Charles Taylor begins his war crimes defense

THE HAGUE, Netherlands: Lawyers for Charles Taylor began his defense against war crimes charges yesterday, arguing that the former Liberian president was not responsible for the murder, rape and mutilation of civilians by rebels in Sierra Leone and should not be blamed simply out of disgust at the atrocities.

Taylor, the first African head of state to be tried by an international court, is charged with 11 crimes including murder, torture, rape, sexual slavery, using child soldiers and spreading terror.

Prosecutors allege that he led rebels responsible for the crimes from his presidential mansion in the Liberian capital of Monrovia as a way of gaining influence over neighboring Sierra Leone so he could strip that country of its vast mineral wealth, in particular its diamonds.