A defense witness for Charles Taylor has dismissed prosecution assertions that his testimony is contradicting that of the former Liberian president, telling the court that neither him, nor Mr. Taylor, is lying to the judges.
Between July 2009 and February 2010, Mr. Taylor, who stands accused of supporting Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels, testified as a witness in his own defense. After the completing his testimony, Mr. Taylor’s first witness has been Yanks Smythe — a Gambian national who became a Liberian citizen and was appointed by Mr. Taylor as Liberian charge d’affaires to Libya and Tunisia in the late 1990s. Mr. Smythe has been rebutting prosecution evidence that the former Liberian president provided support to RUF rebels through the supply of arms and ammunition to the rebels in return for Sierra Leone’s blood diamonds. The witness has also been responding to questions about Mr. Taylor’s activities as leader of his rebel group, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), and as president of Liberia.
During today’s cross-examination, prosecution counsel Nicholas Koumjian questioned the witness about Mr. Taylor’s presence in the former NPFL headquarter town of Gbangha. According to Mr. Koumjian, the witness seemed to be contradicting what the former president said in his own testimony. Mr. Koumjian suggested to the witness that in October 1996, Mr. Taylor moved to Gbangha and instructed RUF leader Foday Sankoh via a radio message to go and acquire arms for the RUF. After agreeing with Mr. Koumjian that Mr. Taylor did indeed go to Gbangha in October 1996, the prosecutor read a portion of Mr. Taylor’s previous testimony in which the former president had denied ever going to Gbangha during that period. Upon hearing what Mr. Taylor said about the same incident in his testimony, Mr. Smythe sought to clarify his response, saying that he was in agreement with Mr. Taylor’s account.
“You just told us Charles Taylor moved to Gbangha after the 31st of October 1996, was that correct?” Mr. Koumjian asked the witness.
The witness responded that “when there was an attack on his life, he left Monrovia during that period and he went to Gbangha but he never stayed there, he came back to Monrovia, this is what I am saying.”
“Sir, who is lying when we talk about Charles Taylor being in Gbangha in 1996, you or Charles Taylor,” Mr. Koumjian again asked the witness.
“Nobody is lying here,” the witness responded.
Mr. Koumjian further asked the witness that “when Charles Taylor says ‘I am not in Gbangha in 1996,’ that is a lie, correct?”
“That is not a lie, that is not a lie,” the witness insisted.
As Mr. Koumjian pressed to know whether Mr. Taylor was “in Gbangha in 1996,” the witness explained that “when Charles Taylor was attacked in Monrovia, he went to Gbangha briefly and came back to Monrovia.”
As Mr. Taylor’s defense lawyers now lead their witnesses to rebut the evidence of prosecution witnesses, prosecutors will also seek to discredit the evidence of such defense witnesses through cross-examination. In said cross-examination, prosecutors will seek to discredit the testimony of defense witnesses, just like Mr. Taylor’s defense lawyers did with prosecution witnesses. It is in this light that prosecutors have been pushing to point out that Mr. Smythe’s testimony is contradicting some aspects of Mr. Taylor’s prior testimony.
Also in his cross-examination today, Mr. Koumjian attempted to point out that Mr. Smythe’s evidence that Mr. Taylor’s personal security personnel had heavy weapons contradicted that of the former president’s — who prosecutors say told the court on September 30, 2009 that he did not even have arms and ammunition to give his personal security personnel and so could not have had same to supply RUF rebels in Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor testified that the United Nations took away all his arms and ammunition during the disarmament process in Liberia. Mr. Koumjian today asked the witness to describe the kinds of weapons that Mr. Taylor’s personal security carried.
“That weapon is ah, I think its GMG,” the witness said, adding that GMG means “General Machine Gun.”
Asked whether it was an “anti-aircraft type of weapon,” the witness responded that “I don’t know what you are talking about, I know it’s GMG , General Machine Gun.”
“And it was actually somehow fixed to the back of like a Pick Up truck, correct?” Mr. Koumjian enquired further.
“It’s in a Pick Up truck,” the witness responded.
