The Hague (Netherlands), Oct. 28 : Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was overheard on phone tap intercepts plotting to wipe Bosnian Muslims from the "face of the earth", his war crimes trial at The Hague has been told.

"They will disappear. Sarajevo will be a black cauldron, where 300,000 Muslims will die. They are not right in the head. It is clear to everyone. It will be a real bloodbath," The Telegraph quoted him, as saying in the intercept.

United Nations prosecutors said the conversations were evidence that Karadzic ordered the 44-month-long siege of the city where 12,000 civilians were killed.

Lawyers said they planned to use his own words to convict him of 11 charges of genocide and crimes against humanity carried out during the violent break-up of Yugoslavia from 1992 to 1995.

Karadzic, 64 is boycotting proceedings, saying he needs more time to prepare his defence. But he has been warned he risks being tried in his absence or having a lawyer forced on him.

Karadzic was captured last July on a bus in Belgrade, after over a decade on the run. (ANI)