Mr Boskovski is accused of trying to impress the US

At the time of the deaths, then-Interior Minister Ljube Boskovski said the men were Islamic militants.

But prosecutors say the men were innocent and their deaths were staged in an attempt to make Macedonia appear active in the US-led war on terror.

Mr Boskovski, who also has Croatian citizenship, has denied the charges.

He was arrested in Bale village in Croatia's north-west. He has been living openly there since May, when he fled Macedonia after Macedonian authorities issued a warrant for his arrest.

Six other men, including several police officers, have also been charged with the murders of the six Pakistanis and one Indian months after the 11 September 2001attacks in the US.

Mr Boskovski says he has taped proof that the men were planning terrorist attacks and "absolutely" denies allegations that the killings were staged.

At the time, Macedonia was recovering from serious fighting between its security forces and mainly Muslim Albanian militants.

Croatian law does not allow the extradition of its citizens for trials abroad.

However, Macedonian authorities on Monday transferred the handling of the case to Croatia.