[JURIST] Dutch investigators on Wednesday released their final report [press release] on their independent investigation into the death of Slobodan Milosevic [JURIST news archive], saying that the former Yugoslavian leader died of a heart attack on the morning that guards found him dead in his cell at The Hague [JURIST report]. The report confirms earlier investigations [JURIST report] concluding that Milosevic died of natural causes, and provides no support for the contention made by Milosevic's family that the former leader had been poisoned. Fausto Pocar, chief of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia [official website; JURIST news archive], said that the Dutch report officially brings the independent probe into Milosevic's death to an end. The ICTY's own internal inquiry while now focus on the medical treatment [press release] Milosevic received while in ICTY custody.

Despite the conclusions of the report, some, including Vladimir Krsljanin of the pro-Milosevic organization that lobbied for his release [advocacy website] claimed that Milosevic's death was the result of criminal negligence on the part of doctors who cared for him while he was detained at The Hague. Others maintain, however, that Milosevic attempted to worsen his condition in order to evade trial. Reuters has more.