Taylor blames U.S. for war crimes indictment
Last Updated: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 | 10:28 AM ET
The Associated Press
Former Liberian President Charles Taylor claimed Tuesday he was indicted for war crimes as part of a U.S. "regime change" plan to gain control of West African oil reserves, in a typically defiant performance.
Former Liberian president Charles Taylor, seen in this July 13, 2009 file photo, is accusing the U.S. of indicting him to gain access to West African oil reserves.
(Robin van Lonkhuijsen, Pool, File/Associated Press) Taylor questioned the fairness of his trial by the Special Court for Sierra Leone, which is trying the 61-year-old former warlord on allegations he controlled and supported rebels who murdered and mutilated thousands of civilians during Sierra Leone's 1992-2002 civil war.
"I am convicted already," Taylor told the three international judges, in his final day of direct testimony in his own defence after 13 weeks in the witness box.
Taylor has frequently hit out at the United States in sometimes venomous monologues, accusing the country of seeking to overthrow him and of hypocrisy on human rights.
Taylor's epic testimony — more than 250 hours on the stand — chronologically reviewed his life from his mixed parentage and boyhood in Liberia to university in the United States, his leadership of a Liberian rebel movement, president and — in his version — peace-seeking West African leader.
The final days of his account had little bearing on the 11 charges he faces — and denies — including murder, rape, sexual slavery and recruiting child soldiers in neighbouring Sierra Leone.
Instead, he has given his version of events that led to his resignation as Liberian president in August 2003, subsequent exile in Nigeria and arrest nearly three years later.
Taylor told the three-judge panel Tuesday that Americans believed he was a destabilizing factor in West Africa, a region Washington saw as a possible future source of oil.
Taylor said the U.S. standpoint was that "we cannot have anyone in Liberia that we don't think is going to dance to our tune."
Taylor denied reports that he was arrested early in 2006 while trying to flee Nigeria with millions of dollars in cash.
"It is all lies," he said, telling judges he was only planning a visit to Chad and was carrying around $50,000 US to pay hotel and other bills.
Prosecution lawyers were expected to begin cross-examining Taylor later Tuesday. It was still unclear when the next defence witness will take the stand or who will that be.
Taylor likely will face weeks of cross-examination as prosecutors attempt to pick holes in his claims that he did not support Sierra Leone rebels whose signature atrocity was to hack off the limbs of villagers.
Taylor's is the last trial at the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Eight other rebel leaders have been tried, convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 to 52 years.
