Charles Taylor did not have any prior knowledge of rebel plans to invade Sierra Leone in 1991, and contrary to prosecution allegations against him, he did not order Sierra Leonean rebel forces to attack Guinea in 2000, he told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges last week.
“I did not know of any prior plans for the invasion of Sierra Leone in 1991,” the accused former Liberian president said on Wednesday in The Hague.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Taylor denied allegations that in 2000, he ordered Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in Sierra Leone to attack Guinea because he believed that the Guinean government of Lansana Conte was supporting Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels who were threatening to unseat Mr. Taylor’s government in Liberia. According to Mr. Taylor, he was too busy with other issues to have focussed on attacking Guinea.
“We were being attacked by LURD from Guinea but I was equally busy with other issues that were not war-like,” he said.
Mr. Taylor also said that if he ever wanted to attack Guinea, he had Liberians at his disposal for that purpose rather than using Sierra Leonean rebel forces.
“It was in my best interest to attack Guinea but why not use Liberians for that?” Mr. Taylor asked.
Mr. Taylor was responding to the testimony of a Prosecution witness, Marvin Mansaray, who in his March 2008 testimony testified that sometime in July 2000, RUF commander Issa Sesay told RUF fighters that Mr. Taylor had given an order for them to attack Guinea. The witness said that Mr. Taylor provided arms and ammunition, including bombs, for the operation.
Witness Mansaray’s testimony reinforced an earlier witness’ testimony, Abu Keita, who in his January 2008 testimony told the Special Court for Sierra Leone that after the release of UN peacekeepers who were held hostage by RUF rebels in 2000, Mr. Taylor gave orders to the RUF to attack Guinea. The attack, Witness Keita said, was led by an RUF commander called Short Bai Bureh. The witness said that Mr. Taylor gave RUF commander Mr. Sesay a satellite phone and 50 boxes of ammunition. Mr. Taylor on Tuesday told the judges in his testimony that this never happened.
“Never happened. Oh my dear, it is just too much. It is a blatant lie. There is no such thing as anybody getting even one box of ammunition from me,” he said
Mr. Taylor also dismissed as lies, the testimonies of both Witnesses Mansaray and Keita that he (Taylor) provided weapons for RUF rebels to facilitate their operations in Sierra Leone. Witness Mansaray in his March 2008 testimony said that sometime in April 1999, Mr. Taylor supplied the RUF with weapons, including an anti aircraft twin barrel gun. The weapons, the witness said, were presented at a muster parade in Magburaka, northern Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor denied supplying the RUF with any such weapon.
“No I did not. To have had a weapon of that sort means we did not disarm. A twin barrel anti aircraft gun is not a little piece of equipment,” Mr. Taylor said. “It takes two operators to fire that weapon and it is manned by a squad of ten men. It’s not a little toy. It’s a blatant, blatant lie.”
Mr. Taylor had the same response for Witness Keita’s evidence that Mr. Taylor had provided weapons for use by RUF rebels in Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor further dismissed Witness Keita’s allegations that together with RUF Commander Sam Bockarie and Mr. Taylor’s Special Security Service (SSS) commander Benjamin Yeaten, he (Keita) had visited Mr. Taylor’s White Flower residence in October 1998. Mr. Taylor today said that he has never even met Witness Keita in person.
“I didn’t know the gentleman, never met him,” Mr. Taylor said.
“We are talking about October 1998. I was not living in White Flower at this time. I moved there on my birthday in January 1999,” he added.
Witness Keita testified in January 2008 that he was recruited by Benjamin Yeaten, on Mr. Taylor’s orders, to join the RUF in Sierra Leone and establish a unit there called the Scorpion Unit. Witness Keita said that the letter authorizing his appointment was signed by Mr. Taylor. During his 2008 testimony, however,Witness Keita, did not produce the letter bearing Mr. Taylor’s signature in court. According to the witness, the said letter was kept at his mother’s house in Monrovia but was destroyed by fire when LURD rebels attacked Monrovia and burnt his mother’s house. Mr. Taylor denied the witness’s testimony, accusing him of having joined another rebel faction leader, Roosevelt Johnson, to fight against his (Taylor’s) forces.
“Abu Keita’s evidence is a blatant and intentional fabrication. I think he designed this,” Mr. Taylor said.
On Wednesday, Mr. Taylor responded to the testimony of another protected prosecution witness, who in his 2008 testimony reinforced prosecution allegations that Mr. Taylor was part of a common design with RUF rebels to attack Sierra Leone in 1991.
In his 2008 testimony, the witness said that in February 1991, he saw Mr. Taylor and RUF leader Foday Sankoh in a convoy. When they got to the Liberian town of Voinjama, they made plans for the RUF to invade Sierra Leone, the witness had testified. The witness further said that he personally sat with Mr. Taylor and discussed the invasion of Sierra Leone.
Dismissing the witness’s account as a lie, Mr. Taylor told the court that by February 1991, he had not yet gone to Voinjama.
“It’s a lie. I had not even gone from Kakata to Gbangha and so I would not have moved to Voinjama,” Mr. Taylor said. “There is no way you can get to Voinjama except you go through Gbangha.”
