Charles Taylor was occupied with events in Liberia in the early 1990s and could not have had time to support rebel forces and regulate what was happening in Sierra Leone, he told judges today during his testimony at the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
Mr. Taylor said that when rebels attacked Sierra Leone in March 1991, he was busy holding discussions with West African leaders in Senegal geared towards the cessation of hostilities in Liberia and therefore could not have been planning an attack on Sierra Leone.
“At the time of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) invasion of Sierra Leone, I was busy with peace meetings but the prosecution has me busy planning and supporting the RUF in Sierra Leone,” Taylor told the judges.
The prosecution has alleged that Mr. Taylor was involved in planning the invasion of Sierra Leone in 1991 and that in subsequent years, he supported the rebels through the supply of arms and ammunition, and that by his acts or omissions, he bears responsibility for crimes committed by the RUF in Sierra Leone.
Mr. Taylor denied allegations of any such support to RUF rebels. “This is total nonsense. I am not interested in Sierra Leone,” Mr. Taylor said.
Mr. Taylor has admitted that he had dealings with the RUF between August 1991 to May 1992 when he collaborated with them to fight against another rebel group, United Liberation Movement for Democracy in Liberia (ULIMO) who were attacking NPFL positions in Liberia from Sierra Leone. He has said that he severed all relationship with the RUF in May 1992 when his NPFL rebels guarding the Liberia-Sierra Leone border were attacked by RUF rebels. Asked by his defense counsel Courtenay Griffiths when last he had contact with RUF leader Foday Sankoh, Mr. Taylor responded that “my last dealing with Sankoh was way back in 1992. I really would not have cared about what was going on in Sierra Leone. I was busy. The only time Sierra Leone became an issue for me was in 1996.”
Mr. Taylor admitted that while he maintained a relationship with the RUF between 1991 and 1992, there were exchange of arms and ammunition as gifts between his NPFL and Sankoh’s RUF, diamonds were never part of those gifts. The prosecution has alleged that diamonds mined in Kono by the RUF were given to Taylor in exchange for arms and ammunition. While denying this allegation,Taylor admitted that there was an exchange of arms and ammunition between the NPFL and the RUF, such as Sankoh’s gift to him of a 155 millimeter Houwitza gun, which was captured from enemy forces in Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor emphasized that theses gifts were purely for security purposes in their fight against a common enemy, ULIMO.
Mr. Taylor denied prosecution allegations of his involvement in a 1996 RUF operation to stop elections in Sierra Leone code named Operation Stop Elections. “I did not order the RUF to carry out any such campaign. I could have never ordered such a thing. I did not care about what was going on in Sierra Leone, and don’t forget, we are preparing for disarmament in 1996 to begin to put our government into place. People that I have cut off relationship with in 1992, what business is it of mine, how do I do that? I had nothing to do with the RUF after the break-up in 1992,” he said.
Mr. Taylor dismissed as nonsense an NPFL command structure chart presented by the prosecution, which put RUF leader Foday Sankoh as Military Adviser to the NPFL leader, Charles Taylor. “Total false. What will Foday Sankoh be doing as Military Adviser to me? What advice can he give me? This is total nonsense,” he told the judges. Mr. Taylor presented his own chart of the NPFL command structure, which names current Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleef as International Coordinator for the NPFL from 1986 to 1994.
Mr. Taylor’s testimony continues tomorrow.
The trial is getting interesting and I must say am enjoying it very well. The prosecution team has a lot of work to do because they have failed very very badly. The TRUTH WILL Stand.
Am not saying Charles Taylor did not commit any crime at all but defiantly not in Sierra Leone. At this stage I see Charles Taylor joining that War criminal woman (Ellen Johnson Sirleaf) can you imaging she was in the bush ready to lead the NPFL troops to enter Monrovia after all the bloody work has been done by Charles Taylor, that is her “chicken beef” with Charles and since that day. This War Criminal sitting in Monrovia, Liberia. as an angel president.
No one should be surprised at all she had the help of that womanizer just passed Nigerian president (who went to bed with his own sons wife, just for a contract, fire burn them all)
Democracy will be the prevail in Liberia, Defiantly God Willing. And hay nobody should start anything STUPID! Democracy should work but Justice MUST prevail. The west if they want any body at the ICC, George W.Bush and Tony Blair are the best candidates.
