By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa Desk

THE HAGUE, Netherlands-This past week saw special court prosecutors’ cross-examination of Charles Taylor come to a conclusion. Prosecutors addressed a number of issues including Taylor’s claims that there was a conspiracy against him that brought him to the Special Court for Sierra Leone.  Lead prosecutor Brenda Hollis said to Taylor, “Throughout your testimony to these judges, you have talked about a supposed conspiracy against you, and you have referred to this whole case as being about, let’s get Taylor.”

Taylor has claimed that the conspiracy was brought about by a collection of institutions including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (“IMF”) and the European Union. Hollis pointed to the fact that Taylor admitted that the C.I.A worked with Taylor while he was in power in Liberia, contradicting the claim that the United States wanted him out of power as well. Hollis claims that if that was the case, the C.I.A would have been working against the interest of the United States. In response to this assertion, Taylor said, “It could have been, because sometimes intelligence agencies do one thing on one side, and do another thing on the other side. So it could have been.”

In the last day of his cross-examination, Hollis repeated allegations that Taylor’s government repressed independent news reporting. Hollis also repeated allegations that Taylor was behind operations launched by RUF rebels in Sierra Leone that resulted in the capturing of United Nations peacekeepers. Hollis questioned the motives behind Taylor’s attempts to help secure the release of the peacekeepers held hostage over ten years ago.  Taylor again denied these claims. The prosecution subsequently concluded their cross-examination of Taylor and the court adjourned the trial for one week.

For more information please see:

Charles Taylor Trial – As Prosecutors Conclude His Cross-Examination.. .– 5 February 2010

Charles Taylor Trial – Prosecutors Conclude the Cross Examination of Taylor – 6 February 2010

Charles Taylor Trial – Charles Taylor Trial Adjourned For A Week – 8 February 2010