The witness testified to being present at Voinjama in 1991, where he said Mr. Taylor and and Mr. Sankoh developed a strategy to attack Sierra Leone from Voinjama, Vahun and Zimmi. Mr. Taylor denied the witness’s claim.
“May be he saw a ghost of someone looking like Charles Taylor, it’s all a lie,” he said. “I was never present there. I never discussed any strategies or plans with Sankoh because I was not there.”
Mr. Taylor on Wednesday also told the court how he executed four of his National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) Generals for conniving against him and helping the RUF in attacking Sierra Leone. The four men who were executed were Sam Lato, Oliver Vanney, Anthony Menkunagbe and Sam Towah.
“They put together a group called Black Ghadafa, an anti-NPFL group planning later on to kill me and destroy the leadership of the NPFL,” Mr. Taylor said. “They were arrested and it was at that investigation that it comes out that they were involved with Foday Sankoh. That is why they were killed.”
Several prosecution witnesses who claimed they were forcefully recruited when the RUF invaded Sierra Leone in 1991 had mentioned the names of these executed Generals as part of the group(s) that recruited and trained them in Sierra Leone. These men, they said, were Liberians.
On Thursday, Mr. Taylor also responded to the evidence of a prosecution witness who in his 2008 testimony told the court that while the government of Sierra Leone and the RUF rebels were in the Togolese capital Lome for peace talks in 1999, Mr. Taylor gave a member of the RUF external delegation, Ibrahim Bah, an amount of $20,000 for the RUF leader Mr. Sankoh. Mr. Taylor said that this was not true.
“If I wanted to send money for Sankoh, I would have done so through the Liberian Foreign Minister who was in Lome. It would have been a good gesture just like Eyadema and Obasanjo did give him money, but I did not,” Mr. Taylor said. [Mr. Taylor was referring to former Togolese president, Gnassingbe Eyadema, and former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo].
According to the witness, Mr. Sankoh was very agitated upon receiving what he called “a peanut” from Mr. Taylor because Mr. Sankoh had received reports that RUF commander Sam Bockarie had given huge amounts of diamonds to Mr. Taylor during Mr. Sankoh’s incarceration. Between 1997 and 1999, Mr. Sankoh was in jail in Nigeria and in his absence, Mr. Bockarie acted as leader of the RUF. When rebels attacked Sierra Leone’s capital in January 1999, Mr. Sankoh was released and the government of Sierra Leone decided to hold peace talks with the RUF. This led to the signing of the peace agreement between the two parties in the Togolese capital Lome in 1999.
Prosecution witnesses have alleged that during Mr. Sankoh’s absence, Mr. Bockarie took orders from Mr. Taylor. Witnesses have also alleged that all diamonds mined by the RUF were given to Mr. Taylor for safe-keeping.
According to the protected witness, whose testimony Mr. Taylor sought to discredit on Thursday, Mr. Sankoh was expecting to receive more money from Mr. Taylor because the former Liberian president was in possession of diamonds on behalf of the RUF. The witness said that Mr. Sankoh did not see it as a gesture for Mr. Taylor to give him the $20,000. Mr. Taylor dismissed the witness’ account.
“This is total foolishness because I did not receive any money or diamonds from Bockarie. If I had sent him that money and he had said that it was peanuts, then it would have been ungrateful of him. Bockarie did not say so in his report to Sankoh,” Mr. Taylor said.
The prosecution witness also said that while members of the RUF delegation to the peace talks in Togo were on transit in Liberia, Mr. Taylor gave each of them an amount of $300. Mr. Taylor admitted in court that while he did give members of the RUF delegation some money, he cannot remember what the exact amount was.
“I did give them some money but I cannot remember the amount. I agree,” he said.
Mr. Taylor’s also challenged the authenticity of a hand-written report from the Black Revolutionary Guard Unit of the RUF which was presented to Mr. Sankoh after his release in 1999. The report, which was presented last year as a prosecution exhibit, stated that the RUF received support in the form of weapons and military advice from Mr. Taylor while Mr. Sankoh was in custody.
“Why will this individual present a hand-written report when the commander is already there, that the commander cannot sign? This is the part of their handiwork here. This is fabrication, this is what is going on,” Mr. Taylor responded.
A 16-page minute of an oral report submitted to Mr. Sankoh after his release in 1999 also indicated that Mr. Taylor received about 1832 pieces of diamonds from the RUF for safekeeping while Mr. Sankoh was in custody. The report, however, does not make any reference to Mr. Taylor giving war-like materials to the RUF. All reference to receipt of war-like materials in the report were about help received from the RUF’s “main helper in Burkina Faso.”
Mr. Taylor also dismissed allegations that he had a father and son relationship with RUF commander Sam Bockarie. According to prosecution evidence, Mr. Bockarie was very loyal to Mr. Taylor and because of the money Mr. Taylor lavished on him, Mr. Bockarie could not even take commands from the RUF’s leader Mr. Sankoh anymore. A prosecution witnesses testified in 2008 that after the signing of the Lome Peace Agreement in 1999, Mr. Bockarie ignored Mr. Sankoh’s orders to disarm the RUF rebels and insisted on consulting Mr. Taylor first before proceeding with any such orders from Mr. Sankoh. The witness said it was on this basis that Mr. Bockarie relocated to Liberia when he fell out with the RUF leader in Sierra Leone. The witness said that the relationship between the two men ended when Mr. Taylor decided to execute Mr. Bockarie and his entire family.