Mr. Taylor during his testimony told the court that he never had an anti-aircraft weapon during the entire period of the Liberian conflict.
Mr. Smythe’s cross-examination continues tomorrow.
Anti-aircraft weapons are produce for shooting an aircraft out of the sky. You can shoot at an aircraft with a machine gun even if it was mounting on the back of a pick up truck but that do not make the machine gun an anti-aircraft weapon. I am just not getting Koumjian picture of what he is calling an anti-aircraft weapon that the NPFL was to have.
Excellent cross examining, Mr. Koumjian! this is all you need to do with a pathological liar,,ask simple questions and corner him with the next one, and thus forcing him to volunteer information! You saw it work with the chief earlier..use the same approach..these guys are sick liars and will conive to hide facts of this matter! No question about it! I am very impreesed Mr. Koumjian!
Alpha,
there is nothing contradicting about the testimony concerning mr. taylor’s brief retreat to gbarnga during the post executive mansion attack period. As you are aware by now, Mr. taylor was a member of the council of state(cos) which was a collective presidency and a government of inclusion. In principal, all factions represented on the council maintained their territorial strongholds, but transitioned to Monrovia to fulfill the obligation of the peace agreement.
As for Taylor he had spent so much time in monrovia that residents of gbarnga begin to complain that he had abandon/neglected them. For you to dwell on the technicality of mr. taylor’s retreat to imply that he misled the court is unfair. Mr taylor was not pernmanently stationed in gbarnga and commuting to monrovia. he had relocated to monrovia. in fact the issue of the assassination attack brought him to gbarnga.
I believe that Mr. Smythe discredited many testimonies of other prosecution witnesses, but you did not point those out. The prosecution featured witnesses who lied about being in tripoli. now we know the truth, but you failed to highlight those in your posts. The prosecution witness even claimed that taylor returned to burkina faso and tripoli following the launching of the revolution, but smythe said it was not so. that you failed to note in your post. the prosecution had no basis misleading the court.
the prosecution has misled the world about taylor’s billions that we have yet to see. they still have a lot to prove as far as their opening statement setting out the premise of their case.
Andrew,
These people are are only fronting now. Their take now is more of a tone than substantive accomplishment.There was an assasination attempts on Taylor’s life when he was a member of the Council of States. I was in Monrovia that time. Taylor spoke on radio about the situation and ordered his men to remain in their positon and not to do anything. He than went to Gbarnga .Why is Koumjian behaving as if to say Taylor went to Sierra Leone and was captured there as an enemy combatan?. How will this offer a gulity verdict?
Rodriguez was in Monrovia at the time of attack on taylor’s life , and then taylor briefly took refuge in Gbarnga? Are we to believe this? Wow, Rodriguez seems to be everywhere just like on this blog! you probaly need to publish a book,”The Mountains of Lies Against My Boss”so you can rest in peace..How do you really want us to buy all your claims and little substance to show? Good luck Buddy..
Fallah,
Rodriguez and the most of us are not like you and your many prosecution witnesses who sat in Freetown and imagined that Mr. Taylor was in Sierra Leone training and commanding the heartless and half humans RUF forces. But we remain in Liberia and followed nearly if not all activities of Mr. Taylor and the NPFL. I was at Kiss FM radio station located in Congo Town, Monrovia when Mr. Taylor announced that his forces should remain calm for God was in control of his life. That recording was continually played to the rest of the country and the world via Radio Liberia International. This station was owned and operated by NPFL/NPP. Fallah please understand that Rodriguez is knowledgeable of more of these events because they happened before his very eyes. This is why we are kicking back at all of the thousands lies that were told against Mr. Taylor. You can see that we are not only stopping here, but also presenting witnesses that were part of the issues at hand. Please leave us alone and live by your THEY SAY, and HEAR SAY. Have a nice day.
