Prosecutor: Escape-savvy Taylor secure

[WhiteTara]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/14236901.htm
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone - Charles Taylor once broke out of a prison in Massachusetts and nearly slipped away this week before Nigeria could hand over the former Liberian president to an international court.

Now, Taylor is being carefully guarded to make sure he doesn't escape again, his chief prosecutor told The Associated Press on Friday.

Prosecutor Desmond de Silva also said security concerns had prompted officials to request that Taylor's trial be moved to Europe, where it would remain under the auspices of the Special Court established in Sierra Leone to try those believed to bear the greatest responsibility for atrocities committed during this country's 1991-2002 civil war.

Taylor is accused of backing Sierra Leonean rebels notorious for raping and maiming civilians by chopping off their arms, legs, ears and lips. He is charged with 11 counts of crimes against humanity.

Taylor's 1989 insurgency in Liberia, which eventually killed 200,000, helped tilt West Africa into crisis.

This man is despicable and I hope he lives a long time and must face his accusers of atrocities committed against them

[Bozita]

1. I'd bet that Pat Robertson could get him out

Pat has a direct line to god.

And while he's at it, Taylor's son was just caught in Miami:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2201257

[WhiteTara]

2. Looks to be a twofer for the Hague

glad to see that other countries are dealing with their crazy dictators. If only we can wake up and deal with ours.

[UpInArms]

6. The Terrorist and the Televangelist: Charles Taylor and Pat Robertson

http://www.sullivan-county.com/news/pat_quotes/pat_gold.htm

The story is still sounding quite familiar, is it not? Now the plot thickens, for this time the criticisms of the Bush administration are coming not from the left, but from the religious right. And perhaps most surprisingly, the strongest critic of the President is televangelist Pat Roberston, who has been lecturing his national television audience regularly about how wrong headed it would be for the US to intervene in Liberia. Indeed, Robertson has been critical of US policy toward Liberia for several years. "We're undermining a Christian, Baptist president to bring in Muslim rebels to take over the country," Robertson told his 700 Club audience recently. "And how dare the president of the United States say to the duly elected president of another country, 'You've got to step down."

<snip>

It is Pat Robertson's heart that might be broken by the fall of Charles Taylor, or his piggy bank? It turns out that in 1998 Robertson negotiated a business partnership with the Taylor regime giving him the rights to gold mining interests in Liberia in exchange for a 10% kick back to the Taylor government. To move on this opportunity Robertson created a for-profit company -- Freedom Gold -- in which he was listed as President as well as Chairman of Board; Robertson being the Board's only member. The company was chartered within the tax evading borders of the Cayman Islands. Clearly Robertson is a preacher who is not limiting his activities to the pulpit, or even the television studio. In fact, it appears, he will travel anywhere, anytime to turn a profit. Come to think of it, profit, politics and piety appear to be the trinity of motives that govern Robertson's "ministry." And in exactly that order of priority.

<snip>

In 1989, Charles Taylor seized power in Liberia. In 1997, he was elected president, but many observers said that the elections were fraudulent. Taylor is wanted in Sierra Leone as a war criminal, and most everyone agrees that he is the main impediment to peace in his own nation. So why is his biggest defender American religious leader Pat Robertson?

<snip>

So why is Pat Robertson such a big fan of Liberia's President Charles Taylor? What you won't hear much about on Robertson's shows is the fact that he has a huge financial interest in Liberia. Under Taylor's regime in 1999, Robertson negotiated an $8 million investment in a gold mining venture. A new government may or may not honor Robertson's claims - if they don't, he'll be out an awful lot of cash.

[Eugene]

3. Meanwhile, Charles Taylor's son arrested in Miami - AP

Saturday, April 1, 2006 · Last updated 3:55 a.m. PT

Charles Taylor's son arrested in Miami

By LISA ORKIN EMMANUEL
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

MIAMI -- Charles McArthur Emmanuel, son of former Liberian President Charles Taylor,
has been arrested by U.S. authorities in Miami, days after his father was handed over
to a war crimes tribunal.

Emmanuel, a U.S. citizen, led Liberian forces who were responsible for Taylor's security
until he went into exile in 2003, according to an affidavit filed in federal court in Miami.

Emmanuel, 29, also known as Charles "Chuckie" Taylor Jr., was on a United Nations list
of Liberians whose travel was restricted.

He was taken into custody Thursday night at Miami International Airport, when his flight
from Trinidad had just landed, authorities said.

Emmanuel appeared in federal court Friday on a charge of passport fraud, said Barbara Gonzalez,
a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman.

<snip>

Full article: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Taylors_Son_Arrested.html

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. Glad to see his ESCAPE from a US PRISON

getting a mention. Funny how the Feds don't seem too interested in him?

Good news on the son. Why do all the criminals like FL so much? God it's crazy enough down here already.

[Ilsa]

5. I checked the 700 Club website. All references to Taylor have gone

objective. That is, all the news stories are written by AP writers with no commentary from PAt about their previous relationship, or PR maintaining CT's innocence. Looks like PR has abandoned CT. So much for loyalty.