Charles Taylor did not support plans to attack Sierra Leone while he was in Libya, the accused former Liberian president told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges today while being cross-examined by the prosecution.
Mr. Taylor was today responding to questions under cross-examination by lead prosecution counsel Ms. Brenda Hollis on his associations in Libya where rebel forces where being trained to eventually invade Liberia and Sierra Leone in 1989 and 1991 respectively. Mr. Taylor has on numerous occasions insisted that he never knew about the formation of the Sierra Leonean rebel group Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and that he never met the group's leader, Foday Sankoh, in Libya. The former president has said that he instead met the leader of Sierra Leone Pan-Africanist Movement, Ali Kabbah, who was a former University of Sierra Leone student leader.
As Mr. Taylor was being cross-examined today, he challenged prosecution claims that Mr. Kabbah and Mr. Sankoh had a schism in Libya because they both had disagreements as to what measures were needed to bring about change in Sierra Leone. Mr. Kabbah, the prosecution claimed, met with Mr. Taylor and told him he wanted to embark on ideological education in Sierra Leone as a means of bringing about change in the country, while Mr. Sankoh preferred a military revolution. The prosecution put it to Mr. Taylor that he supported Mr. Sankoh over Mr. Kabbah because he (Taylor) was also in favour of a military revolution in Sierra Leone, just like the one he was planning for Liberia. Mr. Taylor denied the prosecution's claim, insisting that he never knew Mr. Sankoh in Libya.
"You favoured Foday Sankoh over Ali Kabbah because Sankoh was in favour of a military option right?" Ms. Hollis asked Mr. Taylor today.
"I could have only favoured one over the other if I knew the other but I did not know Sankoh," the former president responded.
"I do not know what happened behind the scenes but that is not what Ali Kabbah told me and other people," Mr. Taylor added.
Mr. Taylor challenged prosecution claims that Mr. Kabbah had told him (Taylor) that he did not want a military solution to Sierra Leone's problems but rather an "ideological training as a means of taking power" in the country.
"That is not my information," Mr. Taylor said. "The Ali Kabbah I met did tell Charles Taylor that he had contacts within the government and the military in Sierra Leone and that he only needed a spark for a military takeover in the country," he added.
Mr. Taylor also denied prosecution assertions that when he met with Muamarr Ghadaffi, he spoke to the Libyan leader about the schism in the RUF and his support for Mr. Sankoh and his military option.
"No. I never knew of any schism in the RUF. Everyone in Libya had to mind their own business. When I spoke to Ghadaffi, I did not talk about nonsense. I spoke about revolutionary ideas. I did not speak to him about Sierra Leone at all," he said.
Since Mr. Taylor started testifying as a witness in his own defense on July 14, 2009, he has consistently denied ever helping to plan the invasion of Sierra Leone while in Libya. The prosecution has alleged that Mr. Taylor has been involved in a joint criminal enterprise with RUF leader Mr. Sankoh since the late 1980s when the two men allegedly met in Libya. This alleged criminal enterprise, the prosecution says, continued with the invasion of Liberia in 1989 and Sierra Leone in 1991, and up to the end of the conflict in Sierra Leone in January 2002. Mr. Taylor has denied the charges against him.
Also in his cross-examination today, Mr. Taylor denied prosecution claims that when he travelled to Ghana in 1985 after his escape from a United States prison, the Ghanaian government arrested him because he was recruiting people for The Boys Brigade, a Ghanaian group opposed to then Ghanaian president John Jerry Rawlings.
"No, that is not correct. I was busy recruiting the Special Forces. That was a trick those boys put together to arrest me. It's a blatant, blatant lie," Mr. Taylor said.
After Mr. Taylor's release from prison in Ghana, the former president said he travelled to Ivory Coast, then to Burkina Faso before travelling to Libya where his men were trained to attack Liberia in 1989.
The prosecution also questioned Mr. Taylor today about the role of the Association for the Legal Defense of Charles G. Taylor, a group established by close associates of Mr. Taylor in Liberia after his arrest by the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
Asked about the purpose of the group's establishment, Mr. Taylor told the judges that "dissemination of information about the trial in Liberia is very poor and their purpose is to disseminate information about the trial to the Liberian people."
On suggestions by Ms. Hollis that the group's purpose is to coordinate investigations and witnesses for Mr. Taylor's defense, Mr. Taylor said that "there is no defense office for me in Liberia other than the one in this court. That is a no no."
When asked by Ms. Hollis whether the group had bank accounts in various countries, Mr. Taylor said "I have no idea and I doubt it very much."
Mr. Taylor is presently being cross-examined by the prosecution, having testified in direct-examination as a witness in his own defense. He is being tried on charges that he provided support to RUF rebels in Sierra Leone, a group that fought an 11-years rebel war in Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor has denied providing support for the Sierra Leonean rebel forces or ever helping them plan operations on how to plunder the country's diamonds and capture political power.
Mr. Taylor's cross-examination continues tomorrow.
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Oh! my God Father, Where did the quick marriage between Sankor and Taylor start from? I hundred percent doubt this "asshole bandit" It's a complete 'no-nos' ms. Hollis. Well, this is the cause that Africans or Africa will never and ever achieve the status of a 'United States of Africa or African Unity". Because there are so many bunch of idiots,terrorist states and their so-called Presidents who comouflag themselves as Leaders with dignity but behind them they leave a trail of bloody path,that glorify their doings to other Africans and countries'. Such an example is that of Liberia and Sierra Leone,where the Libyan Leader allowed men and women to be trained in his country for the purpose of distabilizing other African Countries and killing other Africans.
