... 2006, appearing in the Freetown courtroom of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Charles Taylor, former President of Liberia, pleaded not guilty to charges of "war crimes and crimes against humanity, including sexual slavery, mutilation and sending children into combat." (credit for March 29, 2006, U.N. photo of Taylor arriving at Freetown) According to the International Herald Tribune, Taylor initially balked in this appearance, telling
the international war crimes court he could not plead because he did not recognize the court's right to try him. But he went on to say he was not guilty, telling Justice Richard Lussick 'I did not and could not have' committed the atrocities that allegedly occurred during Sierra Leone's civil war. The court accepted his comment as a formal plea. The Special Court later moved the proceeding to The Hague, as we've posted. The trial continues. Counsel recently announced Taylor will be "first witness on the stand when his defence case starts this summer," and is likely to "'be in the witness box for a couple of months.'"
... 2004 (5 years ago today), in a working-class neighborhood of Madrid, suspects in the March 11 bombings of railways in the capital city killed themselves by blowing up their apartment (left) as police approached the hideout. A Spanish Special Forces police officer also was killed. (photo credit)
