This week's News Highlights begin with the results of the G8 meeting and continue around the world. The Feature Article takes a look at Liberia's President Charles Taylor.

CONTENTS:

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

1. World
2. Africa
3. Americas
4. Asia Pacific
5. Europe
6. Middle East
7. South Asia
8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare
9. Finance
10 Human Rights
11. Law and Legal Issues
12. Narco-terrorism
13. Transportation
14. Weapons of Mass Destruction
15. Recently Published

FEATURE ARTICLE:
Charles Ghankay Taylor

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

1. World

The G8 meeting ended with handshakes all around, but no real progress. They agreed to work together to reconstruct Iraq and combat weapons of mass destruction. There was no progress in funding initiatives already agreed, such as money to combat HIV/AIDS, or in advancing new initiatives that could address root causes of terrorism and political violence, including the long-running dispute over agricultural subsidies. Rather than taking center stage, short-term US interests again sidelined the crucial needs of the entire African continent.

One of the most critical of these needs was highlighted on World Environment Day with a new report on "Groundwater and its susceptibility to degradation" http://www.unep.org/DEWA/water/groundwater/groundwater_report.asp. The report finds that, "Over-exploited aquifers, falling water tables and seawater contamination are threatening the world's natural underground reservoirs upon which 2 billion people depend for drinking water and irrigation". They cite cases such as the US, where every year the state of Arizona removes twice as much groundwater as is replaced by rainfall and Spain's Segura River Basin where groundwater depletion increased from under 20 percent around 1985 to 130 percent ten years later. In Mexico City, so much water has been pumped out that buildings are sinking, while in the Arabian peninsula, leaking pipes from desalination plants have waterlogged some cities.

The rebuilding of Iraq is now seen as neither sinecure nor certainty. The US has scrapped plans for a national congress in favor of selecting a committee of leaders that could help with functional administration prior to completing the work of constitutional development and elections. Basic infrastructure services are still lacking, and the security situation has not improved. Instead, organized attacks against US-led forces may be increasing.

Anti-Americanism has exploded around the world, as illustrated by a new survey from the Pew Research Center. They found that in the last two years, ".... In most countries, opinions of the U.S. are markedly lower than they were a year ago. The war [in Iraq] has widened the rift between Americans and Western Europeans, further inflamed the Muslim world, softened support for the war on terrorism, and significantly weakened global public support for ... the U.N. and the North Atlantic alliance." http://www.people-press.org The roots of these results were debated between Minxin Pei and Francis Fukuyama in "Is Anti-Americanism a Self-Inflicted Wound?" at the Carnegie Endowment http://www.ceip.org/files/events/events.asp?EventID=614

Meanwhile, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak seems to be contained, but concerns remain over the reliability of statistics from China and the unexpected re-emergence of another case in Canada.

North Korea has confirmed it has a nuclear program and has said they are developing nuclear weapons from economic necessity.

2. Africa

Algeria has appealed for international assistance in providing more sophisticated equipment to be used to rescue the remaining European hostages held in the desert. The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) is now believed responsible.

Burundi government officials and rebels of Agathon Rwasa's faction of the Forces Nationales de Liberation (FNL) have held talks regarding possible peace negotiations. This would bring into the fold the only rebel group that has not joined a ceasefire agreement.

Central African Republic General Francois Bozize has been recognized as head of state by neighboring countries, although he seized power with a coup.

Congo Brazzaville reports the Ebola outbreak has ended.

Democratic Republic of Congo has seen the first arrivals of a multinational UN force. They did not arrive in time to prevent a fresh massacre last weekend and militia rampages have continued, with heavy fighting in many areas of the country. Partnership Africa Canada has complained of the lack of action to stop illegal diamond exports even after sanctions were imposed. http://partnershipafricacanada.org/hsdp/index.html

Liberian President Charles Taylor has met in Ghana with rebels from Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) to begin peace talks. The rebel Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) was expected but did not attend. During the meeting, word came of his indictment on war crimes charges -- see Feature Article below for details. Government and rebel forces continue to battle. The rebels now control most of the country and are moving towards the capital Monrovia. Tens of thousands of civilians have fled the fighting and the humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly.