Should bloody mad,idiotic Africans or African countries sit in a meeting and glorify such Leaders with titles of nobility,at the expense of our suffering African masses? Certainly not to my days in this universe. We'll oppose every move that intends to include such Leaders for a recognition in Africa. Let them sleep in hell,that is a possible place they deserve to be and not the world stage.
It was a sound and convincing mockery for the Libyan Leader to stand on the stage of the UN and to tell the UN,that the World Body has failed to stop the occurence of 65 wars in the World.Bloody mad idiology. When he himself has master-minded half of Africa's conflicts and several in other parts of the world.Everyone keeps blaming Europe and America.This is prety stupid conclusion.I know that Europe and America did harm Africans,especially Sierra Leoneans-but they're good now as equal like those who did not harm Africans during colonia days.
Let Taylor kiss the trees in the Hague.Is he refusing to accept the so-called defense team headed by Cllr. Lavali Supuwood in Liberia? Or,is Supuwood the cordinator of the lying witness group of Taylor? Go on! We're waiting to see and hear from the bandits. You murderers with no conscience...
What is this? what is all about this sierra leone buzzzzzz? we are tired with this foolishness.You want kill charles taylor kill him an let us stop hearing about this stupid case that has nothing but hearsay. What is this? We should be thinking about our country right now.. Not to be hearing U sierra leonears posting stupidness here.. iam really tire with this shit....People suffering right now from poverty. what this case doing about it? look ! People wake up and don´t even have a dime to buy drinking water.... Look you slaves, the only way you will be free is to focus on the present not the past.The white man make you think about the past to make you foget about the present...Those who work with hitler are roaming aroung here in europe. no justice for the jews... Because the jews are moving on foolissh people!
Bortri,you're mad with words you think suits you but they do not.If you don't have conscience,we Sierra Leoneans do.The case is not about you been broke in your tiny zinc shark in Monrovia and not having a Dime to buy even cold water. The case is about someone who has caused the death of thousands of people in Africa,where there is no future to life.As you clearly pointed with the situation in your Liberia.Who is responsible, you or the bloody murderer?
We lost resources to colonia powers,we did not care much about it.We have lost our people,this is what concerns us,you rusty,dusty crook of no conscience.I bet you to just posses the power and you bring Taylor on the Streets of Freetown,you will see how hungry Lions can scramble for a living goat thrown at them in a cage.I do post stupidness but people with a high quality brains can read and picture the sense in my post.Since your brains are cold like they were been stored at Antartical,all you have is a freeze memory.
Borri,just keep quiet because you don't know anything concerning the Jewish people.They have justice if you don't know.The world is tracking all the perpetrators of those crimes.And if you think you know anyone that committed those crimes and still roaming your streets in Monrovia,we ask that you report them forward and you will get your "chopping" because you're complaining about poverty and not having a dime to buy even cold water in Monrovia.
I can't understand really what you're trying to write in the last 3 sentences of your post.Please get back on your research and try to do proper work. I'll only stop my post when I hear that Taylor is in London or Rwanda.Secondly,if the most experience journalists at allafrica.com tells me that "AgentX44 we are sorry we have to close your account"then I'll stop and sign in with the New Democrat in Monrovia. Because I view this paper to be of quality and with experienced journalists just like that of Concord in Freetown/Sierra Leone. Borri...keep mute!
As i said, iam really out of words and tune about this taylor buzzzzz.The only thing we hear on this site is you and taylor..... Sierra leone supported two rebel groups that killed hundreds of people.. But what are we saying? There is a video about lurd rebel with a boy with human heart in his hand in capemount county. He is a sierra leonean. check on youtube. If i had the Authority on this site, i would have cancer your account.You don´t write anything educative.Borbor i know you theivemen! I can´t trust finger nail near you... You will steal it without me feeling the pain. YOu are the most renow criminal of our times. Close ur criminal mouth!
I have always heard this slogan from many Liberians which I consider to be a propaganda one.What I noticed with some Liberians is that,when someone appears to be smarter that them,they either call that person a crook or a thief. I have seen it and heard it many times.It is either with Sierra Leoneans,Ghanians or Nigerians.Because amongs the West African English speaking countries they're the most sensible ones with the most educated brains.
The stealing that is going on in your country now is been done by only Sierra Leoneans, I guess. Please take a stock at your own well-being before you blame other nationals. Mr.perfect I know you'll have to vomit again and say that the looting that went on in Liberia was done by Sierra Leone.Well,for Sierra Leoneans they don't sell human beings for money like you do in Liberia.We don't do ritualistic killings with our citizens.We treasure our citizens very much,that is why we're pressing to nail your bandit Taylor in jail for life.
You saw a Sierra Leonean with a human heart on your site? That is impossible to me and even the world.present a proof on this site of where you saw a real Sierra Leonean rebel with a human heart in the street or on your base.Never,never and never they can't do such act. Go sleep and let's wait for another Taylor cross-examination on Monday.As long as you write I'll reply your rebel face with no hesitation.You're all bandits and murderes with no conscience. You have no spines so you lack mental focus.
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