Tribunal clears itself in death of Milosevic

? Slobodan Milosevic defied doctors’ orders to quit smoking and took unauthorized medication smuggled to him in prison, a U.N. war crimes tribunal report into his death said Wednesday.

In the most complete survey of events leading to the former Yugoslav president’s death in March, the report cleared U.N. authorities of giving inadequate medical care, and said the fatal heart attack probably could not have been prevented.

Milosevic’s brother disputed the report, saying the tribunal “bears responsibility for my brother’s death” because it “denied him the opportunity for treatment.” The tribunal rejected Slobodan Milosevic’s request to see a heart specialist in Moscow.

The report by the tribunal’s vice president said special privileges accorded to Milosevic compromised security at the U.N. Detention Unit, enabling him to receive nonprescribed medications. It called for a review of prison procedures.

The Serb leader was found dead March 11 in his cell near The Hague. He was defending himself against 66 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes during the Balkan wars.