Mauritania's President Taya may have been forced out in a coup attempted by dissident soldiers. The situation remains unclear.

Rwanda's new constitution has come into effect.

Sierra Leone rebel warlord Sam Bockarie's body has been returned from Liberia and will be forensically examined to confirm his identity before the special Court for Sierra Leone withdraws the war crimes indictment against him. It is suspected that he and members of his family were killed by associates of Liberian President Charles Taylor to prevent Bockarie from giving evidence against Taylor.

Somalia, in yet another ceasefire violation, has seen factional fighting that killed 20 and forced hundreds to flee their homes.

South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma heard from the victims of gang violence that has increased since the arrests of leaders of People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (PAGAD). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2960574.stm

Swaziland, the last African country with an absolute monarch, is preparing for elections in the fall King Mswati III has warned against ritual murders to help increase the chances of being elected. For thirty years, Swaziland has been without a constitution, but one is now being developed, led by the King. For more information, including King Mswati's comment scorning the idea of women's rights, see http://www.irinnews.org/s_report.asp?ReportID=34586, http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=34442, http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=34583

Togo's President Gnassingbe Eyadema, who has served since 1967 (the longest ruler in Africa), has been elected to another five year term. The opposition has denounced the election as riddled with fraud, but the African observers present found only minor irregularities.

Ugandan rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army attacked a refugee camp and clubbed 12 civilians to death. A 13th was shot in crossfire between LRA and government troops.

Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) inspired weeklong protests around the country that met with violent reprisals by Robert Mugabe's government. The mass actions brought the country to a standstill and have added yet more pressure on the embattled ruler. Police arrested MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, for treason, and attacked the protestors with water cannon, teargas, mass arrests, and shootings. At least one activist was tortured to death. Police and youth militia beat patients being treated in a private hospital. One patient was beaten to death. The economic and political situation is increasingly chaotic. The International Monetary Fund has suspended Zimbabwe's voting and related rights http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2003/pr0380.htm. For a vivid description of "Mugabe's total onslaught" see http://www.mg.co.za/Content/13.asp?a=120&o=21761

3. Americas

Argentina's new President Nestor Kirchner has announced drastic shakeups in the army, police and judiciary. He has called for Congress to reinstate impeachment proceedings and stepped up purges of the security forces. These measures are intended to help quell the surging crime rate and restore faith in the institutions. He has also given permission to open sealed intelligence files on the 1994 Buenos Aires Jewish Center bombing.

Brazil's Landless Movement (MST) has invaded a farm used by Monsanto for research and processing, including genetically modified crops.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has denied allegations in court documents that it had information that could have prevented the 1985 Air India bombing.

Honduran President Ricardo Maduro has promised a full investigation into the deaths of 69 people killed in a prison riot, most deliberately killed by security officers.

Peruvians under a state of emergency reacted with a general strike and mass demonstrations as public service workers and others insist on promised pay increases that have been delayed under pressure from the International Monetary Fund.

The US Department of Justice has come under fire from reports from the General Accounting Office and the internal Inspector General. These have faulted treatment of immigrants rounded up and detained after the September 11 attacks, that numbers of terrorist arrests and actions have been greatly exaggerated, and that expanded powers under the Patriot Act have been used for non-terrorism-related crimes. Despite growing disquiet across a spectrum of Americans, US Attorney General Ashcroft has defended his actions, said they would act the same way, and insist that the Patriot Act needs to be strengthened.

US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has begun to evaluate improvements to the terror alert system, including reducing the number of times the warning level alters. He has responded to growing public cynicism about the system as well as concerns expressed by the states over increased costs associated with heightened alerts. Government aid for security costs has now been announced for states that meet certain federal criteria.

