• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor arrives at UN court in Sierra Leone

29 March 2006 – A United Nations helicopter transporting former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who has been indicted for war crimes, arrived today in Sierra Leone, where he is now being held by the UN-backed court for the country.

Mr. Taylor is currently in the detention facility of the Court and the in-processing has been initiated.

Earlier today, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a statement that he was “relieved” at the recapture of former President Taylor, who absconded from his home in Nigeria yesterday, where he had been exiled three years ago as part of a peace deal that helped bring an end to Liberia’s decade of civil war.

The statement says that Mr. Annan “strongly believes the capture and trial of Taylor will send a powerful message to the region and beyond that impunity will not be allowed to stand and that the rule of law must prevail.”

Mr. Taylor had been indicted by the UN-backed court in Sierra Leone on charges related to his support for rebels in that country.

Yesterday evening, Mr. Annan had called for all countries in the region to refuse Mr. Taylor refuge and “to execute the warrant for his arrest issued by the Special Court and comply with the request of the elected President of Liberia, Ms Ellen Johnson Sirleaf that he be handed over to her Government, which will in turn transfer him to the Special Court.”