By KATARINA KRATOVAC
BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro -- A Socialist Party aide of Slobodan
Milosevic said Saturday that the ex-president was defiant just before
his death.
"He told me, 'Don't you worry: They will not destroy me or break me; I
shall defeat them all,'" said Milorad Vucelic of the Socialist Party,
recounting a phone conversation with Milosevic late Friday. "But it was
obvious he was very ill."
Milosevic, who was found dead Saturday in his cell at the
Netherlands-based war crimes court near The Hague, was daily in contact
with Socialist party officials in Belgrade as he carried out his own
defense before the U.N. tribunal.
Vucelic said Milosevic was in "a good mood" on Friday but would not
discuss his illness.
"We were supposed to talk more today but when he didn't call, I was a
little worried," Vucelic added. "Then I found out what had happened."
Vucelic spoke at the Socialist Party headquarters in Belgrade, where
flags hung at half-staff and a huge photo of Milosevic was on display,
adorned with a black cloth.
During their phone conversation, Vucelic said Milosevic had been upbeat
and satisfied with how his defense case was coming along.
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Copyright 2006 Associated Press