Merchant of Death
Money, Guns, Planes, and the Man Who Makes War Possible

Blood from Stones

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Taylor is in Custody in Sierra Leone, Will be Taken to The Hague
Former Liberian president Charles Taylor, in handcuffs, has been taken to holding cell #9 of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, where he has been read his rights. That is far more than he ever accorded those whom he butchered and maimed, and is, perhaps, proof that some progress, however hesitant, has been made.

Witnesses say Taylor looked shocked and angry. He arrived in Freetown after a brief stopover in Monrovia, Libera. He will, in the next several hours, been flown for holding, to the facilities of the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands. There is much concern that his incarceration cannot be guaranteed in Freetown, which no longer has a large UN peacekeeping presence and where is allies could easily mount an attack to free him.

Nigerian president Obasanjo is taking full credit for Taylor's recapture, although none for his escape. He went so far as to ask for an apology from those who had dared to question him in the aftermath of Taylor's escape. Thank you, Mr. President, but you can put that where the sun doesn't shine. Your behavior in this was an embarassment and was probably criminally negligent.

Today is a tribute to many people: the Special Court, the brave witnesses like my friend CR, the human rights community, my friends in the European intelligence community, those hardy few in this administration and bureaucracy that fought on, those in Congress (Reps. Royce, Wolf, Kelly, Sen. Leahy, Obama, Feingold etc.), and the press, who refused to let Taylor rest in peace. It finally paid off, at least this once. Evil did not triumph over good, something that is far too rare, especially in a region that has suffered as West Africa has suffered. I, personally, never believed this day would come. But it did, and Taylor is out of business. A good day indeed.
POSTED BY DOUGLAS FARAH
Another Taylor Arrested
Finally, Taylor In Hand
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