God Bless Liberia
Even if Taylor had a hand in the illegal diamond trade in S.Leone, where were the demand for diamonds actually initiated? The Sierra Leonans (those that embrace the war -not innocent people) should have been sensible and learn from the Liberian example and not be stupid to let even an angel from heaven or hell tell them how to settle their differences. They should not have let anyone encourage them or tell them what American (USA) Politicians told Liberians ” The best way for you senseless Monkies to settle your differences, is to murder one another” This is why Ellen Johnson Sirleaf could have sat in America and said “..Level Monrovia…” and That was why Charles Taylor could have BROKEN JAIL FROM ONE OF THE USA MOST SECURE PRISONS. Africans and other poor nations have to learn to read between the lines-who is your friend and who seeks to exploit you and keep you down and know what is best for their Long term national interest and not what they can do to please their self eagles and the West , only then can we maintain lasting peace and development. There are more injustice in American and some of these nations that give us the weapons, stirrup the fire, and keep stealing our resources why we kill one another.
This case is truly an eye opener…..rumors we heard are now been turned into FACTS by the presentations Mr. Taylor is providing. I pray and hope he takes his time and go over ALL THE POINTS the prosecutors presented plus do a BLOW by BLOW on the charges.
As we can see ALL of his relationship with RUF took place by Nov. ’96. The MANDATE of this court states that ALL involved since Nov. ’96. Does anyone know what place or value is put on the ACCORD that ended the war??
Hey, Noko4, we all know that the pa pay is on top of the moon. If fact Mr. Taylor is in gear 1 like in 1997 persidential race. No force can stop him. My regards to you, Hellen and the rest of the good guys. You will agree that it is just a matter of time and this case will be history and justice be served. God willing, the pa pay will come ooo!
Harris,
I have said before the trial started that if TRUE JUSTICE is what is been sought, Mr. Taylor will WALK. And as this trial continues even some that felt he is/was guilty are having second thought.
We have seen what the prosecutors presented and ZERO evidence….I mean DOCUMENTED PROOF linking him to the CHARGES. I hope this court lives up to her MANDATE and let the chips fall where ever.
I am still waiting to hear what part does the ACCORD plays in this case plus why Pres. Kabbah was NOT put on trial???
Harris,
No bodi want pa pay to come or go. all we know that pa pay is no different from the people that send him, ellen and the rest of them. All we need is that our sub region learn and live and develop.
Let this be a warning to all diabolical African leaders. Whatever you do to your people, you will be judged by it. For those narrow minded Liberians who are Taylor’s children and loyalists, let it be emphatically clear that the deeds of Taylor will never be repeated in Liberia. Charles Taylor is more than an Americo-Liberian who mission was to reinvigorate the William VS Tubman’s mentality. – The destruction on the indigenous people of Liberia. It is just unfortunate that the same indigenous Liberians who were the life line of NPFL were blind and are still blind today.
Charles Taylor deserves this judgment. For those of you who think that Taylor will go free. THING AGAIN. How many Americo-Liberians or Congo People died that the objectives of Taylor might live? “Introspect Liberians”
I await your answers ASAP.
K2O
Kessey, sorry to say that you are too narrow minded on this case. You sound like a K2 kid. I’m sure my 7 years old daughter can think and understand public discussion better than you. We are not talking about natives and congo people here. Not even to talk about the war in Liberia, but allege war crime committed by Mr. Taylor in Sierra Leone during and after 1996. If you have been following this case from start, you will agree that the prosecusion has failed to directly link Mr. Taylor to crime committed by your crazy brothers in Sierra leone as alleged by you and your white masters. No brother, Mr. Taylor is at his best and everyone knowns that. Finally, Mr. Taylor is a free man if this court must gain its respect. We don’t care what you think about Mr. Taylor, but justics must be served.
Taylor is 100% guilty. Why do you think he killed Mosquito and Johny Paul Koroma, because he knew if they were alive, they would have Spilled all the beans. His vice president testified that he was responsible for their killing, and testified that he saw mosquito in liberia after the sierra leone war. Other former rebels testified that after Sankoh left, Issa sesay and other rebels traveled to Liberia with Diamonds and came back with others from told whom they reffered to as papay on the structure of the RUF. Who should take over. Where did taylor get all the money from that he had, what natural resources does liberia have apart from rubber? I bet if Taylor would’ve killed ur mother or father u wouldn’t have been typing the shit you’re typing right now. Taylor even said before the war started that he will teach sierra leone a lesson for letting ULIMO used their country as a base.
