Taylor boycotts war crimes trial

[rpannier]

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (CNN) -- Former Liberian President Charles Taylor boycotted the opening of his war crimes trial, calling it a "charade" in a letter read by his attorney, Karim Ahmad Khan. In the same letter, Taylor also dismissed Khan from the case and asked to represent himself.

In a court directive, presiding judge Julia Sebutinde ordered Khan to continue representing the former president for the remainder of the opening arguments -- an assignment Khan said he could not adhere to and remain "principled." Khan then walked out of the court with his files.

snip

Taylor is to stand trial on 11 war crimes charges and is accused of fueling a bloody civil war in Sierra Leone that led to widespread murder, rape and mutilation. In April 2006, appearing before a U.N.-backed tribunal in Sierra Leone, he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, which include crimes against humanity, terrorizing a civilian population, unlawful killing, murder, mutilation and sexual slavery, among others.

snip

He lived in exile in Nigeria until that nation, earlier this year, was persuaded by political pressure to hand him over for the tribunal. He was arrested by border guards as he attempted to cross into Chad.


link:
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/06/04/taylor.trial/index.html

If he defends himself, maybe he will call his good friend Pat Robertson to be a character witness for him. Tell everyone what a great Christian C. Taylor is and how he's being persecuted for his faith.

[Greeby]

1. And our Foreign Secretary suggested this little mass-murdering shit

Be held in my town, Milton Keynes. :eyes: