"Not guilty, Your Honour," Miletic repeated after Judge Christine Van Den Wyngaert read each of the four counts of the indictment charging him with murder, persecution on racial, religious or political grounds, deportation and forcible transfer of the Muslim population of Srebrenica and Zepa, which qualify as crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war.
Miletic, 58, surrendered to the ICTY on February 28. He made his initial appearance before the tribunal on March 2 when he asked for a deferral of his plea for 30 days.
During the time relevant to the indictment, from March 11 to August 31, 1995, Miletic served as a deputy to Bosnian Serb overall military commander Ratko Mladic in charge of operations and training.
Miletic is indicted along with another two deputies of Mladic, General Milan Gvero and General Zdravko Tolimir.
The indictment, confirmed on February 8, 1995, charges Miletic, Gvero and Tolimir with taking part in a joint criminal enterprise the aim of which was to force the Muslim population out of the UN-protected enclaves of Srebrenica and Zepa in eastern Bosnia.