Death threats to Serbian president over Karadzic arrest (Extra)

Jul 26, 2008, 17:46 GMT

Belgrade - After the arrest of war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic, Serbian President Boris Tadic has received death threats, the president's office confirmed Saturday.

'You are a dead man,' 'Remember God is great and the curse is upon you,' 'You call yourself a Serb? You betrayed the Serbs and God willing you'll end up like Djindjic' were just some of the threats that began coming into the president's office e-mail a day after the arrest of Karadzic.

Radovan Karadzic, charged with genocide and crimes against humanity during Bosnia's 1992-95 war, was arrested on Monday night in Belgrade after 12 years on the run.

Serbian prime minister Zoran Djindjic and then leader of the Democratic Party was killed in 2003 by Slobodan Milosevic's special police forces. Djindjic's government extradited the late autocrat Milosevic to the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague in 2001 where he died in 2006.

Tadic succeeded Djindjic as the head of the Democratic Party and earlier this month formed a pro-European government with Milosevic's Socialists.

On Friday, a high ranking official of the opposition ultra- nationalist Radical Party, Vjerica Radeta, called Tadic 'a traitor' and warned him that he will end up like Djindjic.

She also accused Tadic of sending 'provocateurs' to beat up journalists who covered street protests in Belgrade.

Radicals and several ultra-nationalist organizations have organized daily street protests in Belgrade over the arrest of Karadzic. Several journalists were attacked during the protests and one was seriously injured. Protesters also clashed with police and smashed offices and bars.

Radicals plan to hold an 'All Serbs' protest on Tuesday.