The NEWS (Monrovia)
14 October 2008
Monrovia — Mr. Edward Slanger, the man who admitted killing Thomas Quowonkpa, former Commanding General of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) during an abortive invasion in 1985, says he would have destabilized neighboring Ivory Coast if he had the means to do so.
Slanger, a former Captain in the AFL, blamed the Ivorian government for allowing rebels to use their territory to attack Liberia, a sovereign country which eventually resulted to the deaths of thousands of innocent Liberians.
Slanger said he would have had no regrets if he had the means to destabilize the Ivorian government.
Speaking before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Thematic and Institutional hearings Monday, Mr. Slanger said he crossed into Cote d'Ivoire with some 500 armed AFL soldiers following news that the late President Samuel Doe had been captured at the Freeport of Monrovia by Prince Johnson, then leader of the erstwhile INPFL.
The witness explained that when he entered Ivory Coast, some Ivorian nationals were also arrested along with them based on allegations that he had gone there to plan a coup.
He pointed out that after he and his men surrendered and were disarmed, he informed the Government of La Cote d'Ivoire that he was a relative of President Doe who escaped the fighting in Liberia.
However, Slanger pointed out that the Ivorian government did not have confidence in him for which he and others were arrested and incarcerated.
Witness Slanger claimed while under detention he was electrocuted by Ivorian security guards.
He also informed the TRC that his driver was tortured to death by Ivorian security personnel while under detention.
Mr. Slanger said he was furious over the attitude of the Ivorian government to allow the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) to attack a sovereign government, reiterating " if I had the ability I would have attacked and destabilized Ivory Coast because they allowed rebels to use their country to cause mayhem and atrocities in Liberia".
The witness also disclosed that he was arrested and detained in Ghana on allegation that he and Ghanaians were planning to stage a coup in that country.
Asked whether he knew about the 1980 military coup d'tat, Mr. Slanger said he had no knowledge. On the question of the 1990 invasion, the witness also blamed senior military advisors such as Gen. Henry Dubar for misleading President Doe during the crisis.
On the capture and subsequent killing of President Doe in 1990 at the Freeport of Monrovia, Slanger said if he were in Monrovia, he would have gone with President Doe or advised him against going to the port.
Explaining his role in the Liberian crisis, the former AFL commander said he was arrested in 1994 following an attempt by retired army General Charles Julue to take over the Executive Mansion. Slanger said he was charged with treason but later purged of the charge.
According to him, in 1998, he and 12 others were arrested and charged with treason by the government of Charles Taylor following the September 18th Monrovia street battle.
Slanger and others, including former politician Gbai Gbala, former Deputy Justice Minister for Legal Affairs David Gbala and University Professor Charles Breeze were adjudged guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison. However, they were granted clemency in 2001 by former President Charles Taylor.
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