4. Asia Pacific

Australian police have raided at least ten homes of suspected members of Iranian opposition group People's Mujahideen.

Burma's pro-democracy opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) and supporters of the military government clashed in a conflict that killed four and injured 50. The Burmese Junta claims the violence was instigated by NLD, but it may have been sparked by government harassment. NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi was apparently injured and has been taken into protective custody. Despite international requests and demands by a UN representative, no one has been able to contact her.

Cambodia and the UN have agreed to set up special courts to try leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

Chinese authorities arrested some 180 members of the banned Falun Gong on suspicion of spreading rumors about cult practitioners being immune to the SARS virus.

In Hong Kong, tens of thousands of people commemorated the 14th anniversary of Tiananmen Square, using it to highlight concerns over civil liberties under proposed new security legislation.

Indonesia's army, some 40,000 strong, continues to do battle against separatists of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The humanitarian situation is declining and a German tourist has been shot dead by government troops. Three Indonesian soldiers have gone on trial for human rights abuses during the current offensive.

Japan's parliament has passed a series of measures to strengthen government powers in military emergencies.

South Korea and the US have agreed to move US forces from the demilitarized zone to a different location and to also upgrade the forces. These actions take place in the context of continued maritime encounters with North Korean vessels and mysteries over the North's nuclear intentions.

5. Europe

The European Union and US have agreed terms for extradition of cases involving terrorism and organized crime as well as an agreement to cooperate in investigating such cases.

Belgium police have detained an Iraqi man on suspicion of sending letters laced with two poisonous chemicals to the Prime Minister, US embassy and other government offices.

Bosnia-Herzegovina's SFOR NATO-led mission was going to be handed over to the EU in mid-2004, but the US has decided the move would be premature.

In Georgia, three UN observers and their interpreter were kidnapped at gunpoint.

A court in the Netherlands has acquitted twelve men accused of supporting terrorism. The court ruled that unverified intelligence reports were inadmissible and therefore there was insufficient evidence.

In the Russian republic of Chechnya, a suicide bomber blew up a bus, killing herself and at least 17 others, and wounding 15. At the end of the week, a 2-day gunbattle between rebels and troops left at least ten dead.

Russia's lower house of parliament has passed an amnesty program for some Chechen rebels and Russian soldiers, for certain crimes committed during the conflict, provided they lay down their arms and renounce independence by September 1.

In Northern Ireland, the body of loyalist Alan McCullough was found. The Ulster Freedom Fighters claimed responsibility.

6. Middle East

As the week began, the Israeli army lifted some restrictions in the occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank and freed around a hundred prisoners, in goodwill gestures while US President Bush left the G8 meeting a day early to attend Middle East peace talks. His journey began in Egypt, where leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, with the new Palestinian Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, promised to combat violence and extremism. With high hopes, he moved on to Jordan where Israeli Prime Minister Sharon and Prime Minister Abbas met and agreed to support back the roadmap to peace. For the first time, Sharon declared there would be a Palestinian state and pledged to dismantle unauthorized outposts in the West Bank. Abbas promised an end to violence against Israelis and the end of incitement and hatred, with a ceasefire imminent.

While the peace talks were underway, Israeli soldiers raided the refugee camp of Balata and the city of Nablus. In three days of incursions, more than 50 people were treated for bullet and shrapnel wounds. Militant Palestinian groups reacted angrily to the continued incursions and to Abbas' concessions to Israel. Less than two days after the summit ended, Hamas vowed to continue their fight and broke off scheduled ceasefire talks. Sharon faces similar pressures from Israeli settlers.

Shortly thereafter, three gunmen, (one from Hamas, one from Islamic Jihad, and one from Al Aqsa Brigade) attacked an army checkpoint between Gaza Strip and Israel, killing four soldiers and injuring four more before being shot dead. This alliance of the three militant groups, including Al Aqsa that is associated with Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement of which Abbas has been a long-time member, has cast a worrying shadow over the peace plan. Shortly thereafter, another Israeli and two Palestinian gunmen were killed in the West Bank. US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said the violence will not derail the peace process.

