LONDON: I'm worried about Milosevic. He's not well, poor dear, and may not be able to continue standing trial for his crimes against humanity. He's no doubt been looking forward to addressing those counts of war crimes for such pesky issues as the systematic rape and murder of hundreds of thousands of non- Serbians during the Balkan wars of the 1990s.

But he's feeling poorly and has been struggling with exhaustion, flu and heart problems. If it's the same heart that allowed children to be murdered in front of their parents and fathers strung up in village squares, it's no wonder it's collapsing.

Under stress, Milosevic's blood pressure rises to 200/130. Contemplating his crimes does the same to me. He faces charges that in Bosnia he oversaw 'the widespread killing of thousands of Bosnian Muslims during and after the take over of territories within Bosnia and Herzegovina'; that in Croatia he allowed 'the extermination or murder of hundreds of Croat and other non-Serb civilians, including women and elderly persons'; and that Kosovo Albanians 'were frequently intimidated, assaulted or killed in public view to enforce the departure of their families and neighbours'.

The trial is due to restart on August 31 but no one is holding their breath, apart, perhaps, from the defendant. It's a good way to get the pulse rate up. Justice can be a sickening business.

There's an illustrious history of dictators escaping sentence on the grounds of ill health. It worked for Indonesia's Suharto, although a month before being found too ill to stand trial for corruption he wandered to his daughter's wedding, sharing anecdotes with his cronies. It worked for General Jaruzelski, who seemed on top form while ruling Poland but too infirm to stand trial for the excesses of his regime.

Jack Straw ruled Augusto Pinochet too sick to be extradited to Spain to face genocide and torture charges, but back in Chile he was the picture of health as he stepped unaided from his wheelchair and shook the hands of his celebrating supporters.

He subsequently escaped trial, citing 'mild to moderate senile dementia'. The only demented people were those who let him off. Saddam Hussein is no doubt praying his pulse would do a bit of racing.

Indications of where his defence is going were apparent during his recent day in court. He robustly bellowed his innocence and Bush's guilt at the world's TV cameras before apparently asking his guards to lead him away 'gently' as he's an 'old man'.

Should frailty and illness excuse murder, torture, rape and abuse of human rights? Is there any point in mounting these enormous and costly trials if, when the going gets tough, defendants cry 'headache' and escape justice.

Feigning sickness is the oldest trick in the book. Most of us are capable of putting on a convincing performance to win a couple of days off work. If our liberty were at stake, just imagine how performances would improve.

If these despots aren't in the best of health, who cares? They should count themselves lucky that medical care in prison is free. It's a luxury most of their victims failed to enjoy. -Dawn/The Observer News Service.