Mr Seselj (right) appears to relish the prospect of appearing in court

He was detained at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, where he was read his legal rights before being driven away in an unmarked car to a United Nations detention unit.

Mr Seselj has denied the charges against him, which relate to atrocities carried out during the conflicts in Bosnia and Croatia.

Thousands of Serbs turned out in freezing temperatures on Sunday night for a farewell rally in central Belgrade.

I will put the Americans and Nato on trial Vojislav Seselj Click here for more quotes

Mr Seselj, an ally of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, faces eight counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of violations of the laws or customs of war in an indictment made public last week.

He told his supporters he was ready to defend himself and urged them not to give up Serb nationalist goals.

"They think they will put me on trial there, in The Hague, but I will put the Americans and Nato on trial," he said.

"Nobody can defeat the Serbian national idea."

Rallying call

Prosecutors at the tribunal allege Mr Seselj made nationalistic speeches which incited racial hatred and formed a paramilitary unit which committed atrocities in Croatia, Bosnia and the Vojvodina region of Serbia from 1991 to 1993.

SESELJ'S CAREER 1954 born in eastern Hercegovina 1984 jailed after calling for Serb-dominated state 1999 resigns as Serbian deputy prime minister 2002 comes third in presidential election Click here for full profile of Vojislav Seselj

The BBC's Matthew Price, in Belgrade, says Mr Seselj will use his court appearances to make political speeches and try to put forward his version of events.

"I am leaving for a long business trip to represent the interests of at least 10,000 volunteers and Serbian heroes and freedom fighters," he told Sunday's rally.

And he urged his followers not to allow the handover to The Hague of top Serb suspects Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and army commander Ratko Mladic.

Slobodan Milosevic is already on trial at the United Nations court charged with war crimes and genocide.

Mr Seselj was indicted on 14 February on eight counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of violations of the laws or customs of war between 1991 and 1993.