LIBERIA: The prosecutor of a UN-backed war crimes court has called on the world to bring Liberia's exiled former president, Mr Charles Taylor, to justice as human rights groups urged Nigeria to hand him over.
Sierra Leone's Special Court, which has indicted Mr Taylor for atrocities in that country's decade-long conflict, said his decision to bow to international pressure and go should not win him immunity from prosecution.
"We hope that African leaders, particularly from Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa, will continue to show their leadership in ensuring that Mr Taylor faces justice," the court said.
It has charged Mr Taylor with 17 counts of crimes against humanity and serious violations of international law, including systematic rape, murder and mutilations. It said he was the main backer of rebels who became notorious for hacking off the limbs of their civilian victims.
But Nigeria has no extradition treaty with the court and is not under a legal obligation to hand him over. The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, has said that justice must be done but has stopped short of formally asking Nigeria to hand Mr Taylor over.