By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Charles Taylor remains on the stand in the International Criminal Court (ICC) defending his actions during the Sierra Leonean civil war.  He continues to defend himself against the allegations that he armed and supported Sierra Leonean rebels who killed and mutilated thousands.

This week Taylor denied allegations that he ordered an attack by Sierra Leonean rebels on Guinea to oust President Lansana Conte in 2000.

“No I did not, no I did not,” he said.  “We were being attacked by LURD (Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy) from Guinea but I was equally busy with other issues that were not war-like.  It was in my best interest to attack Guinea but why not use Liberians for that?”

Taylor also denied having any knowledge of a planned rebel attack on Sierra Leone in 1991 and called those allegations “lies.”  He was responding to allegations brought in 2008 by a prosecution witness who said that Taylor took part in a plan with the RUF (Revolutionary United Front) rebels to invade Sierra Leone.

“It’s a lie,” said Taylor responding to the witness’ account that he saw Taylor and RUF leader Foday Sankoh together in Voinjama, Liberia making plans to attack Sierra Leone.  “I had not even gone from Kakata to Gbangha and so I would not have moved to Voinjama.  There is no way you can get to Voinjama except you go through Gbangha.”  He added, “May be he saw a ghost of someone looking like Charles Taylor, its all a lie.”

Allegations that Taylor gave Sankoh $20,000 as payment for safekeeping diamonds have also been denied.

“If I wanted to send money for Sankoh, I would have done so through the Liberian Foreign Minister who was in Lome,”Taylor said.  “It would have been a good gesture just like Eyadema (former Togolese President) and Obasanjo (former Nigerian President) did give him money, but I did not.”

The trial will resume on Tuesday, as the ICC will be observing a holiday on Monday.

For more information, please see:

CharlesTaylorTrial.org – Taylor Denies Giving Money to Rebel Leader or Safekeeping Diamonds – 24 September 2009

CharlesTaylorTrial.org – ‘I Did Not Know of Any Prior Plans for the Invasion of Sierra Leone in 1991,” Taylor Says – 23 September 2009

CharlesTaylorTrial.org – Taylor Did Not Order the RUF to Attack Guinea – 22 September 2009