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| Taylor starts war crimes defence | Taylor starts war crimes defence |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Lawyers for Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia on trial for crimes against humanity, have begun his defence. | Lawyers for Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia on trial for crimes against humanity, have begun his defence. |
| He denies 11 charges, including murder, rape and torture, at the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague. | He denies 11 charges, including murder, rape and torture, at the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague. |
| Prosecutors say he controlled rebels who carried out atrocities during Sierra Leone's decade-long civil war. | Prosecutors say he controlled rebels who carried out atrocities during Sierra Leone's decade-long civil war. |
| Mr Taylor, who denies the charges, is expected to give evidence in his own defence on Tuesday. | Mr Taylor, who denies the charges, is expected to give evidence in his own defence on Tuesday. |
| He is the first African leader to be tried by an international court. | He is the first African leader to be tried by an international court. |
| Claire Carlton-Hanciles, of the court's defence office, told the BBC that Mr Taylor was ready to defend himself. | Claire Carlton-Hanciles, of the court's defence office, told the BBC that Mr Taylor was ready to defend himself. |
| "Mr Taylor is ready and his lawyers who were employed by the office have ensured that they have prepped him for the past month-and-a-half," she said. | |
| 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 |
| "I saw Mr Taylor about two days ago. He is in high spirits." | "I saw Mr Taylor about two days ago. He is in high spirits." |
| 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 were notorious for using machetes to hack the limbs off civilians. | The RUF were notorious for using machetes to hack the limbs off civilians. |
| 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. |
| His lawyers are expected to argue that he in fact tried to bring peace to the region and that there is no evidence directly linking him to the RUF. | His lawyers are expected to argue that he in fact tried to bring peace to the region and that there is no evidence directly linking him to the RUF. |
| Mr Taylor started Liberia's civil war in 1989, before being elected president in 1997. | Mr Taylor started Liberia's civil war in 1989, before being elected president 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. |