Mr. Taylor dismissed this account, saying “this is all total nonsense.”
“He [Bockarie] did not come to Liberia because he was my son but because he had been given the strongest message by ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] that you either do it [disarm] or you move on, and he decided to move on,” Mr. Taylor added. He denied allegations that he executed Mr. Bockarie and his family.
Mr. Taylor has been charged by the Prosecution with aiding and abetting the RUF’s crimes through the exchange of weapons and other support for diamonds, and also with being in a position of control over the RUF so as to be able to prevent or punish crimes committed by RUF forces. Mr. Taylor has denied these allegations. He is presently testifying as a witness in his own defense.
Mr. Taylor’s testimony continues on Tuesday.
Thank you for your website.
Will Mr Griffiths be answering questions posed by the public?
The interview with Mr Rapp was very interesting.
Hi Curious,
Welcome — I don’t think I’ve seen a post from you before. Nice to have you join the conversation here.
Mr. Griffiths has told us he will answer questions posed by the public but he will only be in a position to do so once Mr. Taylor’s testimony is finished. So it may be a few weeks away yet, but I know a lot of people — including us here at the site — are looking forward to his responses from readers’ questions.
Glad you enjoyed the interview with Mr. Rapp.
Best,
Tracey
Where are the Taylor supporters, no posting today? Mann too bad, but I’ll get it started. Why is Taylor keep saying “this is all total nonsense.” Well if it was such nonsense he won’t be in that 8×9 cell. Have anything check on Taylor funds, last I heard his funds were frozen, I wonder what he had to eat during the Holiday in the Hague. I bet it wasn’t cassava leaves or palm butter? Anyway this man is guilty and they need to conclude this case ASAP and save the tax payers’ money.
Thompson,
You are quite new to this site. Read the questions posted to Rapp so that you can have a better idea of Taylor’s fund. Well Taylor generated 5 billion dollars from his deal with the RUF. You are correct, the UN froze his funds in foreign banks.
Here is the good part. After Taylor is acquitted, we will a case of theft. You know why. Taylor has challenge them to produce the frozen money, and they claim that there is no money. Yes brother, Rapp and the rests have pocketed Taylor money, otherwise they would produce it, because they announce to the world that they froze it.
They cannot claim there is no money, because the question will arise what did you freeze if there was no money?
Revert sir.
Good point Andrew. The 5 Billion Dollars will go a long way for Liberia.
Andrew ,
Your answere to john was a brilliant one
Noko5,
Thanks. Did you see the trial this morning? Mr. Taylor exposed a major weakness in the prosecution’s case. Griffiths was address Zigzag Marzah’s testimony that Taylor buried a pregnant woman. Taylor responded that the prosecution did not do a good job because they should have asked Marzah to point out the grave. Moreover the Taylor believed that the government of Liberia would have approved exhuming the body.
I just think that this was an excellent point. How in the world would the prosecution not follow up on this kind of evidence? I do not know if they were carried away or it is just mere incompetence. some one has to help me here.
Andrew, you see,
The guys had dubious agenda that was fill with crooky ideas; I maen all they wanted was to have taylor prosecuted by all means regardless if what so ever they were taking to the table made any sence. whether to a layman or in a legal system. As far as Rapp was concern, he has been send to do a piece of job that he is going to paid in either way at the expense of the people of sierraleone. He really, really doesn’t care, he probbably has gotten 3/4 of his money as long as taylor is in jail. To proof to you and I and any sensible person that this guy was not doing this thing because he had pitty on the sierraleoneans, he went dash their on the side, and got a new job in a new gravy area. He and them will not want to agree with you and I now, but they will in the future.. OK .. brother
Dear John,
We are hear but the story is old…we dealt with part of it last week.
I will say to the defense, Mr. Sesay is still alive and well in Freetown, call him up to CLEAR this HEARSAY…..
Let me just summarise here a bit,’Mr. Taylor also said that if he ever wanted to attack Guinea, he had Liberians at his disposal for that purpose, rather than using Sierra Leonean rebel forces.’
However, in his previous testimonies, especially, about his giving Liberian Citizeships to Bockerie and 300 of his thugs, taylor said that this gesture was in the name of ‘peace promotion”, but yet, taylor, at the same time, turned around and inducted these men into his NOTORIOUS ATF UNIT as his(taylor’s) personal guards.
And later, the same taylor’s sends Bockerie and his thugs to distablize Ivory Coast, and when cover becomes blown, Bockerie is killed at taylor’s request, and entired family is hunted and killed!
Now tell me here; if what taylor is asserting is true,why was there no investigations conducted to bring who killed Bockerie to justice? Again, taylor, I must warn you for lying under oath. You swore to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, and yet continue to lie! Do you get sleep at night after lying like this? Just curious,but I believe you have no problems sleeping because you are used to deceptions! Yes taylor, you were a primary supplier of weapos and strategies in the S.L.rebels invasion of Guinea!