Iran faces increased pressure as Russia, the US and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have called on Iran to sign an additional protocol to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty that would permit tougher inspections. They have invited the US to help build the nuclear reactors, but have rejected additional inspections. IAEA reports their conclusion that they have been developing clandestine nuclear facilities that go beyond power generation.

Saudi Arabian authorities conducted operations against suspected militants in which two police and one suspect were killed in a gunfight. One of those killed was carrying a letter allegedly written by Osama bin Laden. Twelve of the suicide bombers killed in last month's compound attacks have been identified through forensic analysis.

7. South Asia

Afghani President Hamid Karzai was in the UK seeking funding to combat insecurity and the narcotics industry (and receive an honorary knighthood). Back in Afghanistan, the Taliban and al Qaeda supported his case by demonstrating that they are back with a vengeance. Battles between Taliban and Afghani government forces have killed 40 militants and 6 soldiers. A suicide car bomber attacked a bus, killing three and injuring thirty. There were a number of smaller incidents, including clashes between rival factions, throughout the week. Check out Barry Bearak's "Warlordistan: America promised Afghanistan safety, money and democracy. but the real power is back in the hands of feudal chiefs like Ismail Khan" in The New York Times Magazine, June 1, 2003.

Bangladesh granted police the right to shoot on sight as part of its ongoing anti-crime campaign.
In the Indian state Tamil Nadu, 150 state policewomen have been selected for counterinsurgency and antiterrorist training in an all-woman commando force.

At the Line of Control in Kashmir, fighting between Indian and Pakistan troops killed five civilians and wounded nine. In a clash inside Indian-administered Kashmir, suspected Islamic militants fought Indian troops, killing 8 militants and three civilians. In another incident, three suspected members of Lashkar-e-Toiba and one civilian were killed.

In Nepal, protests have continued as King Gyanendra appointed his choice of a new Prime Minister. Peace talks have stalled and there is no date for their resumption.

In Pakistan's NorthWest Frontier province Sharia law has been introduced. The federal government plans to take some form of action against these measures. In another example of increasing Islamic militancy, activists attacked a circus, setting it on fire and injuring hundreds of people.

Sri Lanka's peace process remains stalled, but even the small gains achieved so far have led to a 15 percent increase in the rice harvest.

8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

The US Department of Homeland Security will establish the National Cyber Security Division. Its sixty employees " will provide for 24 x 7 functions, including conducting cyberspace analysis, issuing alerts and warning, improving information sharing, responding to major incidents, and aiding in national-level recovery efforts".

A new variant of the Bugbear virus is proving far more virulent than the original, spreading three times faster than the original. It is a blended virus, attacking Microsoft Outlook users with automatic opening of email attachments. It is capable of capturing personal details and keystrokes.

Excellent detail on Microsoft Passport vulnerabilities can be found in an article by Yen-Ming Chen online at http://www.securityfocus.com/guest/20225

9. Finance

The UN Security Council has agreed to lift sanctions on the rough diamond trade in Sierra Leone.

The European Union (EU) meeting of foreign ministers has reached agreement on rules to crack down on tax evasion and fraud. A new computerized tracking system will be used to help combat duty frauds.

The EU has added Basque nationalist party Batasuna to their list of terrorist organizations.

A counterfeiting outfit in Northern Ireland has been uncovered. Officials seized equipment for copying and manufacturing DVDs and CDs. Loyalist paramilitaries may be involved.

10. Human Rights

The US has asked the UN Security Council to extend its immunity from the International Criminal Court for another year, to help shield US troops from possible prosecution over actions taken in Iraq. The US has suggested that they may not continue to assist in peacekeeping efforts without the exemption.

Cambodia and the UN have agreed to set up special courts to try leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

11. Law and Legal Issues

Robert Antoine-Pierre, a French citizen, has been arrested in Morocco in connection with the May 16 suicide bombings.

