Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic appeared in court for the first time since the start of his genocide trial began.

Karadzic is representing himself.  He told the court he needs more time to prepare his defense.

He refused to attend the start of the proceedings last week.

This hearing was held to see what could be done over his boycott.

[O-Gwon Kwon, Judge]:
"To ask you, Mr. Karadzic, whether you maintain your position that you will not attend the trial proceedings and that you would therefore not attend tomorrow's hearing in which the prosecution will commence the presentation of its evidence?"

Karadzic said he would attend the trial as it's important for the Serbs.

Radovan Karadzic, Former Bosnian Serb Leader]:
"Your excellency, I am not going to boycott this trial which is very important, not only for me but for the whole Serbian nation. And this gives us the last opportunity to find the truth, and we can find the truth in a way that my defense strategy is based on. If this had been the case from the beginning, you could see how many times I asked for the documents to be approved."

As a man who sought to carve out a Serb state from Bosnia, resulting in the worst crimes since the second world war, he stands accused of 11 war crime charges including two of genocide during the Bosnian war.

Karadzic denies all the charges. Prosecutors say he's responsible for 'humanity's darkest chapters' where 8,000 Bosnian muslim men and boys were killed in Srebrenica.

In Bosnia people feel justice won’t be done.

[Resident, Sarajevo]:
"He will manage to evade justice, just like Milosevic did. And nothing will happen."

[Resident, Sarajevo]:
"Nothing will happen, he will win. I expect nothing."

The trial is expected to take a number of years involving hundreds of witnesses.