Man released after arrest by war crimes cops in south-east London amid Liberia investigation
A man has been released under investigation for war crimes relating to the two Liberian civil wars from 1989-2003.
The 45-year-old was arrested in south-east London by officers from the Met Police war crimes team at around 7.20am on Thursday morning. The suspect is being held on suspicion of offences contrary to section 51 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001.
The Met confirmed the alleged offences relate to the first and second Liberian civil wars from 1989-2003.
Charles Taylor started an uprising in a bid to topple the government of Liberia in 1989, backed by a rebel group, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL).
He seized control of large parts of the country and become one of Africa’s most notorious guerilla leaders.
The NPFL has been accused of a wide range of human rights abuses and the large numbers of deaths during the conflict, which eventually led to the involvement of the UN.
A final peace agreement led to the election of Taylor as president of Liberia in 1997.
A second civil war broke out in 1999 and Taylor was forced into exile in 2003.
He was later jailed for committing war crimes in neighbouring Sierra Leone.