The UN war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague has confirmed the arrival of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić, Dutch media reported.

Karadžić was said to have arrived by helicopter.

The plane transporting Karadžić arrived at Rotterdam Airport at about 6.30am local time (5.30am GMT), Dutch media said. Immediately following its arrival, the plane was moved into a hangar.

A short while later, two black vans with darkened windows left the hangar and arrived at the jail in Scheveningen, where ICTY suspects are kept, at about 7am local time. After the cars arrived, all security measures around the jail were lifted, local media said.

A little before 7.30am, two other cars were seen racing off to the airport, Dutch daily Trouw reported.

Shortly after this, a police helicopter was towed out of the hangar where the plane bringing Karadžić had been parked. When the helicopter took off, it was accompanied by a second police helicopter, Trouw said.

As soon as the helicopters had left, security measures at the airport were lifted.

It was later confirmed that Karadžić had arrived at the Scheveningen jail a little before 8am by helicopter.

After his arrival, Karadžić was to first undergo a medical examination. It is expected that on July 31 or August 1 he will have his first hearing in court.

The transfer was made possible when the Serbian court in Belgrade ruled that all conditions for the transfer had been met and the Serbian justice minister signed a decree for the transfer. At 3.45am local time three jeeps with tinted windows and masked drivers were seen leaving the Belgrade war crimes court where Karadžić had been held since his arrest on July 21, Associated Press said.

A business jet was reported to have taken off from the airport at 4.15am.

About 10 000 people demonstrated against Karadžić's extradition on the evening of July 29. Protests ended with violent clashes between police and demonstrators, in which about 40 people were wounded.