Liberia's Charles Taylor Aided And Abetted War Crimes, Court Finds

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor is guilty of "aiding and abetting" forces in Sierra Leone that committed war crimes and other atrocities during a war that lasted more than a decade and left more than 50,000 people dead, the International Criminal Court ruled today.

Taylor, the first head of state since just after World War II to be judged by an international tribunal, "knew that his support" would assist and encourage fighters who were committing war crimes, the tribunal ruled. In return, he received so-called blood diamonds from Sierra Leone.

The court proceeding in The Hague began at 5 a.m. ET, and it wasn't until after 7 a.m. ET that the judge finished reading through the judge's findings and their verdicts.

Update at 7:15 a.m. ET. Guilty Of Aiding And Abetting On All 11 Counts.

NPR

After asking Taylor to stand, Judge Richard Lussick said the court "finds you guilty of aiding and abetting the following crimes ... and planning the commission of the following crimes":

— Acts of terrorism.

— Murder.

— Violence to life, health and physical well-being.

— Rape.

— Sexual slavery.

— Outrages upon personal dignity.

— Violence to life.

— Inhuman acts.

— Conscripting children under the age of 15.

— Enslavement.

— Pillage.

Taylor's sentencing hearing is set for May 16. He's to be sentenced on May 30.