Taylor’s son sorry over war crimes
Former Liberian president, Charles Taylor, at the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone in Leidschendam. His son has apologised to the Liberian people for atrocities he committed during the Liberian conflict. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Charles Taylor Jr, otherwise known as ‘Chucky’, served as commander of Charles Taylor’s feared Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATU) that committed heinous atrocities including torture and massacres.
- He was convicted by an American court for war crimes and torture, and convicted to 97 years in prison.
- Chucky who is the first US citizen to have been tried under the US anti-torture law, said there was no probable cause for his arrest and trial. He added that his indictment was political.
MONROVIA,
The son of war crimes convict, former Liberian president Charles Taylor, has apologised to the Liberian people for atrocities he committed during the Liberian conflict.
Charles Taylor Jr, otherwise known as ‘Chucky’, served as commander of Charles Taylor’s feared Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATU) that committed heinous atrocities including torture and massacres.
Charles Taylor Jr, an American citizen, was convicted under US Anti-torture law Subsection 2340A which reads in part:
“If the offender is a United States citizen, who commits torture outside the United States, or attempts to commit torture, he/she shall be punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life.”
He was convicted by an American court for war crimes and torture, and convicted to 97 years in prison.
NOT MY NAME
Speaking in an interview with the US based TMZ online radio programme from his prison cell in the United States, being played on several radio stations in Liberia, Charles Taylor Jr expressed remorse for whatever wrong he might have committed during the conflict and asked for forgiveness.
In apparent reference to his failure to abide by the advice of his father who wanted him to wash his hands of the Liberian conflict and return to the United States and go to school, Chucky said:
“I have three words to tell my father. Now I Know”.
Charles Taylor Jr has meanwhile renounced the name ‘Chucky ‘ by which he was popularly known, saying, “I no longer want to be called by that name.”
In his interview from his prison cell, Charles Taylor Jr described as “illegal”, his conviction for 97 years by a United States court.
Chucky who is the first US citizen to have been tried under the US anti-torture law, said there was no probable cause for his arrest and trial. He added that his indictment was political.
His father, Charles Taylor, who is serving a 50 year jail term in Britain for war crimes he committed in Sierra Leone, is also of the conviction that his trial and imprisonment was influenced by the United States Government.
