Charles Taylor news stories on Newser

Charles Taylor Guilty of War Crimes

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:33:18 CDT

In a historic ruling, an international court convicted former Liberian President Charles Taylor on Thursday of aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity for supporting notoriously brutal rebels in neighboring Sierra Leone in return for blood diamonds. Taylor is the first head of state convicted by an international...

Campbell May Face Charges Over Blood Diamonds

Jane Yager — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 05:57:52 CDT

After testimony from Mia Farrow and a former agent showed Naomi Campbell did knowingly receive blood diamonds from Liberian strongman Charles Taylor, the model could face criminal charges in South Africa, where she was given the diamonds. Possession of an uncut diamond is a criminal offense in South Africa, punishable...

Witness: Naomi Flirted With Blood Diamond Strongman

Rob Quinn — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 04:17:21 CDT

Naomi Campbell's former agent has testified that the model was fully aware that diamonds she was given in South Africa were a gift from Liberian strongman Charles Taylor. Campbell was flirting with Taylor at a dinner hosted by Nelson Mandela and Taylor was flirting back, Carole White told Taylor's war...

Mia Farrow: Naomi Lied About Blood Diamonds

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 05:46:54 CDT

Actress Mia Farrow testified at Charles Taylor's war crimes trial today that Naomi Campbell told her she had been sent a "huge diamond" by the former Liberian ruler, contradicting Campbell's testimony from last week. Farrow said that the morning after a party hosted by Nelson Mandela in 1997, Campbell told...

Naomi's Blood Diamonds Handed Over to Cops

John Johnson — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:47:00 CDT

For those following the trail of Naomi Campbell's so-called blood diamonds: mystery solved. She testified yesterday at the war crimes trial of Liberia's Charles Taylor that she received three such uncut diamonds, almost certainly from Taylor, in 1997. Today, the Guardian reports that Campbell then handed them over to an...

Naomi Testifies About Blood Diamonds

Evann Gastaldo — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:40:56 CDT

Naomi Campbell may not like to talk about it , but she did, in fact, receive a gift of diamonds probably from former Liberian President Charles Taylor, she said today at his war crimes trial. Campbell testified that two men gave her a pouch containing a few “very small, dirty-looking stones”...

Warlord Moves to Block Campbell Testimony

Rob Quinn — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 04:31:54 CDT

Supermodels aren't often called as witnesses at war crimes tribunals, and Liberian strongman Charles Taylor's lawyers want to keep it that way. They're seeking to block Naomi Campbell from being subpoenaed to appear at Taylor's trial to testify about a "blood diamond" she allegedly received from the warlord at a...

Naomi Campbell Punches Camera, Storms Off Set

Evann Gastaldo — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:45:57 CDT

In case there was any doubt, Naomi Campbell still has a pretty bad temper. The supermodel lashed out during an interview with ABC, when asked if she was given a blood diamond by former African dictator Charles Taylor. “I didn't receive a diamond and I'm not going to speak about...

Ex Liberian Prez Defends Skull Displays

Mary Papenfuss — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:30:07 CDT

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor defended displaying human skulls along roadways in his country to scare people into obeying soldiers' orders, reports the Times of London. “Skulls were used as symbols of death,” he told the judges at his trial at the Hague. “Enemy soldiers had been killed and their...