The Yugoslav authorities said that former president...

The Yugoslav authorities said that former president Slobodan Milosevic may face charges that carry the death penalty, and the country's current president, Vojislav Kostunica, ruled out extraditing his predecessor to the UN war crimes tribunal soon.Since Milosevic was arrested on April 1 on charges of corruption and the abuse of power, the Yugoslav authorities have stepped up their investigations into other possible criminal complaints against the deposed leader.The Serbian Interior Minister, Dusan Mihajlovic, said that the probe also pointed to more serious offences allegedly committed during his 13-year rule. Mihajlovic told reporters in Vienna: "There are, meanwhile, indications that Slobodan Milosevic was involved in severe criminal acts for which the death penalty is provided." Milosevic may face capital charges for ordering the botched assassination attempt on Vuk Draskovic, a political opponent, and the murder of Slavko Curuvija, a journalist, Mihajlovic said.Serbia's Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, said Milosevic will be charged within the next two months of ordering the murders of personal and political enemies.Djindjic also said that he expected that Milosevic's wife, Mirjana, a key political figure during his tenure in office, will also be accused of murder.The Hague is accusing Milosevic of atrocities committed by his forces against ethnic Albanians during the crackdown in Kosovo in 1999. The tribunal also says it is preparing more charges in connection with the wars in Croatia and Bosnia when the two former Yugoslav republics gained their independence.