Liberia's Taylor takes stand, denies war crimes
By Reed Stevenson
THE HAGUE, July 14 (Reuters) - Liberia's former President Charles Taylor, the first African ruler to stand trial for war crimes, took the stand in his own defence on Tuesday, arguing that the case against him was full of misinformation and lies.
Taylor, 61, is charged with 11 counts of instigating murder, rape, mutilation, sexual slavery and conscripting child soldiers during the intertwined wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone in which more than 250,000 people were killed.
Prosecutors, who closed their case in February, say Taylor directed Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in a campaign of terror against civilians, seeking to control neighbouring Sierra Leone's diamond mines and destabilise its government to boost his regional influence.
"It is quite incredible that such descriptions of me would come about," Taylor responded after his lawyer asked whether he was a terrorist. "The prosecution, because of disinformation, misinformation, lies, rumours, would associate me with such titles or descriptions."
Taylor's defence began their case this week, two years after the start of the trial.
"I am a father of 14 children, grandchildren, with love for humanity and have fought all my life to do what I thought was right. I resent that characterisation of me. It is false, it is malicious."
ATROCITIES
Taylor, appearing in a dark suit and dark glasses before a packed court, is the first of 249 witnesses that the defence said it will call to the stand. Taylor's testimony is expected to last several weeks.
Prosecutors called 91 witnesses, many of whom provided graphic testimony, before wrapping up their case in February. In often graphic and disturbing detail, witnesses described amputations, murder of children and cannibalism in Sierra Leone.
Courtenay Griffiths, Taylor's lawyer, has said he would not contest the fact that atrocities took place, but said Taylor had no link to them.
Taylor has been on trial in The Hague since June 2007 at facilities provided by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The court is headquartered in Freetown, but the trial is taking place in the Netherlands due to concerns it may trigger violence in Sierra Leone. (Editing by Ralph Boulton)
