Charles Taylor in The Hague for trial

THE HAGUE – Liberia’s former president Charles Taylor, once one of Africa’s most feared warlords, spent his first morning in detention in The Hague yesterday after being flown in to face war crimes charges over some of the worst atrocities committed in Africa.

Taylor landed in the Netherlands on Tuesday evening and was led from the aeroplane with his hands tied into vans waiting to take him to a detention centre in The Hague around 20 kilometres away, where he arrived some 30 minutes later. The 58-year old warlord-turned-president will eventually be tried by a branch of the Sierra Leone tribunal using the premises of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.He is being held in the same detention centre that housed former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic who died here in March while on trial for war crimes, charged before the UN court for the former Yugoslavia.Kofi Annan welcomed the transfer of Taylor to the Netherlands, the UN chief’s office said.Annan voiced confidence that Taylor’s trial “will mark a further victory in the struggle to end impunity and will contribute to reconciliation in Liberia and the restoration of peace and stability in Liberia and in Sierra Leone.”Earlier on Tuesday Taylor was moved under tight security from his cell in Freetown Sierra Leone to Lungi international airport, from where the UN-chartered jet took him to the Netherlands.Airport workers who saw Taylor escorted to the aircraft at Lungi airport said the handcuffed former warlord was wearing a dark brown suit and appeared “sombre”.Taylor had been detained in Freetown since late March after his capture in Nigeria where he had been living in exile since August 2003.He has been indicted on charges of crimes against humanity, war crimes and violations of international human rights.If convicted Taylor would serve a lengthy prison term which, given his age, would effectively mean life in jail, according to court officials.- Nampa-AFPThe 58-year old warlord-turned-president will eventually be tried by a branch of the Sierra Leone tribunal using the premises of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.He is being held in the same detention centre that housed former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic who died here in March while on trial for war crimes, charged before the UN court for the former Yugoslavia.Kofi Annan welcomed the transfer of Taylor to the Netherlands, the UN chief’s office said.Annan voiced confidence that Taylor’s trial “will mark a further victory in the struggle to end impunity and will contribute to reconciliation in Liberia and the restoration of peace and stability in Liberia and in Sierra Leone.”Earlier on Tuesday Taylor was moved under tight security from his cell in Freetown Sierra Leone to Lungi international airport, from where the UN-chartered jet took him to the Netherlands.Airport workers who saw Taylor escorted to the aircraft at Lungi airport said the handcuffed former warlord was wearing a dark brown suit and appeared “sombre”.Taylor had been detained in Freetown since late March after his capture in Nigeria where he had been living in exile since August 2003.He has been indicted on charges of crimes against humanity, war crimes and violations of international human rights.If convicted Taylor would serve a lengthy prison term which, given his age, would effectively mean life in jail, according to court officials.- Nampa-AFP