J. fallah Menjor,
Your Crystal Ball must be broken. Charles Taylor has not even begun to explain about the Bockarie killings but you are already saying he is lying. If you don’t have a Crystal Ball then you must have been one of Bockarie’s body guards to know exactly when and how he was killed.
Fallah
As President of Liberia Taylor took the oath to defend his Country from any Internal, External forces, threats, or foe that tried with the intent to destabilized his Country. Evidence in front of this court showed that Guinea and Serra Leone two Axes of evil Nations aided and abetted Rebels to lunched wanton violence on the peace loving people of Liberia. It was Guinea and Sierra Leone who initiated this war. As President George Bush said, you take the fight to them so you wouldn’t have to fight them at home. I usually don’t agree with Bush, but I agreed with him on this one.
Taylor made two BIG mistakes. Therefore,I differ with him on two fronts. Firstly, he was supposed to have used the Bush doctrine and take the fight to Guinea and Sierra Leone by all means necessary. Secondly, admit that Guinea and Sierra Leone were attacked because as President you were obligated to protect your Country and people from any outside invasion. However, this was not the case; as a result, Fallah and others are now calling Taylor a liar. If I was the President of Liberia I would have obliterated Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Furthermore, the many lies the persecution witnesses told under oath it was all hush, hush. I didn’t hear a word from Fallah and others who are eluding that Taylor is a liar. Hypocrisy at it best. The persecution witnesses were paid to come to this court to say everything but the truth so help their Gods!
Fallah,
as usual you have continued with your hallucinations! I am not suprised. But you made and interesting point which I am curious about. you said quoting you that “later, the same taylor’s sends Bockerie and his thugs to distablize Ivory Coast, and when cover becomes blown, Bockerie is killed at taylor’s request, and entired family is hunted and killed!” Do you have any CREDIBLE evidence of this? Can you explain why the death of somebody who tried to resist arrest be “investigated and someone brought to justice”? for God’s sake Fallah, wake up from this hallucination of yours by the time Mr Taylor’s testimony gets to address the Sam Bockarie killing, you will see how the defence will completely tear down the feable prosecution case. About Moses Blah’s testimony on Bockarie’s death, go back and read the contents of the sworn statement of an employee in a mortuary in Liberia about who brought the corpse of Bockarie to the mortuary. then compare Moses Blah’s testimony to the findings of the INTERNATIONAL panel of investigators about Bockarie’s cause of death.
Sam,
Believe me, this commet transmitted chills through my body.. Thank you brother!
Thanks for a great website!
I am wondering why nothing from the book Merchant of Death (http://www.merchantofdeathbook.com/) has been used during this trial (pr perhaps it has and I’m not aware?) The two authors present A LOT of quite convincing material linking Taylor and Sankoh. In fact, according to their sources, the RUF take-over of Kono was orchestrated entirely by Taylor and Victor Bout with the intent of harvesting the diamonds of Kono. I recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in the illicit arms trade and West Africa! Any thoughts from anyone who has read it are very welcome!
Keep up the good work!
Jakob — thanks and welcome to the site — I think this is the first time you’ve commented here? Nice to have you part of the conversation.
Thanks for the tip about the book — would be interested in others’ perspectives on the book as well amongst those who have read it.
Best,
Tracey
Jakob,
The problem with the book Merchant of Death is that the writer Douglas Farah has been discredited by the US Congress. The Congress looked into his allegations of an Al-Queda link with Mr. Taylor and said there was no basis. In this case the Prosecution showed no evidence that Mr.
Taylor and Victor Bout either met or did business together.
Aki, thanks for your comments. Do you have any link to that?
Tracy, thank you for welcoming me. I actually posted a question for rapp but I don’t think it was included (no worries). I have been following this site for a long time but I haven’t really posted anything until now.
Now that I have started posting, however, I am curious to hear what those supporting Taylor and claiming his innocence think of the public opinion within Sierra Leone. I do not personally have enough inside knowledge to judge whether Taylor is guilty or not (although I have spoken to a few former RUF fighters who all agreed on Taylor’s involvement with the RUF — one of them a former bodyguard to Sankoh). But my point is rather: why do those of you who believe Taylor is innocent think that almost everyone in SL believe that Taylor is guilty? Are they all biased or where do you think their faulty perception stems from?
Finally, let me say that I think the debate on this site is a great exhibit of the interest in rule of law in West Africa. Much-needed and much appreciated!
Hi Jakob,
Sorry that your question was not included in those posed to Mr. Rapp — it was wonderful that we had so many people asking questions but unfortunately it also meant that given his busy schedule, we did not have enough time to ask him everything. I do hope you submit a question for Courtenay Griffiths when we have the chance to interview him.
Glad you are enjoying the debate here — I am too. I find people’s perspectives on the rule of law and this trial more and more interesting every day.
Best,
Tracey
Jacob, Aki is correct, Douglas Farrah was a common hustler who went to Liberia to blackmail the Taylor’s government. He met with Reginald Goodridge and was not allow to see Mr. Taylor. He demanded money for this same fake story about Taylor and Al-quada. The CIA investigated all of his lies and determined that he was a liar. The CIA send people in Freetown and they visited all those places, the even visited the hotels he reference in his lying book.
