LEIDSCHENDAM, Netherlands — In a historic ruling, an international court has convicted former Liberian President Charles Taylor of aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity for supporting notoriously brutal Sierra Leone rebels in return for blood diamonds.
Presiding Judge Richard Lussick said today the 64-year-old warlord-turned-president provided arms, ammunition, communications equipment and planning to rebels responsible for countless atrocities in the 1991-2002 Sierra Leone civil war. Lussick called the support “sustained and significant.”
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Taylor stood and showed no emotion as Lussick delivered 11 guilty verdicts. A sentence will be imposed later.
Taylor had pleaded not guilty to 11 counts, including murder, rape, terror and conscripting child soldiers.
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