Regards
Harris K Johnson
The prosecution has continued with their dismal tactics of trying to find flimsy in consistencies in defence witnesses’ testimony instead of confronting the witness on aspects of the testimony that directly contradicts the prosecution case. Mr Smythe has testified that Vermuyan Sheriff, Zigzag Marzah and Moses Blah were lying in their testimony and has provided documentary evidence to show that Suwandi Camara was never in Libya as part of the SOFA group. instead of the prosecution to try to discredit the defence witness on this crucial aspects of his testimony, they ignore them and instead concentrate on inconsequential minute details that have no bearing on their case.
As a matter of fact, everyone in Liberia knows that members of the power sharing government in 1996 visited their faction headquarters in order to brief their supporters on the peace process. Mr. Taylor visited Gbarnga many times in 1996 so as Mr. Kromah to Voinjama, but came back to Monrovia. Mr. Taylor remained with the power sharing government after the deadly attack on his life in October 1996. Mr. Taylor was the first council member to resign his post in order to contest the 1997 presidential election. It does not make sense for anyone to say that Mr. Taylor stay out of the power sharing government after attack on his life. Let Mr. Koumjian know that not every weapon mounted in pick up truck is an anti air craft. UNMIL also has many of those weapons mounted in pick trucks while keeping peace in Monrovia. This proves that they are not anti air craft guns because UNMIL does not have air crafts to fight. GMG refers to various kinds of machine guns, which one is he talking about?
Regards
Harris K Johnson
Bnker,
I am back from work. Therefore, we continue. However, I will not repost the previous two website links that I have already posted concerning the Politics of the three. One of which you yourself posted.
1: http://www.newsfollowup.com/intelligentdesignjokes_5.htm
“According to British and Israeli intelligence sources, Taylor also enabled Al Qaeda to launder blood diamonds for cash through Liberia. Liberia and neighboring Sierra Leone were where Israeli mobsters engaged in business with Israeli gangsters who operated under the full protection of the Israeli Likud government.
Before Likud began purging Mossad of experienced intelligence officers with ties to the Israeli Labor Party, the Israeli-Al Qaeda diamond financial connection in West Africa was being pointed out by those officers as suicidal for Israeli interests”
Despite repeated requests from the international community, Nigeria’s president has so far refused to turn Taylor over to the special court for prosecution. And the United States — which considers Nigeria a crucial ally and oil supplier — has been reluctant to push. President Bush welcomed Nigeria’s president to the United States in 2004.
So now, in a bid to shame Nigeria and the United States into action, the special court is going public with evidence that Taylor helped al Qaida “recoup, refit and refinance” before and after 9/11. David Crane is the court’s chief prosecutor. He believes that Taylor himself was personally involved in these dealings with al-Qaida operatives by “physically handing over diamonds for cash.”
The 9/11 commission, however, disagreed. “The conclusion of the commission was that there was simply no persuasive evidence of a link between al-Qaida and diamonds,” says Lee Hamilton, vice chairman of the commission. How can Hamilton be so sure? “We relied on very careful investigative work. If diamonds were used to finance al-Qaida operations, we would have been able to track that,” he says.
2: http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/165/29560.html
“White, the chief war crimes investigator, says U.S. officials failed to interview credible witnesses. “The 9/11 commission missed the boat. I’ll just be very candid,” he says. Is he suggesting that the 9/11 commission, the FBI and the CIA are all wrong when it comes to this and he’s the one who’s right? “What I’m suggesting is the facts speak for themselves,” says White.”
Folks, who is this Mr. Alan White who was lying to the 911 commision and the world about Taylor-Al qaeda link?
3: http://turtlebay.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/02/24/guinea_s_junta_hires_ex_war_crimes_prosecutors_and_gets_a_favorable_report
However, Bnker, you have been massively decimated again bro. You will learn the hard way.
Thank God for this site. Nobody is going to come between the posters. Nobody is going to help your side this time around. We will debunk the lies. STAND BY TO STAND BY. Look bnker, i have to watch the trial. BBBYYYYEEEEEEEEEE!!!
Joe Rodriguez,
Thanks for the above information. You are a true Liberian who go all out in defend of his mother’s land. Bravo brother, God will surely bless and protect you all the days of your life.