Speaking about “NARROW MINDED”….is what you are writing is not from a “NARROW MINDED” person then something must wrong with me. Didn’t Doe kill the NATIVES in the THOUSANDS??? So where will you Kesselly place his destruction??
Kesselly, Mr. Taylor is on trial for the mess of Sierra Leone and the job of this court is to look at the evidences and rule on those evidences…..nothing more or less. If the evidences set him FREE than so be it.
I think you and I should be advocating for Liberia’s Special Court….there Mr. Taylor stands ZERO chance of WALKING FREE….but he won’t be the only one; the current President is also as GUILTY as him on Liberia.
Taylor is not going to stand trial in Liberia. Because Sirleaf would also be implicated. That’s why when Obasanjo refused to turn him over to sierra leone and instead claim he’ll only turn him over to Liberia sirleaf responded by saying Liberia doesn’t want to try taylor, sierra leone does. I know a lot of The liberians claiming taylor is innocent are mad that he’s facing charges in sierra leone and not liberia.
not only Taylor should be punish- ie if he is found guilty, all of the forces that give birth to the killings and destrouctions including their oversea supporters should be brouht to light. this is the only true way we can stop this kind of madness all together. No Nationality or person should be above the law.
Most people felt that the testimonies of some key concerns persons at the TRC in monrovia was sugarcoted, but Mr. taylor’s chat putting the current Liberian president Sirleaf as international coordinator of the most ruthless, flesh eating NPFL rebels between 1986 to 1994. the question is was everybody on the chat involved in daily decision makings? or did Mr. Taylor cut them off at some point?
Even if they were there for just one second, they are all guilty of war crime in Liberia. What more can we say?
This makes a lot of sense. How plausible is it that given the prevailing circumstances in Liberia at the time that Mr Taylor would be thinking about Sierra Leone when he had his own problems in Liberia. Besides there are so many conflicting circumstances that would have undermined his own interest had he even attempted to do what he is accused of.
If the Judges are fair they need to let this man go home. this is so rediculous and reveal the major flaws with the so-called westrn intelligence information gathering. Many times they intentionally misrepresent the truth or twist it to suit their purposes. This is totally stupid.
There is a saying that “small shame is better than big shame” please let this man go and save yourself the big shame. You have nothing on this man. You may dislike him for whatever reason but do not try to legitimize it by ochestrating lies and scenarios that just do not fit together or make logical sense.
Yes, Charles Taylor was so busy recruiting children for Foday Sankor’s RUF war in Sierra Leone. He was reciprocating the gesture of Sierra Leonean fighters who wanted to topple the Sierra Leonean government. Charles Taylor was the master-mind of the RUF’s war. Liberian rebel fighters were seen in trucks heading for Freetown.
Why did you give your edvince to the special court? You guys have continue to lie about what Mr. Taylor did not do in Sierra Leone. But you will surely go down with those lies like a drunk fly.
Let agree that Charles Taylor is the masterminder of the S.Leonan war, who is the masterminder of the liberian Civil that gave birth to the S.Leonan war?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Hi Everyone
Yes, Mr Taylor i remember those days you were occupied with work, organizing your party and trying to fine a wife. we understand all of that.It was not just possible for you to cooperate with RUF absolutely not. Keep going boy draw the actual picture for those judges and the world we are with you.
BYE
Zobon
How would anyone belived that Mr. Taylor will be sitting in a power sharing government in Monrovia in 1996 and yet command and control the RUF? The prosecution is not just serious.
Bravo Charles Taylor,
Expose them, expose their hidden deeds. I hope that Justice prevails in your hearing. I don’t see why you should be blame for what happened in Sierra Leone. I am sure that if this court renders its verdict base on facts that you will be free. I have seen that they have up to this point, no direct link linking you directly to the war in sierra Leone. But I don’t know why they have not brought satellite pictures to prove you guilty… or any receipt of you exchanging diamonds for guns?
To the special court why don’t you get some one who worked directly with Charles Taylor who dealt with the RUF and bring the man to Justice once and for all… I heard that Benjamin Yetean is some where in Togo why cant you go and get him. His testimony will bring the case to an end.
i am from monrovia liberia but now i live in the U.S. Charles Taylor should pay for what he did to our country. the man pretty much destroyed our country he did not care about his people the only person he care for was him. Charles Taylor did not do anything good for the country of liberia. he took all the country money for himself he did not build any new school at all he is a lier he should big time if he dont pay for what he did. We should leave it up to God. God knows what he did.