In one of Farrah’s Washington Post account , he alledges that Taylor was paid one million dollars to host Al quade. What an insult to the African mind that a man like Charles Taylor would be so cheap to accept one million dollars to host al quade. If Taylor was desperate for money he would have signed big contracts with some of those multi-national companies that was anxious to invest in Liberia. Douglas Farrah is a discredited journalist and the prosecution knows it and that was why his false testimonies was not directly used.
But if you listen to most of the lies other witnesses provided this court, it was taken directly from Douglas Farrah playbook.
Jakob,
The perspective of Sierra Leoneans about the maiming and amputations is like everybody else. It was bad and horrific. The culprits should be prosecuted. Said that, this case is about the extent to which Taylor was involved with the crime.
So far, there has not been convincing evidence to substantiate the claim. Since the ordinary public including those in Sierra Leone do not have inside knowledge of what really took place the trial is providing that information.
But the information has been mixed with lies leaving everyone confused as to whether these things really happened. For example one witness testified that Taylor and Sankoh met in Monrovia and Sankoh gave Taylor diamonds on a date that it is proven that Sankoh was in jail in Nigeria. Was it a ghost Sankoh or what was it?
This is the kind of case we have for the conviction of Taylor. I will tell you what, I read that legal expert are now thinking of acquittal or partial conviction without prison terms.
Jakob,
I work with Sierre Leoneans who THOUGHT and FELT that Mr. Taylor was guilty. But as we all follow this trial, out of 5, 4 have come to the CONCLUSION without the defense resting yet that they DO NOT see him GUILTY if we factor in the MANDATE of this court. It’s not that we believe he did NO WRONGS but based on the time frame and the charges plus the MANDATE…..I personally do see the HOWs to find him guilty.
Now to you I ask, where is this bodygaurd and why wasn’t he put on the stand? This is a case that is to punsih the WICKYS and he decided NOT to part take??? WHY??? If he was that close to Sankoh, I will assume he knew MORE and would or could a VALUEABLE WITNESS, Whatelse did he tell you that you wish to share???
Are “ALMOST EVYERONE” in Sierra Leone following this trial Jakob?? But to answer your question, it’s just like “ALMOST EVERYONE” who are not following the trial but got or getting NEWS from BBC, CNN and VOA. Does “ALMOST EVERYONE” get the TRUE PICTURE?? NO!!!!. I too thought he was GUILTY until I decided to pay MORE attention to the DETAILS.
Now tell me, if you were a on that bench given what you have heard thus far, what will be your VERDICT if the trial ended today…..meaning both sides RESTED, nothing more to be brought before this court.
Oh did you read the Merchant Of Death??? Why you think Mr. Blout is wanted by the US???
Jakob,
Why you think the prosecutors didn’t put Blout on the stand when she was parading other witnesses??? Now go to the link you provided and read about Mr. Blout. As for Farrah, why wasn’t sources called up also or are they who we saw during the prosecutors showing???
So let’s get to know Mr. Blout a little…..FAIR??
‘Viktor Bout, was paid tens of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars while illegally flying transport missions for the United States in Iraq. Bout is the notorious Russian weapons merchant whose fleet of aging Soviet aircraft rivals that of some NATO countries in its size and capacity. By marrying his access to Soviet bloc weapons with his airlift capacity, Bout established himself as the world’s premiere purveyor of illicit weapons to the world’s tyrants– a one-stop shopping source for everyone from Charles Taylor and his armies of child soldiers of Sierra Leone and Liberia to the Taliban in Afghanistan, from Jonas Savimbi in Angola to the FARC rebels in Colombia”.
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-rice/blackwater-is-just-the-ti_b_67379.html
Now did Mr. Taylor say he didn’t BUY arms from Mr. Blout??? I don’t know because NO ONE has brought up his name in this case. Why didn’t Mr. Farrah testify in this Jakob??? If he was SO SO CREDIBLE why wasn’t he asked to HELP with FACTUAL FACTS??? I will tell why he wasn’t called….HIS SOURCES are the very SOURCES we have presently in this case……HEARSAYS!!!!!!
Let’s read more about Mr. Blout and WHY the US wants him…..ready….good
“Washington Post correspondent Douglas Farah and the Los Angeles Times’ Stephen Braun, Bout flew hundreds of flights for the Pentagon and its contractors in Iraq. He did so despite having been: 1) identified by U.S. and British intelligence as a supplier of weapons, ammunition and aircraft to the Taliban and, indirectly, to al Qaeda; 2) the subject of an Interpol arrest warrant at the request of the Belgian government; 3) named in almost a dozen U.N. public reports as the chief illegal provider of weapons to Africa’s rogue regimes, and; 4) the subject of an executive order signed by George W. Bush in July 2004 making it illegal to do any business with Bout. The executive order was followed by an order from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in May 2005, freezing the assets of Bout, his senior partners and main companies, again making it illegal for U.S citizens or their government to do business with any of the named entities.
