Taylor loses his appeal

Charles Taylor lost his appeal against a war crimes conviction yesterday, as judges confirmed a 50-year jail term against the Liberian ex-president for encouraging rebels in Sierra Leone to mutilate, rape and murder victims in its civil war.

Presiding Judge George Gelaga King said Taylor had aided and abetted crimes committed by Revolutionary United Front and Armed Forces Revolutionary Council rebels, advising and assisting them, despite knowing well the kinds of crimes they were committing.

"Their primary purpose was to spread terror. Brutal violence was purposefully unleashed against civilians," he said.

"Governments and the international community were also afraid that unless the RUF and the AFRC demands were met, thousands more killings, mutilations, abductions and rapes of civilians would follow."

Taylor, 65, dressed in a crisp suit, sat impassively throughout the reading of the appeals judgment at the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague.

He is the first head of state to be convicted of war crimes by an international court since the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders after World War 2.

Taylor was also found guilty of crimes against humanity committed during the 11-year conflict in Sierra Leone, which killed some 50000 people and left tens of thousands mutilated, their fingers, hands or limbs chopped off.

Prosecutors said he used the proceeds from so-called blood diamonds mined in the conflict zone to finance his activities, which included advising and helping the rebels.

"This verdict shows no person, no matter how powerful, is above the law," said Brenda Hollis, the court's prosecutor.

In the Sierra Leone capital, Freetown, victims were jubilant.

"It's a victory for me against tyranny," said Edward Conteh, whose hand was cut off by rebels.

"I'm happy Charles Taylor is behind bars for 50 years because I'm a victim of the war."

But Morris Anyah, Taylor's lead defence lawyer, said Taylor would not have been convicted if he had had a powerful ally.

"If Charles Taylor had had a friend among the permanent members of the UN Security Council, this case would not have had the traction it has had," he said, adding that Taylor had received the final verdict with great stoicism.

Britain has agreed Taylor can serve his sentence at one of its maximum-security prisons but Anyah said Taylor hoped to serve his term in Finland, Sweden or Rwanda - the other three countries which have enforcement agreements with the court.

During Taylor's four-year initial trial, judges heard accounts from Sierra Leone civilians who had been mutilated by rebels or who had seen their close relatives murdered.

Super model Naomi Campbell also testified about blood diamonds Taylor was accused of having sent to her hotel room. She described the objects she received as looking like "dirty pebbles".