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| Taylor to testify at Hague trial | Taylor to testify at Hague trial |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia, is to take the stand for the first time at his war crimes trial in The Hague. | |
| He denies 11 charges at the Special Court for Sierra Leone, including terrorism, murder, rape and torture. | He denies 11 charges at the Special Court for Sierra Leone, including terrorism, murder, rape and torture. |
| He is expected to argue that he could not have micro-managed a rebel operation in Sierra Leone, while also running affairs of state in Liberia. | He is expected to argue that he could not have micro-managed a rebel operation in Sierra Leone, while also running affairs of state in Liberia. |
| Mr Taylor is the first African leader to be tried by an international court. | Mr Taylor is the first African leader to be tried by an international court. |
| His testimony is expected to last several weeks. | His testimony is expected to last several weeks. |
| Claire Carlton-Hanciles, of the court's defence office, told the BBC on Monday that Mr Taylor was ready to defend himself and had been prepared for the past six weeks by defence lawyers. | Claire Carlton-Hanciles, of the court's defence office, told the BBC on Monday that Mr Taylor was ready to defend himself and had been prepared for the past six weeks by defence lawyers. |
| The defence for Mr Taylor, 61, began on Monday. His lawyer Courtenay Griffiths told the court that Mr Taylor had tried to broker peace in Sierra Leone. | The defence for Mr Taylor, 61, began on Monday. His lawyer Courtenay Griffiths told the court that Mr Taylor had tried to broker peace in Sierra Leone. |
| TAYLOR TIMELINE 1989 Launches rebellion in Liberia1991 RUF rebellion starts in Sierra Leone1995 Peace deal signed1997 Elected president1999 Liberia's Lurd rebels start insurrection to oust TaylorJune 2003 Arrest warrant issuedAugust 2003 Steps down, goes into exile in NigeriaMarch 2006 Arrested, sent to Sierra LeoneJune 2007 Trial opens in The Hague Profile: Charles Taylor Q&A: Trying Taylor | TAYLOR TIMELINE 1989 Launches rebellion in Liberia1991 RUF rebellion starts in Sierra Leone1995 Peace deal signed1997 Elected president1999 Liberia's Lurd rebels start insurrection to oust TaylorJune 2003 Arrest warrant issuedAugust 2003 Steps down, goes into exile in NigeriaMarch 2006 Arrested, sent to Sierra LeoneJune 2007 Trial opens in The Hague Profile: Charles Taylor Q&A: Trying Taylor |
| "We do not take issue with the fact that terrible atrocities occurred in Sierra Leone," he said. | "We do not take issue with the fact that terrible atrocities occurred in Sierra Leone," he said. |
| "This case should not be about what happened in Sierra Leone, but who bears the greatest responsibility, bearing in mind that Charles Taylor tried to achieve peace." | "This case should not be about what happened in Sierra Leone, but who bears the greatest responsibility, bearing in mind that Charles Taylor tried to achieve peace." |
| Mr Griffiths added that the prosecution's case was based on unsubstantiated rumour and hearsay, and that Mr Taylor now wanted to put the record straight. | Mr Griffiths added that the prosecution's case was based on unsubstantiated rumour and hearsay, and that Mr Taylor now wanted to put the record straight. |
| Mr Taylor has sat in the courtroom, housed in the International Criminal Court building in The Hague, for months, occasionally passing notes to his counsel and holding whispered conversations with him. | Mr Taylor has sat in the courtroom, housed in the International Criminal Court building in The Hague, for months, occasionally passing notes to his counsel and holding whispered conversations with him. |
| In May, judges rejected a request by Mr Taylor's defence team to acquit him because of a lack of evidence. | In May, judges rejected a request by Mr Taylor's defence team to acquit him because of a lack of evidence. |
| The prosecution says Mr Taylor planned atrocities committed by Revolutionary United Front rebels during Sierra Leone's civil war, which ended in 2002. | The prosecution says Mr Taylor planned atrocities committed by Revolutionary United Front rebels during Sierra Leone's civil war, which ended in 2002. |
| The RUF was notorious for using machetes to hack the limbs off civilians. Some of the prosecution's 91 witnesses gesticulated in court with amputated limbs - their hands had been chopped off by rebel soldiers. | The RUF was notorious for using machetes to hack the limbs off civilians. Some of the prosecution's 91 witnesses gesticulated in court with amputated limbs - their hands had been chopped off by rebel soldiers. |
| Courtenay Griffiths (L) says Charles Taylor (R) tried to broker peace | Courtenay Griffiths (L) says Charles Taylor (R) tried to broker peace |
| Mr Taylor is accused of passing guns to the RUF in exchange for diamonds from Sierra Leone. | Mr Taylor is accused of passing guns to the RUF in exchange for diamonds from Sierra Leone. |
| But his defence claims that Mr Taylor did not command RUF rebels in Sierra Leone, sell them weapons in exchange for blood diamonds or recruit child soldiers. | But his defence claims that Mr Taylor did not command RUF rebels in Sierra Leone, sell them weapons in exchange for blood diamonds or recruit child soldiers. |
| Mr Taylor started a civil war in Liberia 1989, before being elected president there in 1997. | Mr Taylor started a civil war in Liberia 1989, before being elected president there in 1997. |
| After a period of exile in Nigeria, he was eventually extradited from Liberia in 2006. | After a period of exile in Nigeria, he was eventually extradited from Liberia in 2006. |
| The trial, being held by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone, was moved to the Netherlands from Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, amid fears it could create instability in the country and neighbouring Liberia. | The trial, being held by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone, was moved to the Netherlands from Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, amid fears it could create instability in the country and neighbouring Liberia. |