Regards
Harris K Johnson
Harris K Johnson,
Even the 911 Commission trashed the fake report of Taylor- Al Qaeda link. Isreal wanted to go to war with Iraq at all cost. On the other hand, David Crane, who ran away from us on this site and Alan White were selling this fake case to America and others. What Mr. White is saying is that the 911 commission, CIA, and FBI are wrong about this Taylor-Al Qaeda link and he is right about Taylor-Al Qaeda relationship. In fact, if you carefully read the website on The Politics of the Three, Dick Cheney told Paul Wolferwood to shut up about this Israel business.
Harris, I am don’t with this topic. Bnker has been massively decimated again by Jose Rodriguez. However, now the world is beginning to understand what really happened. No way for them. Harris trust me, they could have gotten away with it again, had not it being for this website. This website brutally annihilated them by creating an environment of least a grim minimalist of “Level Playing Field. Almost all their lies have been exposed.
Bro, you too, are doing good. I could not have done all this by myself without support from guys like you.
Joe Rodriguez,
This website would have been of no use without the like of you, Noka4, Helen, Aki, Sam, andrew jlay, Zobon and the many other Liberians who see things from a possitive stand point. I must amit that you all are true Liberians and I appreciate all of your tireless efforts in the fight for justice. History will sure rember you and your children’s children will be blessed. The links are very useful and informative for the good of this case. I’m sure the anti taylor will agreed that David Crane is a money seeker in disguse. How can Human Rights Lawers defend a criminal group like the junta in Guinea who are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people and yet say they stand up aginist abuse of human rights? I pray that the good gudges understand the political nature of these manifactured lies against Mr. Taylor all in the name of bringing a strong Africian Leader down. Thanks brother you have fought a good fight. Congratulation yah!…let God bless you.
Regards
Harris K Johnson
Folks,
Mr. Koumjian is hustling real bad. Nick, the reason why things are so difficult for you as oppose to the defense, is that most of the prosecution witnesses were operating from hearsay, they say, rumors, second, third, fourth, fifth party, uneducated, illiterate and was metally challenged people, etc. As the result, it was so easy to catch them in a lie. On the other hand, Yanks Smythe was actually there from start to finish. More importantly, he is not metally challenged. He is educated and is answering the questions truthfully. However, Mr. Koumjian, I will give it to you. You are trying your best, but the facts are just not on your side.
The word “Gbangha” should be correctly spelt “Gbarnga”.
Many thanks.
Thanks so much Alieu — we will correct, and we appreciate you helping us to ensure everything is accurate.
Best,
Tracey
Alieu, welcome. Glad to have you with us.
WOW, this is some funning stuff, who’s lying, someone is lying and the pants is on fire. Man this guy is distroying Taylor chances of getting out of jail. From the way this cross examination is shaping up I dont think Taylor counsel did a good job preping the witness, the prosecutor is having a field day
I’m Loving this either this witness is lying or Taylor is lying. If Taylor traveled to Gbarnga for a brief time or not he still traveled to Gbarnga….And its interesting that only after the prosecutor read what Taylor said that the witness changes his testimony. If Taylor fled to Gbarnga for a short period of time whether one day or 1 hour doesn’t that mean he traveled to Gbarnga? Wouldn’t that be a good time for Taylor to say “yes I traveled to Gbarnga but only briefly when my life was in jeapordy”? But instead Taylor said no and mentioned nothing about traveling briefly to Gbarnga. If I went to Ghana for one day which I did doesn’t that mean if l was asked if I went to Ghana the answer will be yes, but just briefly ?
So why are there two different accounts of this event, why didn’t Taylor just say yes and inform the court that it was for a brief period?
I tell you why because he probably did go as the prosecutord believed he did but lied under oath about it, or this witness secretly hates Taylor and he’s lying.
Secondly Taylor says he had no weapons which, so how did he defend himself against ULIMO K/J ? And this witness says Taylor had weapons, GMG mounted on the back of a truck…..LOL so who’s telling the truth……..
