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Milosevic died of heart failure: UN tribunal
The statement came after swirling rumours and speculation over the death of the man at the centre of bloody Balkans conflicts.
Former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic died of a heart attack, the UN war crimes court said, after swirling rumours and speculation over the death of the man at the centre of the bloody Balkans conflicts.
A statement, quoting a just-concluded official autopsy report, said late last night that he died of "myocardial infarction", commonly known as a heart attack.
A myocardial infarction is the death of heart muscle from a sudden blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot.
It added: "Further, the pathologists identified two heart conditions that Slobodan Milosevic suffered from, which they said would explain the myocardial infarction".
The autopsy was carried out amid claims Milosevic may have been poisoned or taken his own life after he was found dead in his cell Saturday at the UN war crimes court in The Hague.
Milosevic had a history of heart problems, which had often caused delays to the trial.
A Serbian pathologist assisted at the autopsy. Two Serbian observers were also present.
A toxicological examination will still be carried out and a final autopsy report will be issued as soon as possible, the court said.
Earlier, Dutch NOS television reported that recent analyses had discovered "foreign substances" in his blood, bolstering suggestions that he did not die of natural causes.
It said the substances neutralised the effects of medications prescribed to Milosevic for his blood pressure and heart problems.
Milosevic's legal adviser, Zdenko Tomanovic, said the former president had written in a letter to the Russian embassy just a day before his death that he feared being poisoned.
"'They would like to poison me. I'm seriously concerned and worried'," he quoted Milosevic as writing.
Tomanovic said Milosevic cited a medical report, which showed "strong drugs" in his system normally used for treating leprosy or tuberculosis.
After the preliminary autopsy results were released a court spokeswoman said poisoning cannot yet be ruled out in Milosevic's death.
"It is too early to reach any sort of conclusion," Alexandra Milenov said when asked whether Milosevic had been poisoned as his entourage has charged.
Milosevic had been on trial since February 2002 on more than 60 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Balkans conflicts.
He also faced genocide charges over the 1992-95 Bosnian war, including the Srebrenica massacre of 8,000 Muslims, the biggest single atrocity in Europe since World War II.
Hardcore loyalists to the man branded the "Butcher of the Balkans" accused the UN court of responsibility for his death, some even laying accusations of murder by poisoning.
The UN war crimes court said Milosevic's remains would be released to his family today, but yesterday the Dutch foreign ministry said they had not received a request from his widow Mirjana Markovic to travel to The Netherlands.
Serbian President Boris Tadic ruled out a state funeral for Milosevic and said he would not pardon his widow, meaning she would be unable to return home for any ceremony.
