exercised actual command authority over the [Serb army] during the Nato campaign." | Judge Iain Bonomy pointed the finger at then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, saying: "In practice, it was Milosevic, sometimes termed the 'Supreme Commander', who exercised actual command authority over the [Serb army] during the Nato campaign." |
| UN TRIBUNAL SENTENCES Nikola Sainovic - 22 yearsNebojsa Pavkovic - 22 yearsSreten Lukic - 22 yearsVladimir Lazarevic - 15 yearsDragoljub Ojdanic - 15 years In the late 1990s, Milosevic's forces were attempting to suppress the ethnic Albanian majority's independence campaign in Kosovo. | UN TRIBUNAL SENTENCES Nikola Sainovic - 22 yearsNebojsa Pavkovic - 22 yearsSreten Lukic - 22 yearsVladimir Lazarevic - 15 yearsDragoljub Ojdanic - 15 years In the late 1990s, Milosevic's forces were attempting to suppress the ethnic Albanian majority's independence campaign in Kosovo. |
| The region, under UN control after Nato drove out Serb forces in 1999, unilaterally declared independence from Serbia a year ago. | The region, under UN control after Nato drove out Serb forces in 1999, unilaterally declared independence from Serbia a year ago. |
| Mr Milutinovic and his fellow defendants at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) - all of whom had been allies of Milosevic - had denied all the charges against them. | |
| His five co-accused were convicted for what the judges described as a "broad campaign of violence directed against the Kosovo Albanian civilian population". | His five co-accused were convicted for what the judges described as a "broad campaign of violence directed against the Kosovo Albanian civilian population". |
| Ex-Yugoslav deputy prime minister Nikola Sainovic, ex-Yugoslav army general Nebojsa Pavkovic and former Serbian police public security service chief Sreten Lukic were found guilty on all counts and were each sentenced to 22 years in jail. | |
| The charges included deportation and forcible transfer, murder and persecution. | The charges included deportation and forcible transfer, murder and persecution. |
| Former Yugoslav army chief of staff and defence minister Dragoljub Ojdanic and ex-Yugoslav army general Vladimir Lazarevic were found guilty of deportation and forcible transfer and sentenced to 15 years. | Former Yugoslav army chief of staff and defence minister Dragoljub Ojdanic and ex-Yugoslav army general Vladimir Lazarevic were found guilty of deportation and forcible transfer and sentenced to 15 years. |
| All five will be given credit for time already served in the tribunal's custody. | All five will be given credit for time already served in the tribunal's custody. |
| Lost immunity | Lost immunity |
| At the time of the conflict in Kosovo, real power lay in the hands of Mr Milutinovic's mentor, Milosevic, says the BBC's Helen Fawkes in Belgrade. | |
| Profiles: Kosovo trial accused | Profiles: Kosovo trial accused |
| Acquitting Mr Milutinovic, the judge said he was not among Milosevic's closest associates and was not a key player in the ruling political party. | |
| Milosevic died in tribunal custody in 2006, before a verdict was delivered in his own trial, giving this trial much greater significance, our correspondent says. | |
| The trial of Mr Milutinovic and his fellow defendants was the largest case at the ICTY to have reached this stage. | The trial of Mr Milutinovic and his fellow defendants was the largest case at the ICTY to have reached this stage. |
| During the trial, which began in July 2006, both sides called more than 100 witnesses. | During the trial, which began in July 2006, both sides called more than 100 witnesses. |
| Prosecution witnesses testified that Serb forces shelled towns and villages, murdered civilians and raped women. | Prosecution witnesses testified that Serb forces shelled towns and villages, murdered civilians and raped women. |
| Although Mr Milutinovic was indicted during the conflict, he served out his full five-year term as president until the end of 2002. | Although Mr Milutinovic was indicted during the conflict, he served out his full five-year term as president until the end of 2002. |
| It was only after he lost his immunity as president that he surrendered. | It was only after he lost his immunity as president that he surrendered. |
| In total, the ICTY has indicted nine of the most senior Serb and Yugoslav officials for crimes alleged to have been carried out in Kosovo. | In total, the ICTY has indicted nine of the most senior Serb and Yugoslav officials for crimes alleged to have been carried out in Kosovo. |
| Vlajko Stojiljkovic, a senior police official close to Milosevic, was indicted but committed suicide in Belgrade in 2002. Vlastimir Dordevic, the former chief of Serbia's Public Security Department and a fugitive until his arrest in June 2007, went on trial on 27 January. | Vlajko Stojiljkovic, a senior police official close to Milosevic, was indicted but committed suicide in Belgrade in 2002. Vlastimir Dordevic, the former chief of Serbia's Public Security Department and a fugitive until his arrest in June 2007, went on trial on 27 January. |
| What's your reaction to the verdicts? Are you from Kosovo or Serbia? What do you think about the UN tribunal's work? | What's your reaction to the verdicts? Are you from Kosovo or Serbia? What do you think about the UN tribunal's work? |