Ms Teage,
When too many different words have been spoken over a long period of time by many folks means one thing: contradictions are undoubtedly inevitable. More will come!
Peace.
Oh my god!!
miss Teage has raisen again, welcome back girl. Hope this time, you will give us some facts concerning this case. I believe you’ve rested enough. So sweet heart, whats your honest take on the cross examinations( Taylor & Yanks) thank you….
Noko5
I owe you or no other Taylorist any facts or proof of what I say. I present my opinions just as you do…I am under no obligation to prove or disprove anything I say to any of you all, as you are under no obligations to prove or disprove anything to me (a non-supporter of Taylor). I share my opinions just as you and everyone else do on this site….if you disagree or don’t like it…i say take or leave it it makes no difference to me. I’m not on trail (smh) to be presenting evidences to you….Its your lord that is on Trail.
So here is quick advice/message from me just to you and everyone else who supports and adore Taylor…..If you read a comment of mine and you think its a lie or you don’t like it simply skipp over it I do that a lot with most of yalls comment….because there will be no evidence or stories of my personal life to back up what I say..
Kapeesh?
-Cheers
Ms. Teage,
That’s ok, the trial so far is moving ahead. All neccessary facts are being presented right now by our great defence witnesses…
Low punch noko5..be a nice boy to Ms Teage next time!
I think the CONFUSION here is the word “MOVE”. Did Mr. Taylor “MOVED” back to Gbanga?? NO!!!. He returned to Gbanga after the missed attemp on his life, and returned few days after to Monrovia after the situation was CLEARED. My understanding of the word means FOREVER or a lengthen stay.
So for Mr. Koumjain to PRETEND or SUGGEST that one of the two lying is beyond me.
The score reads Mr. Koumjain 0 vs Mr Smthe 2
Noko4,
Do worry, bro, maybe this might help:
move back –
• pull back or move away or backward; “The enemy withdrew”; “The limo pulled away from the curb, draw back, pull away, pull back, recede, retreat, withdraw;
• retire, back away, crawfish, crawfish out, pull in one’s horns, back out, retreat, pull back, withdraw – make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity; “We’ll have to crawfish out from meeting with him”; “He backed out of his earlier promise”;
• “The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns” go, locomote, move, travel – change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; “How fast does your new car go?”;
• “We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus”; “The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect”; “The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell”;
• fall back – move back and away from; “The enemy fell back”retreat, retrograde – move back; “The glacier retrogrades”back down, back off, back up – move backwards from a certain position; “The bully had to back down.”
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/move+back
move back- verb
• pull back or move away or backward; “The enemy withdrew”; “The limo pulled away from the curb” [syn: withdraw] [ant: advance]
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/move+back?qsrc=2446
I really do not see implications or nuances of the word as it relates to time and duration, but again, you said that’s how you understood the word.
Peace.
Move back….
This post most certainly made my day.
Excellent Instructional Method Davenport,noko7! We need to educate the brothers.. a little breakdown like you just did might help out! I need to adopt your style soon.. because there seems to be a need here! Bravo!
Davenport,
The context in which you and Mr Koumjain want us to believe this MOVED BACK phrase is out of place. He RETURNED will be the RIGHT word but given how we Liberians just throw out words is amazing. MOVED BACK means TO STAY TO A LONG PERIOD. And from all accounts, Mr. Taylor didn’t stay more than a week.
Now why did he RETURN??? Security reason is the simple answer and not to go place calls into Sierra Leone.
Cousin4,
Let me speak to the issue further.
Sometimes the meaning and conceptualizations we bring to certain words might be personal and might not represent those of the lexicons. Those meanings and conceptualizations might stamp from our social locations, intellectual opinions, experience, and worldviews only and not those of established conventional thinking. And there is nothing wrong with that as long as we do not try to superimpose our views, meanings, and conceptualization on others or use our meanings and conceptualization as normative of conventional thinking.
Let is sufficed to say that MOVED BACK is explicitly defined as earlier posted without conveying time and duration. Let us not make the mistake of trying to rewrite the lexicon as it can be prejudicial. Besides, it is unfair to always put commentators/bloggers like myself and others who do not agree with you in Mr. Koumjain’s camp.