Ken Barrett, accused in the murder of Pat Finucane in Belfast, appeared before the court and was denied bail.

Truong Van Cam, notorious Vietnamese gangster, was convicted in Vietnamese court of murder and bribery and sentenced to death. The sentence will be appealed.

Yvan Colonna is on trial in absentia in Paris. His eight accused accomplices, members of Corsica Nazione, were in court for the alleged murder of Claude Erignac in 1998 as part of militant protests in favor of Corsican independence.

Major General Adam Damiri, regional commander of East Timor during the 1999 massacre, was on trial for human rights offenses but the prosecutor is now suggesting there is insufficient evidence. A decision on whether to continue the trial will be made in July.

Abdel Ilah Elmardoudi has been found guilty of supporting terrorists by raising money and providing false documents. He was the alleged ringleader of a group of four accused of making up a sleeper cell in Detroit, Michigan, US. Karim Koubriti was also found guilty. Ahmed Hannan was acquitted of conspiracy but found guilty of fraud. Farouk Ali Haimoud was acquitted of all charges.

Sultaana Freeman has been ordered in a Florida, US court to remove her veil for her drivers license photograph. She had sued the state for forcing this rule in opposition to her Islamic religious beliefs. It had previously been permitted, and the rule was recently changed. Other states permit photographs of veiled women. The case will be appealed.

Christian Ganczarski and Karim Mehdi were arrested in France on suspicion of involvement in last year's Tunisian synagogue bombing.

The legal team of Zacarias Moussaoui (the "20th hijacker) has accused the US government of altering a deposition by an al Qaeda leader Ramzi Binalshibh in order to improve their case. The accusations surfaced during hearings to determine whether Binalshibh's testimony can be challenged in court.

Sami al-Mutairi was sentenced to death in Kuwait for killing a US contractor in January.

Imam Samudra's trial in Indonesia on accusations of planning the October 12 Bali bombings has begun.

Franko Simatovic, head of special police in Serbia, pleaded not guilty to war crimes charges for actions in Croatia and Bosnia in the 1990s.

William Tierney has been remanded into custody in Belfast on charges of having documents useful to terrorists.

12. Narco-terrorism

Afghanistan has again appealed for international aid to combat poppy growing.

Benjamin Weiser and Daisy Hernandez report that "Drug Money Laundered Into Gold, U.S. Says" in The New York Times, June 6, 2003.

13. Transportation

The International Labor Organization has begun to negotiate a new identification system for maritime workers, encouraged by a declaration from the G8 meeting that they should "develop a secure, verifiable seafarer identity document".

The US Transportation Security Administration has fired some 1,200 airport-screeners for providing false information, having criminal records, or failing drug tests. Nearly half of TSA's 53,000 screeners have not yet had their background checks completed.

14. Weapons of Mass Destruction

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported that Iran has not met all of its obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty by failing to account for nuclear material, not reporting its processing and use, and not declaring all facilities.

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report the first outbreak of monkeypox in the US, affecting at least 19 people in Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana. It was apparently passed in a pet store from an infected African rat to pet prairie dogs.

The Republic of Georgia has ratified a nuclear non-proliferation treaty and the additional protocol to allow increased access for IAEA inspectors.

15. Recently Published

George Crile, "Charlie Wilson's War" Grove Atlantic

Daphne Eviatar, "Striking it Poor: Oil as a Curse" in The New York Times, June 7, 2003

Fergus Fleming, "The Sword and the Cross: The Conquest of the Sahara" Grove Press

Theodore Friend "Indonesian Destinies" Belknap Press

Robert Gellately and Ben Kiernan, editors, "The Spector of Genocide: Mass Murder in Historical Perspective" Cambridge University Press

C. Raja Mohan, "Crossing the Rubicon" The Shaping of India's New Foreign Policy" Penguin India

Rebecca West, "Survivors in Mexico" Yale University Press

FEATURE ARTICLE: Charles Ghankay Taylor

Liberia, on the West African coast, borders Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast. Originally founded by freed slaves from the United States, Liberia is the oldest republic in Africa, celebrating independence since July 26, 1847, under a constitution modeled on that of the US.