Yet the flights in Iraq went on, at the request of Halliburton, KBR and others, on behalf of the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, until early 2006. Farah and Braun, based on flight and refueling records from Iraq, estimate Bout’s companies may have flown up to 1,000 flights as a secondary contractor for the U.S. government. Each flight cost about $60,000 — not a bad chunk of taxpayer dollars. Bout managed to up his profit margin considerably by having his pilots apply for and receive special refueling cards that allowed them to gas up for free when they landed in Iraq”
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-rice/blackwater-is-just-the-ti_b_67379.html”
What does that tell you Jakob??? When he was needed eventhough they knew who he was, they turned BLIND and accepted his service but now that he NO LONGER needed, they want him SILENCE. AMAZING!!!!!
It is nonsence to read a book written by some greedy money seeking white man who wants to pay his morgage. Liberia does make weapons and the factories are in the villages, and the weapons are made by the blacksmith, those weapons are used for farming. so the AK 47 that appear in liberia and sierra leone was send there with the knowledge of the useless organisation called The United Nations that takes orders from the mighty USA and UK. please look at reality, have you ever ask yourself why the executive icome the mercenary from south africa left the rebels in freetown the capital city and rush to kono? what happen to the money that charles taylor bank in foreign countries? if this stephen rapp can say it than he have full knowledge of it, or he has pocket it and giving us some hollywood story.
some writers worship the white man to the extend that they can sell their birthright. let me not forget before the american send the so call free black to liberia, they were injected with a medication called forever remain a fool (FRF).
v johnson
Black America has been scammed by George W. Bush
Charles Taylor is innocent
Andrew Jlay, I mention the 5 billion weeks ago and everyone thought it was a lied. I wonder how Taylor got such money, do you think he stole it from liberian resources or SL diamonds, regardless of the outcome of the case, that money need to be given back to Liberian people. Perhaps free bag of rice every month for a year for every single liberian, I think that shoud cover some of the expenses. Or do you think Taylor should get the money back.
Noko 4, you were one of those people who thought it was a lie, I need you to tell me how did Taylor get such money in such a short period of time.
William Craft, what does this trial has to do with Black America and G. Bush. Black America been scammed by Bush or White America is a whole diffferent topic, lets save that for another forum. LOL
John Thompson,
Sorry that you did not understand the implication of my post concerning the Taylor alleged 5 billion dollars. So let me spell it out openly:
1. Up to now, no one has reported or proved that Taylor had such a money, it is hearsay or they-say.
2. Those who claimed that he had such a money that was frozen and they cannot prove it means that they have used the money and they should be prosecuted.
So you understand my brother, they lied about the money. If they had proof of such money it would have surfaced in this trial. So far no money. When you ask Rapp about Taylor’s money, it points to LBDI. Well LBDI is not a foreign bank.
Aki, I do not belong to Backerie’s level nor taylor’s. I would have not served them blindly as most of you did by taking oath of allegence to serve these margots, even now, when you know they were raping your relatives and turning not only Sierra Leone into lawlessness, but Liberia as well. I am glad I was not in Africa to eat ritual human flesh with anyone in the name of power and wealth! I see why most of so called taylor supporters are blind to the truth of the sufferings of the victims of Sierra Leone by this notorious chief of theirs! You guys are despicable!
Noko4 and Varney Johnson,
I will try to ignore your tendencies to ad hominem attacks and just respond to the points you make. However, when anyone reacts that emotionally, it is difficult for me to believe that you are guided by the facts of the case only.
Be that as it may, I’m not sure I understand the points you are making. Varney Johnson, are you saying that if an author wants to sell his books you can’t trust what he writes? Or that the UN was the one supplying the RUF with weapons? I’m also not sure what you’re trying to get at with the comment about executive outcome?
Noko4, I completely agree with you that it’s a disgrace how the US accepted Bout when they needed him and ignored him when they didn’t. I am in no way claiming that the US has ever had consistency or moral guidelines in its foreign operations anywhere in the world. But that’s not the point. Unfortunately I gave the book to a friend in Sierra Leone so I don’t have the exact sources with me here but it’s certainly worth a read and particularly the part about Bout and Taylor planning the invasion of Kono is interesting. If you read this part I’d be very interested in hearing your comments about those specific claims.
Finally, let me reiterate that I don’t have any personal interest in the outcome of the case other than hoping that the victims will be left with a feeling of justice being done. And as I already mentioned, the vast majority of people I have spoken to in Sierra Leone firmly believe that Taylor was involved with the RUF. Out of simple interest and curiosity I would like to know what you, Noko4, Johnson and others, think is the reason for all these people believing this? And particularly, why do you think the former RUF fighters have that perception?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts,
Jakob
Jakob,
Of course EMOTION is NOT what is wanted on this forum, that’s NOT part of my take in case you’re wondering.
In evidence, Mr. Taylor has told this court the TIME FRAME of his involvement with RUF, so let’s be CLEAR, there was a RELATIONSHIP but what time are looking at??? Mid ’91 thru early ’92. So far, NO DOCUMENTS has pointed or shown otherwise, am I right on that FACT Jakob?? I hope that answers your “curiosity”.
Now I ask you what is the MANDATE of this court??? ” It is mandated to try those who bear the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law committed in the territory of Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996″
We’re CLEARER than CLEAR what we are looking for…..what are the CHARGES for we all know including the prosecutors that Mr. Taylor was NEVER EVER in Sierra Leone but is LINKED; WHY and HOW, that is what we are finding out and personally, I STILL have not seen a LINK.
