11:30pm: Court resumed after mid-morning break. Defense counsel Terry Munyard continued the cross-examination of Witness TF1-338. Defense counsel asked a few questions and asked that the court be moved into closed/private session because some of his questions could potentially disclose the witness’s identity.

Diamonds

Defense counsel asked a few questions before asking that the court be moved into closed/private session.

Defense counsel asked the witness whether the RUF controlled any diamond fields between late 1993 and 1998. The witness explained that the RUF controlled  minning fields in Koidu and Tongo between 1997 and 1998, which was during the AFRC/RUF junta rule. Asked whether the two pile system was in place during this period, the witness responded in the affirmative. Asked whether civilians were forced to mine at this time, the witness said, no. Defense counsel asked the witness whether diamond dealers went to the RUF/AFRC to purchase diamonds during this period. The witness said that apart from the Lebanese businessmen that they met in Kono, he only saw the two whitemen, Alpha Bravo and Minie in Kono. The witness said that he met Minie towards the end of 2001.  He said that Minie told him he was Belgian but that he heard him speak krio and English. He also said that Minie looked like a Lebanese man. On Alpha Bravo, the witness said that he first met him in 2001. When asked to describe Alpha Bravo, the witness said that he spoke English, was tall, white, and had a slightly protrude stomach. He said that Alpha Bravo also told Issa that he was from Belgium.

The witness said that he never saw or met Alpha Bravo and Minie together.

At this point, defense counsel asked that the court be moved into closed/private session because his next line of questions would disclose the witness’s identity if done in public.

Court moved into closed session.