Six former political and military leaders of Serbia and the former Yugoslavia went on trial at a U.N. tribunal for alleged war crimes in Kosova province during a 1998-99 crackdown on ethnic Albanians.

The six, headed by former Serbian President Milan Milutinovic, are charged with orchestrating the deportation of 800,000 ethnic Albanians and allowing other acts. They have pleaded not guilty.

Other defendants are Nikola Sainovic, former prime minister of Serbia; Dragoljub Ojdanic, former army chief of staff; Gens. Nebojsa Pavkovic and Vladimir Lazarevic; and Sreten Lukic, former head of the internal affairs ministry for Kosova.