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MILOSOVIC - Slobodon Milosevic, Politician and administrator who, as Serbia's party leader (from 1987) and president (1989-97), pursued Serb nationalist policies that led to the breakup of the socialist Yugoslav federation.
From 1997 to 2000 he served as president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
In 2001 the authorities stormed his residence, where they encountered armed resistance. After a couple of failed attempts the former president gave himself up (he had been quoted as saying that "he wouldn't be taken alive"). Has was indicted by the War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague for his part in ethnic cleansing campaigns but died after five years in prison with just fifty hours of testimony left before the conclusion of the trial. Milosevic, who suffered from chronic heart ailments, high blood pressure and diabetes, died of a heart attack brought on by unclear circumstances^] Some of his supporters believe that he was murdered in prison prior to the  verdict.