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Liberia's Taylor Sent to War-Crimes Trial in The Hague
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=12B0AD0:3919ACA United Nations
Security Council authorized last week transfer to Netherlands





Charles Taylor (file photo)Officials in Sierra Leone says former
Liberian President Charles Taylor has left Sierra Leone and is enroute
to The Hague, where he will stand trial for war crimes.

The United Nations Security Council last week authorized the former
leader's transfer to the Netherlands.

Taylor has been held by a U.N.-backed tribunal in Sierra Leone, which
has charged him with 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against
humanity.

Authorities in Sierra Leone had asked the United Nations to move the
legal proceedings against Taylor to The Hague, due to fears that a
trial of the notorious former West African leader could trigger
instability in the region.

The charges against Taylor are connected to his alleged support for
rebels in Sierra Leone rebels who raped, mutilated and killed
civilians during the country's 11-year civil war.

Taylor is accused of promoting civil wars in both Liberia and Sierra
Leone. He was taken to Sierra Leone earlier this year after Nigeria
revoked his asylum.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.


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