Peace.
Noko4,
I agree with you 100%. Trust me. I am watching Noko7/Davenport, just like the way I started watching Bnker and than I decided to counter every statement until he unmasked himself. Noko4, believe me, I am watching Noko7/Davenport. We will get his trick. However, his trick will not work. It is just a matter of time.
Many of these anti Taylor Folks are missing the most important aspect of this whole case. Let us agreed Taylor went to Bong County, he might have even went to Cape Mt county and Lofa, show us proof that he supported and give arms to RUF during the time frame in question. I m still not seeing anything the prosecution is doing… I don’t believe the prosecution is bangging on few arms in the SSS warehouse as a huge stock-pile capable of supplying RUF.. I laugh when folks on this blog talks about contracdiction, funny…very funning. A man and his wife can go on vacation together, ask them about the vacation and they will have two different explaination. Taylor testify for +/- 200 days, if anyone claim he should have remember everything then, they must be dreaming
Grebo,
My Whole Liberian brother Grebo. You are just on target. Excellent points raised. Keep it up.
I fully concur Noko4, Jose, Aki, Andrew and Harris. This prosecutor is really hustling here. Instead of him trying to deal with the counts of the indictment he is dwelling on inconsequential issues. The bottom line is they do not have anything to prove these socalled counts of the indictment. they are desperate and thesrefore grabbing at straw. What a disgrace.
Helen,
Yes indeed the entire case is a “disgracefully disgrace” tuff, like someone said on this site. This batch of disgraceful and shameless money seekers will not give up on their evil and devilish plain against President Taylor even if God is speaking in this court. But with God all things are possible.
Regards
Harris K Johnson
When Charles Taylor said that He was not in Gbarnga means that at this time he has moved from Gbarnga to and now living in Monrovia. He was no longer staying in Gbarnga as it was in the days of his NPFL as leader when the town was used as his headquaters. I also believe the question was exactely susgesting that not the other way Mr. Koumjain is thinking of.
Let everyone look at this trial from a legal point not from a lay man point of view.
Jose, are your sources credible or just articles on websites written by freelance journalist? Be careful what you preach, you seem to be everywhere, no control, just a lot of talk, sounds like a talk radio to me. Oh almost like Glen Beck or Rush Limbaugh, lots of twisted talk.
Noko4, I think if someone had a miss attempt on my life and I left the vincinity it will be a little longer before I return, not just a few days, and where are you people getting this “few days” from, can someone put a number on the amount of days please? The witness said he (CT) moved to Gbarnga, not “returned” to Gharnga as you stated, please do not twist the facts?
The question we all should then be asking is how long CT stay in Gbarnga during that period.
John Thompson,
Prove your case for which the prosecution brought this innocent man to the Hague. They had over seven years and still nothing. I thought you said just the other day they should just put him behind bars and throw the keys away, and there is no need for the trial? John, continue to hold that concept and just pretend that he is already behind bars as you wish and as the result, you don’t need to comment. John, you guys have no case against this innocent man, that’s the reason why you want them to just go ahead and put him in jail without the laws. Too bad bro.
Let me ask. Do you know or suspect the culprit of that assasination attempt on President Taylor’s life? Well, if you didn’t know, now you know. All fingers were pointed at George Boley and his LPC. Let me ask you John. Why all these groups were fighting Taylor and wanted to kill him at all costs? Do you have any idea? However John, do you have any idea why a conglomeration of political parties formed an alliance during the 1997 election and they still lost brutally to Taylor and his NPP?
John let the prosecution bring their evidence and stop wasting time. The trial is almost at the end and they have failed to prove their fake case.
