Ex-Liberian president Charles Taylor blames UN envoy for false charge

August 6th, 2009 Ex-Liberian prez wants to hear US radio interceptsAMSTERDAM — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor called Thursday on the United States and Britain to declassify radio intercepts he says would help clear him of war crimes charges. Taylor was concluding his fourth week of testimony in his defense against 11 charges of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape and torture, for aiding rebels in Sierra Leone.

July 28th, 2009 Charles Taylor denies cannibalism accusationsAMSTERDAM — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor said Monday he was sickened by allegations at his war crimes trial that he ate human flesh, calling testimony by a former aide the lies of an illiterate man. "I felt like throwing up when I heard that nonsense, and I think even the prosecution were shocked at listening to that foolishness," he told the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague.

July 27th, 2009 Charles Taylor denies sending arms to Sierra LeoneAMSTERDAM — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor pointed to impassible roads and his country's own mineral wealth Monday to deny key testimony at his war crimes trial that he had traded arms for diamonds in Sierra Leone. Taylor, starting his third week of testimony at the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague, said neither of the two roads that led to the Sierra Leone border could support vehicles laden with weapons, as alleged by a prosecution witness.

July 21st, 2009 Charles Taylor says insider witness was 'crazy'THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor said Tuesday that a key prosecution witness at his war crimes trial was a low-level official who "went crazy" years before testifying against him. Taylor used his fifth day on the witness stand at the Special Court for Sierra Leone to try to discredit witness Varmuyan Sherif, who told judges he was a close Taylor aide.

July 20th, 2009 Ex-Liberian leader denies looting Sierra LeoneAMSTERDAM — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor on Monday challenged anyone to find a bank account of his holding illicit funds or "blood diamonds" from the civil war in Sierra Leone. In his second week of testimony at his war crimes trial, Taylor denied any role in forming the guerrilla force that invaded Sierra Leone in 1991, that he helped plan the rebel incursion, that he trained the rebel forces or that he commanded their operations.

July 20th, 2009 Ex-Liberian leader denies invading Sierra LeoneTHE HAGUE, Netherlands — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor denied on Monday that he had played any part in forming the guerrilla force that invaded Sierra Leone in the early 1990s. In his second week of testimony at his war crimes trial, Taylor was categorical in rejecting the testimony of prosecution witnesses that he attended the meeting that planned the rebel incursion into Sierra Leone, that he trained the rebel forces and that he commanded their operations.

July 20th, 2009 Ex-Liberian leader: No loot from Sierra LeoneAMSTERDAM — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor issued a challenge at his war crimes trial Monday to find any bank account owned by him holding illicit funds or "blood diamonds" from the civil war in Sierra Leone. In his second week of testimony in his defense, Taylor denied any role in forming the guerrilla force that invaded Sierra Leone in 1991, that he helped plan the rebel incursion, that he trained the rebel forces or that he commanded their operations.

July 16th, 2009 Taylor says he allowed skulls used at roadblocksTHE HAGUE, Netherlands — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor told a war crimes court Thursday he saw nothing wrong with displaying the skulls of slain fighters at roadblocks as his rebel forces swept into the country in a 1989 revolution. The invasion of Liberia and his ascent to power was a prelude to Taylor's involvement in the brutal 1991-2002 civil war in neighboring Sierra Leone, for which he is accused of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

July 16th, 2009 Taylor says his men trained to avoid atrocitiesTHE HAGUE, Netherlands — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor has told a war crimes court his band of rebel fighters were trained in Libya to avoid atrocities as they swept into the country in a 1989 revolution. Taylor is on the witness stand for the third day at his trial for allegedly commanding rebels during Sierra Leone's civil war.

July 15th, 2009 Liberia's ex-leader resumes defense testimonyTHE HAGUE, Netherlands — Charles Taylor has testifed before war crimes judges that he was an anti-corruption fighter in Liberia before ousting the military in a coup to restore democracy. The former leader says war crimes accusations against him are "disinformation, misinformation, lies, rumors." He is charged with 11 counts of murder, torture, rape, sexual slavery and the use of child soldiers and terrorism in his role backing rebels in Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 civil war.

July 13th, 2009 List of charges against Liberia's ex-leader Taylor Prosecutors at the U.N.-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone have accused former Liberian President Charles Taylor of arming and leading rebels in 1996-2002 and being "part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against the civilian population." The court, based in Freetown, is trying Taylor in a courtroom rented from the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, due to fears the case could spark unrest in the African country. Its 2003 indictment, amended in 2006, says Taylor either oversaw or failed to prevent Sierra Leone's brutal Revolutionary United Force rebel forces from committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

July 13th, 2009 A timeline of Charles Taylor's rise and fallJan. 28, 1948: Charles Taylor born in Arthington, Liberia, into a family descended from freed American slaves.

July 6th, 2009 Prosecutors call Taylor witness list excessiveTHE HAGUE, Netherlands — The trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor could take up to four more years, if his lawyers call all their witnesses, prosecutors told judges Monday at a Sierra Leone war crimes tribunal sitting in The Hague. Taylor is due to begin his defense case next week answering 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sierra Leone.

May 8th, 2009 Woman arrested at Dirk Nowitzki's homeDALLAS — FBI agents have arrested a woman on a probation violation and theft of service warrants at the home of Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki. Dallas police said 37-year-old Cristal Taylor was taken into custody Wednesday morning at Nowitzki's home.

May 4th, 2009 War crimes court: No early acquittal for TaylorTHE HAGUE, Netherlands — War crimes judges say they have dismissed a motion to acquit former Liberian President Charles Taylor because he may have been responsible for mass murder, rape and mutilations in Sierra Leone's brutal civil war. The decision by the Special Court for Sierra Leone means Taylor must now present his defense on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the West African nation.