Where there CRIMES committed in Sierra Leone?? YES and all involved SHALL pay but when I see testimonies that a COMMON SENSE person cannot believe what are we to do Jakob?? Witnesses contradicting other witnesses, who or which ones do we believe to be FACTUAL???
Look at the evidences; just last week, we saw a essay NOT DATED, NOT SIGNED and NO ONE KNEW THE CHAIN OF POSSESSION. a very CRITICAL piece of paper if you asked me but that essay wouldn’t have seen a DAYLIGHT in any court within the US or any WESTERN COURT, so why can we apply the same STANDARD if we are preaching TRUE JUSTICE???
Don’t get me wrong Jakob, I want Mr. Taylor to pay for his DEEDS, but this is not the case in this case….bring him to Liberia or charge him on his activities in Liberia, there my friend, he stands ZERO chance of walking FREE.
Let’s there be JUSTICE and not a WITCH HUNT.
Noko4,
Thanks for the informations and for addressing JAKOB’s concern I should say! Funnny how people come with fighting fist. I don’t think Taylor have said at any time in this trial that he never had any link or never supported the RUF. We all know that he have said over and over that he supported the RUF at some point in time and that support came to an end in May of 1992. Now what Mr. Taylor is saying is that, the period he has been accused of supporting the RUF is false and he did provide documents to tell his side of the story.
For example: Letters his government wrote the UN and ECOWAS asking for investigations into weapons leaving Liberia into Sierra Leone for used by the RUF after his Government was accused of supplying arms to RUF in Sierra Leone. He also asked for UN peace keepers including Sierra Leaonean Security Forces to be assigned at the Liberian- Sierra Leonean Border to monitor it.
Let’s not forget that Mr. Taylor was asked by the UN and ECOWAS to get involve in the Sierra Leonean peace talk, what if he was going to say no to the request of the UN and ECOWAS to take part in the Sierra Leonean peace talk?
Were you going to say, he is not guilty that’s he didn’t agree to get involve in the peace making process in Sierra Leone? If Mr. Taylor should be prosecuted for the war in Sierra Leone, then he should be prosecuted for supporting RUF from August of 1991 to May of 1992 then it will make sense! The reason why I’m saying this is that, the prosecution is not accounting for the period from December of 1991 to August 2, 1997, at which time Mr. Taylor became president of Liberia.
So is the prosecution tell the world that there were no fighting in Sierra Leone with in that 5 or 6 years time period? Did the prosecution have access to the RUF SALUTE report before starting their case? If so didn’t they see in there what the over all commander ( Sam Bockarie ) said
about how they were getting weapons while Mr. Snakoh were in Jail? I think there are more questions than answers when it comes to Mr. Taylor quilt!
JAKOB is more concern about publice opinion in Sierra Leone but the people of Sierra Leone was made to believe that Mr. Taylor cause all these problems for them. But one thing the people of Sierra Leone fail to realized is that by comparison, the war in Sierra Leone is by far different from that of Liberia. That is, Liberians did not cut the hands and legs of their people as the Sierra Leonean did to their brothers and sisters!
I want to make it known here that, the Sierra Leonean who committed these crimes against thier people are ashame to face them and take responsiblities of thier actions instead they will do all they can to hold someone else responsible! If Mr. Taylor did order them to do what they did in Sierra Leone, he could have order the same in Liberia when he ( Taylor) was fighting 5 different groups in Liberia. Why will anyone think that he will order that only in Sierra Leaone?
I don’t think Taylor had the weapons to even protect his own Governemt before he will provide weapons for RUF in Sierra Leone at that the time period he’s accused of! What many of us are asking here is trial and the evidences should support the claims, not A, F, G, Z AND X SAY,
that’s total nonsense!
Jocone,
So pointed…..here is someone who is suppose to be transportating ARMS but on the other hand asking for the ROADS and BORDER to be monitor. Oh yes, we saw FACTUAL FACTS about his concerns, but no and HELL NO, the UN controll by the US and Britain saw to it that NOTHING was to be done because it was Mr. Taylor asking. The very Britain turned around and started ARMING her share of the forces……
Why isn’t Britian been asked about her role in escalating the war??? Why isn’t Mr. Tony Blair been put on the stand for the HARM committed by his trained FORCES in the theater??
Really, where is JUSTICE in this mess??? Just one man??? And some in here wonder why we are crying FOULS????
I rest my case.
Dear John,
What are you talking about??? The 5 BILLION?? Where is it John?? Mr. Rapp with ALL his OSCAR performances, has yet to show us a BANK or DEPOSIT SLIP. Do you know the names of these banks???
I posted in here where Mr. Rapp was getting his BILLIONS from…..from the UN PANEL REPORT based on GUESSING for that report didn’t tell us a single name of any bank.
Please if you are NEW to this site, take your time and read some of the proseutors transcripts. I am a SERNIOR MEMBER here……I earned my badges to say what I say in with FACTS.
John Thompson
Andrew is assuming he is not saying that it is true. The prosecutor have not frozen any money from Charles Taylor you know why? because Mr.Taylor never had that amount of monies.