By the way, most of Mr. Yanks Smythe evidence and testimony were considered as evidence by the judges. It was marked for identification. Conversely, the judges probably could have considered few of the prosecution exhibits like, the picture of president Taylor on the U.K.Guardian News and not the Caption, the bombing of Libya in April of 1986 and perhaps 2/3 more. What impact will that even have as to the charges. But most or all of Smythe pictures, doucments, letters, and ect were accpted. Too bad buddy. Taylor is winning this thing openly.
john thompson,
Mr. Taylor never run away from his enemy ever. He has gone to Gbanga in order to advice his supporters and fighters to remain calm as God was in control of his personal security. Mr. Taylor returned to the capital shortly and was well welcomed. Liberians were grateful. Everyone knew that Mr. Taylor visit to Gbanga helped save Monrovia from the angry and aggressive NPFL fighters who only option was to settle the dust once and for all. So it is not how long did he stay in Gbanga, but what was he doing there? Let the prosecution prove otherwise or just shut up.
Regards
Harris K Johnson
John,
You are TOO educated not to UNDERSTAND what was meant or to not know the difference between MOVED BACK and RETURNED.
He returned!!!
Let’s get this right…… an GMG is the same as the US weapon called M240B, M240C and M240G and rounds are 7.62mm. So this is not an Anti-Aircraft weapon. This weapon can be mounted on M1151, M1114, M998, Abram Tank, Bradly fighting vehicles and other Vehicles. So,I don’t know where the prosecutor is coming from with GMG being an Anti- Aircraft weapon? I hope they are not taking the GMG for BZT or M2-50CAL.
Moreover, Mr. Taylor always went to Gbarnga when there were problems in Monrovia- before he became president. I could would have done the same thing. If Taylor had the kind of weapons they are talking about here, he would been president today.
Another thing I don’t understand is that, has the trial change from what happened in Sierra Leone to what happened in Liberia? Why aren’t the prosecutors asking questions about Sierra Leone or is this trial just going to change to trial for Liberia since the prosecution didn’t prove their case when their witnesses were on the stand?
Jocone — welcome back! I have been wondering where you have been. Last thing I knew you were heading back home from Iraq and I’m not sure if we heard much from you after you got home — I had actually been a little worried and was wondering if you were okay. I’m so glad you are back with us again.
Best,
Tracey
Welcome General! We missed your attacks we thought you were missing in action or on AWOL..I love your post! No the trial is about the crimes commited by taylor against Humanity but to get there the Prosecurion needs to establish connections of taylor’s past behavior to later behavior in Sierra Leone war in which it is claimed he personally fueled! Just briefing you General!
J. fallah menjor,
you bet that I am back but the fact of the matter is that I am not a general, yes I am a professional Soldier and I am proud to be! The next thing is that, I am a real man, that is why I don’t worry about who is going to know my name and who I am; therefore, I can’t and will never go AWOL. When I enter a battle, I’ll stay in there until it is over and I always defeat my enemies.
So, get ready for your defeat in this trial.You see the witnesses that the defense team is calling on the witness stand….. not those prosecution witnesses who were testifying on hearsay. These are people who were actually involved with president Taylor activities from start to end. So open na eyes brother as the Sierra Leonean usually say!
Just to let know you, I was in Liberia recently and I was able to meet with some guys who were fighting for the NPFL and later went to Sierra Leone to fight and few of them were able to tell me how they went fighting in Sierra Leone…. some of them were fighting in Angola at one point in time. They disagree with the prosecution that they were sent by Mr. Taylor to fight in Sierra Leone. There are so many Sierra Leonean who were resettled in an area in Liberia called Local Village.
I did make friends with many of them and we had a great conversation; I find out that many of them were fighting in Sierra Leone but Mr. Taylor did not sent them there but they did because some of their parents were Sierra Leonean! I have alot to talk about but let’s focus on the trial for now, okay? You go Ghankay!
Jocone,
I am overly excited to hear from you again. How was your trip to Liberia? I am happy to see you posting again. Boy, we were holding the grounds until you could come back and we did a superb job. We dominated the debate and we are winning. I say, welcome and glad to have you with us again.
