In this image made from a television broadcast on Tuesday by the International Criminal Court, former Liberian president Charles Taylor addresses the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone. (ICC/Associated Press)

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor has testified for the first time at his war crimes trial at The Hague, saying the charges against him are based on "disinformation, misinformation, lies, rumours."

Taylor has pleaded not guilty to 11 charges including murder, torture, rape, sexual slavery and using child soldiers.

Taylor's lawyers, who began their defence of him Monday, have acknowledged such atrocities occurred during Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 civil war, but say there is not enough evidence linking the crimes to him.

Prosecutors at the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone say Taylor masterminded crimes in Sierra Leone from his power base in neighbouring Liberia, where he was a warlord who rose to become president from 1997 to 2003.

Wearing a grey double-breasted suit and dark glasses, Taylor spoke confidently as he introduced himself to the three-judge panel as the 21st president of the Republic of Liberia.

"It is quite incredible that such descriptions of me would come about," he said Tuesday, speaking of the long list of charges against him.

"It is very, very, very unfortunate that the prosecution, because of disinformation, misinformation, lies, rumours would associate me with such titles or descriptions."

About 500,000 people are estimated to have been victims of killings, systematic mutilation and other atrocities in Sierra Leone's civil war. Prosecutors have said some of the worst crimes were carried out by gangs of child soldiers, who were fed drugs to desensitize them to the horror of their actions.

Taylor's defence team has a list of more than 200 witnesses, though not all are expected to testify at the trial, which began 18 months ago. Among them are former African heads of state and high-ranking UN officials who will testify on his behalf.

Taylor is the first African leader to stand trial for war crimes. His testimony is expected to last weeks.

With files from The Associated Press