Ikechukwu Eze
19 November 2003
The United States embassy yesterday reiterated Washington's opposition to the $2million ransom for the capture of exiled former Liberian president Charles Taylor, stating that the Bush administration would not take any illegal action against the Nigerian government.
The embassy's information officer Mr Michael Hankey who stated this yesterday in Lagos however stressed that Washington would continue to dialogue with Abuja on the issue of bringing Taylor who had been indicted by the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal for Sierra Leone to justice.
He said: "The United States government does not support any violent or illegal means against the Nigerian government. The money in question ( congress' $2 million ransom for Taylor's capture) gives US government an additional tool they need in future.
"Just as president Bush said, at a time the US government believed that bringing Charles Taylor to Nigeria will help bring peace to Liberia. The American government opposes any violent means towards capturing Charles Taylor."
Hankey further stated that the Taylor bounty was part of the $87 billion aid package passed by the congress for both Iraq and Afghanistan. He explained that the measure was not strange, adding that such 'rewards for justice' fund also applied in the cases of Rwanda and Bosnia. According to him, the goal of such programme was to encourage people to volunteer information that would help in bringing fugitives to justice.
It would be recalled that Nigeria last week condemned the measure, saying that the offer, assumed for Mr Taylor's detainment, verged on state-sponsored terrorism.
In a bid to reassure Nigeria, the US authorities explained that the money would only serve as "an additional tool" if the need arises.
"We strongly oppose any violent or other illegal actions against Nigerian authorities aimed at obtaining custody of Charles Taylor," US State Department spokeswoman Susan Pittman said.
"Apprehension of indictees should be conducted by appropriate authorities."
Mr Taylor went into exile in Nigeria as part of a plan to end Liberia's civil war.
Ms Pittman said the US had supported the warlord leaving Liberia because it believed it would save lives.
Many assumed that the Americans would leave the matter there.
Nigeria expressed shock at the reward which it said would encourage lawless and illegal behaviour.
It said it would resist any attempt to capture Mr Taylor, adding that Liberia's ex-leader was under the protection of the Nigerian Government.
Mr Taylor's presence on Nigerian soil was the result of a plan agreed by African nations to resolve the conflict in Liberia, he added.
Security has been increased around Mr Taylor's compound in Calabar, in the far south-east of the country, following reports of the alleged US bounty.
The ex-leader has been there since August when he arrived with around 100 other people, although many have now left. According to a Liberian official close to Mr Taylor, this is partly for security reasons and partly because they found life there rather dull.
Mr Taylor was indicted by the war crimes court in Sierra Leone while he was still Liberia's president.
It is seeking to try him on charges that he armed and trained Sierra Leone's rebels who waged a campaign of rape and dismemberment during the country's civil war.
As a former warlord, he was also involved in the bloodshed in his own country.
Ms Pittman said Washington regarded Nigeria as a good place. from which Mr Taylor could "address the indictment".
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