Finding such evidence, however modest it may appear beside atrocities, is essential for tribunal prosecutors as they prepare their charges, Mr. Risley said.

It also refuses to allow tribunal prosecutors to investigate atrocities in Kosovo Province in Serbia.

On or about April 16, the tribunal prosecutors say, a well-armed convoy that included members of the national police force, local police and militiamen arrived at the compound.

Disappointingly, tribunal prosecutors were forced to drop the rape charge after Tadic's victim refused to testify - she was afraid of reprisal if she did so.

"The intention in Rwanda was an abstraction: to kill without killing," said Arbia, the tribunal prosecutor.

On a practical level, it appears that fear of the tribunal may be preventing Serbian leaders from intensifying their violence in Kosovo, where tribunal prosecutors are beginning investigations.

Not legal, says the tribunal prosecutor.

Until recently the tribunal prosecutors were unable to work in Belgrade or in the Serbian-controlled part of Bosnia.

Suddenly this year, for the first time, tribunal prosecutors would not take no for an answer.

He acknowledged that there was plenty of information about the rapes in Višegrad but tribunal prosecutors had been "unable to reach the witnesses" before the indictments were completed.