Karadzic heading for Hague to face war crimes tribunal.

BELGRADE, July 30 (Itar-Tass) - Former political leader of BosnianSerbs, Dr Radovan Karadzic is heading for the Hague where he will face the international tribunal for war crimes in the former Yugoslavia, a high-rank sources in the Serbian government said early morning Wednesday.

Local mass media confirmed that a column of cars started at 04:00 hours from the building of the Belgrade District Court to the international airport where Dr Karadzic was put on a jet bound for theNetherlands.

Karadzic, who lived in a hiding for 13 years, is accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity on the territory of the former Yugoslav republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. First charges against himwere brought on in July 1995.

They were appended later on in connection with the events in the townof Srebrenica in 1995 when about 8,000 Bosnian Moslems were killed there.

The last change in the 27-pages-long indictment against Karadzic wasmade May 31, 2000.

Olga Kavran, the press secretary of the Hague tribunal Chief Justice said earlier three judges had been appointed to conduct the trial overKaradzic.

About 15,000 people came to a meeting of protests against his arrest and extradition in Belgrade Tuesday night. The gathering accused theSerbian government of a betrayal of national interests.

As a result of clashes with policemen, 46 persons received injuries.

Police used tear gas and smoke grenades to disperse the crowd.