MILOSEVIC
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP):
A DUTCH toxicologist said yesterday he found traces of an unprescribed antibiotic in Slobodan Milosevic's system earlier this year that may have worsened the former Yugoslav leader's health.
Donald Uges said he detected traces of rifampicin, which "makes the liver extremely active" and breaks down other medi-cations very quickly, possibly taking away their effectiveness.
Milosevic, 64, had a history of heart problems and high blood pressure, and took medications to treat those conditions. He was found dead in his jail cell Saturday morning of an apparent heart attack.
It was still unclear yesterday where Milosevic would be buried, with his family calling for a state funeral in Serbia - a request unlikely to be granted by Belgrade. Milosevic's son - who was planning to travel to the Netherlands to take charge of the body - even mentioned the possibility of a temporary interment in Russia.
Uges, the toxicologist, suggested Milosevic may have intentionally taken the unprescribed medication in a bid to be released from jail and get medical attention in Russia - by portraying his Dutch doctors as unable to treat his condition.
"First, he wasn't taking his medicine. Then he was forced to take it under supervision and his blood pressure still didn't come down. So his camp said, 'You see, these Dutch doctors don't know how to treat him and he should go to Russia'," Uges said.
His ailments caused numerous delays in his four-year trial for orchestrating a decade of conflict that killed 250,000 people and tore the Yugoslav federation apart. No verdict will be issued and the case will be scrapped.
