[JURIST] Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect Zdravko Tolimir [ICTY case backgrounder, PDF] said in a Wednesday letter to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia [official website] that he is in "excellent" health and that the ICTY registrar has exaggerated the severity his condition. The registrar expressed concern [submission, PDF; JURIST report] last week that Tolimir was suffering from a brain aneurysm and serious heart condition, describing the situation as "fragile and highly alarming" and recommending that the tribunal investigate Tolimir's health and determine whether he remains competent to represent himself at trial. Tolimir alleged that the registrar was trying to deprive him of his right to defend himself by asking the tribunal to review his competency.

Tolimir was arrested [JURIST report] in May by Bosnian police and was extradited to The Hague [JURIST report] in June. The ICTY may have expressed special concern over his health after war crimes suspect Slobodan Milosovic died from heart failure [JURIST report] in 2006 while in detention at The Hague. AP has more.