You know Thompson it is quite a shame when you come to such forum and you can not comprehend the simple idea that your friend is trying to put forth.
Look in dialog you have to assume to allow you audience to understand you position, I have seen you blowing of many time whenever Charles Taylor assume in his deportment you take it to be he admitting, grow up educated man.
Thompson look at you again no monies will ever be given back to any Liberian even if found. HOW MANY TIME SHOULD WE TELL YOU THAT THIS CASE IS NOT ABOUT LIBERIA. aaahhh my brother you had to understand ooooohhhhhhhhh. Let me help you Sierra Leone SUE Charles Taylor and Liberia did not, so if he found Guilty he will paid the DAMAGE if he doesn’t Then Liberian will paid you know why because he was Liberian President when he Allegedly Committed these Crimes. So my brother EVER Liberian are Including you.
If and monies it to be paid in LEGAL terms it is call REPARATION so i am sorry my brother we will not eat that RICE every month but we will be paying that money ever month. so this are the development ahead brother.
BYE
Zobon
Let this word goes out to all the Taylor HATERS. For some of us who are defending Mr. Taylor’s rights to a fair and impartial trial, our action is premise on our MORAL duties to resist the deception of some of those socalled enlighten people who continue to use their power and wealth to exploit poor people around the world. Ours is a true call for justice and protection of human rights, not the reverse as we are seeing here where justice and human rights is abuse to keep suppessing poor people.
These very international people under the guise of human rights advocacy supported the murdering of Liberians in the same name of justice while they imposed sanction against a legitimate governmet from defending its citizens. They supported LURD and MODEL killings organizations and yet did everything to prevent Mr. Taylor and the Liberia people from defending themselves. What kind of international justice and human rights that ignore the training, supplies of guns and bombs to some of the most violent and murderous organizations on the face of the planet but yet will support sanctions against a government to protect its citizens.
One cannot over emphasize the deception of this case, it lacks every moral creed and offer us no real solutions to the problems we continue to face. The African problem of corporate expliotation is not unique, we are witnessing similar sufferings upon the Americans , Europeans, and other parts of the world. So peace loving people of the world should not see this trial as a positive thing because it only enhances the profit-making greeds of egotisitical individuals who simply wants to increase their wealth and power.
I will always seperate the justices in this court from the action of those international policy makers but it is difficult not to view this court as a KANGAROO SETUP, it is just that- A KANGAROO COURT.
King Gray,
I am so glad the world is seeing the DOUBLE TAKE….on one hand, the UN condemns but on the other hand, the UN sits by and cheers on…..
GLORY BE TO THE FATHER, THE SON and the HOLY GHOST….AMEN
Zobon, Noko Aki, from what I read I belive John Thompson is new to this site. From what he wrote make me to know he also still belive Taylor got that five billion dollars in a foreign banks in America or around the world. He is not imform at all. Thanks to you guys for answering most of these questions these anti Taylor posted. I can really understand why they are blind to the facts. Did you guys hear the about the diamond about the size of a passport in court. Daimond almost my the size of human head. God help us here, what a case?
Yep….SIZE of a PASSPORT. Even the prosecutors are wondering how did they allow such NONSENSE in this court.
Really, I don’t blame those witnesses….it was the job of the prosecutors to FILTER and bring into this court SOUND TESTIMONIES.
Listen to what Zagzar Massa testified to……who will believe such??? Just killing because???
I see this money business is under your skins, and why someone have to be new to the site if they don’t agree with you. I keep hearing Thompson is new to the site, PLEASE. I challenge you folks weeks ago to tell me what is Taylor’s net worth and no one can’t give me the amount, do you think a prosecutor will just throw numbers around for no good reason. Little warning in life, you shouldn’t just open your ears to what you want to hear or believe. And I will have the last say.
I don’t think Rapp ever said that there was $5 billion in any bank account.
According to the BBC interview he said: “Liberia’s ex-President Charles Taylor had transactions of about $5bn in two US bank accounts during his presidency, his prosecutor has told the BBC.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7379536.stm
Note: transactions — not balances — of $5 billion.
According to the Panel of Expert report $0 of Mr Taylor has been frozen…
This despite the US$7.9 million in deposits that the Panel of Experts reported as OTC-related companies having deposited into Mr Taylor’s personal bank accounts (for which OTC was give tax credit)… despite the US$millions he is receiving from Lonestar cell (if the TRC report is correct), and despite the US$ hundred of thousands of real estate holdings in Liberia.
Liberia has frozen no assets. The US has frozen no assets.
Curious, it is not what you think. It is about facts. However, when we asked Mr. Rapp about the alleged five billion US dollars that he said President Taylor has, he said, if President Taylor is found guilty, the money will be produced and given to the victims. He didn’t tell us where the money is. Instead, he told us OTC deposited almost 2million dollars at LBDI Bank in Liberia into our treasury and later Taylor transferred the money into his account. Don’t speak for Rapp. Because Mr. Rapp has already spoken on this issue. Notwithstanding, Mr. Rapp is caught up in his own lies. He can not show where the money is, neither can we tell us which foreign and local bank the money is in, nor any bank transaction slip.