Jocone, the prosecution is playing games with themselves. However, Ms. Hollis is a prior military with vast military experience. If she did not know that GMG is not an Anti Aircraft weapon, she could have easily known by researching. However, GMG or 240 Bravo as is being called today, is a Crew Serve Weapon. Meaning it is Belt felt, can be mounted on a hilltop or in a Pickup Truck, operated by two persons, and etc. THIS WEAPON IS NOT AN ANTI AIRCRAFT BUT A CREW SERVE WEAPON. WHAT THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO IS TO FOOL THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO MAJORITY OF THEM DON’T KNOW ABOUT WEAPONS. THIS IS A TRICK BY THEM. TAYLOR NEVER HAD ANY ANTI AIRCRAFT WEAPON AND THEY KNEW IT. THAT’S WHY THEY SUPPORTED THEIR “DOGS” ATTACKS ON THE PEACEFUL PEOPLE OF LIBERIA.
THE WORD “DOGS” WERE USED TO DECRIBED LURD AND MODEL REBELS DURING THE WAR. THAT’S HOW THEY WERE CALLED.
Jocone,
welcome brother….
Thanks Tracey,
I made it home safely from Iraq and I did travel to Liberia as well on leave. While in Liberia, my oldest son under went a major surgery at Walter Reed Army medical center in Washington DC, so I had to return to the States quickly to care for my son, that’s why I haven’t been able to visit the site. But I am back now as the trial continue. However, I really can’t say much at this time since I have been gone for a while.
Hi Jacone — it is nice to hear from you again and I am so sorry to hear about your oldest son. I hope he came through his surgery well and is back to full good health again.
Welcome back!
Best,
Tracey
Ladies and Gentlemen I ready think we should change the trail title from special court of Sierre Leone to the of Liberia special court, I went to believe this will be a help to the presecutors and the judges. We all can put this to a vote and suggest to the ICC for the change to save face around here.
we are still awaiting the real trail to start, this is just the warm up to the sierre Leone trail.
how long are we going for in this trail? will someone please help me .
Big sister Tracey can be a help to us to organize the votes
awaiting the time.
Chappy,
I do agree with you 100%… there’s no need for the international community to continue fooling the people of Sierra Leone because the Republic of Sierra Leone does not have a case against Mr. Taylor. If Mr. Taylor should face trial for what happened in Liberia, it will be a different ball game but it will means that the international community will be pulling the rope and the rope will pull the bushes so as to speak! That’s why they decided to bring about this false case against Mr. Taylor in Sierra Leone . As the result, they can’t continue to ask any question with out asking about Liberia, that is so sad and I do feel for the people of Sierra Leone!
Jacone,
Welcome brother. We are happy that you are back and kicking dust here. We have been here holding the frontline and making it difficult for the few anti-taylor on this website. We are done with the GMG issue as you will see and read from the many kick backs at the prosecution definition of anti air craft machine guns. It sounds crazy that they don’t even have elementary education on military equipments and they chose to put up this fight. But I have news for them; we are coming in full gear. haha..
Regards
Harris K Johnson
Thanks Harris,
I am glad to be back….. One funny thing is my mother was part of the Anti Taylor group but since she have been following the trial, she have come to realized that the trial don’t make any sense at all, infact, she is kicking against Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for turning Mr. Taylor over to the court for Sierra Leone. God is working hard and Anti Taylor people will be defeated in this case.
Jocone,
just to add to your mother list, my older brother who is part of Dr. Sawyer and the progressive group in Liberia is even more disappointed in the prosecution than even me. I laugh at him everytime we talk about this fake case. I remind him all the time when he and I used to argued about Taylor involvement in Sierra Leone. I say, see, I told you so before, remember? Now they get the man and they can not even prove one of the charges beyond all reasonable doubt. He is so embarrassed. I told him Dr. Sawyer, Dr. Fahnbullah, and all their University of Liberia “BOLTS”or BOURGEOISIE are all bunch of flunkies. He tells me, yes, there is no case against “your man Ghankay” but the West will still not let him go free. They will still jail him whether justly or unjustly. And I asked why? He says these countries are just too “big to fail.” They will not allow Taylor to make them shame. I say, but Taylor had already made them shame. He agrees.