Richly endowed with natural resources including water, minerals, timber, and arable lands, the country was relatively stable until rice-price riots in 1980 led to a military coup. Military rule under Samuel Doe led to economic collapse and, by 1989, an uprising by the opposition National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) led by Charles Taylor.

Charles Ghankay Macarthur Dapkpana Taylor was born on January 28, 1948 in Arthington, Liberia. His mother was Liberian; his father American. The family were devout Baptists. Taylor is a lay preacher who often uses religious rhetoric in his cause and has compared himself to Jesus Christ. He attended college in the US until beginning political activities in the late 1970s and returned to Liberia after Doe's coup.

Under Doe he ran the General Services Administration until he was accused of embezzlement. He fled to the US, where he was briefly detained. With US support, he returned again to Liberia and began an uprising against the government. Taylor also received military training in Libya the late 1980s, where he met Foday Sankoh, the leader of the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) of Sierra Leone.

As well as relationships developed in Libya and the US, including associations with evangelical Christian groups, Taylor was able to build associations with other African states, industry leaders, and independent militant groups. These relationships were first built on the illicit diamond trade and when international sanctions made that more difficult, he created even greater wealth with illegal timber sales.

Seven years of civil war followed the 1989 uprising, killing more than 250,000 people. It came to a form of closure when elections were held in 1996 and Taylor became President. Elections did not lead to peace. Instead, factional fighting and border conflicts have continued. The rebellion in Sierra Leone began in 1991 and, supported by Liberia, continued for more than a decade.

Around the same time, rebellion against Taylor began with the formation of the rebel group Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD). In April of this year, a new rebel group called Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) was formed.

President Taylor has held unopposed executive power and overseen the further economic and political dissolution of a country in which 80 percent of the people now live below the poverty line.

Charles Taylor has overseen the transformation of Liberia from an international producer and exporter to a global pariah. To see why, let the words of the 32-page Indictment issued by the Prosecutor in the Special Court for Sierra Leone speak on behalf of all the victims.

The Charges allege that Charles Taylor conducted organized attacks in Liberia and Sierra Leone, where he assisted the rebel groups RUF and the Armed Forced Revolutionary Council (AFRC), acting in concert. He, the RUF and AFRC "shared a common plan, purpose of design (joint criminal enterprise) which was to take any actions necessary to gain and exercise political power and control over the territory of Sierra Leone, in particular the diamond mining areas. The natural resources of Sierra Leone, in particular the diamonds, were to be provided to persons outside Sierra Leone in return for assistance in carrying the joint criminal enterprise". To this end, Taylor "provided financial support, military training, personnel, arms, ammunition and other support and encouragement".

In pursuing these aims, he is alleged to have acted in concert with rebels in Sierra Leone to attack civilians, humanitarian personnel, and UN peacekeepers in order to terrorize the civilian population and punish them for lack of support. Attacks included "unlawful killings, physical and sexual violence against civilian men, women and children, physical and sexual violence against civilian men, women and children, abductions and looting and destruction of civilian property. Many civilians saw these crimes committed; others returned to their homes or places of refuge to find the results of these crimes -- dead bodies, mutilated victims and looted and burnt property".

Furthermore, "As part of the campaign of terror and punishment the AFRC/RUF routinely captured and abducted members of the civilian population. Captured women and girls were raped; many of them were abducted and used as sex slaves and as forced labour. Some of these women and girls were held captive for years. Men and boys who were abducted were also used as forced labour; some of them were also held captive for years. Many abducted boys and girls were given combat training and used in active fighting. [The rebel forces] also physically mutilated men, women and children, including amputating their hands or feet and carving 'AFRC' and 'RUF' on their bodies".

The charges are laid out in detail in 17 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, supported by investigator depositions.

This indictment was approved March 7 but kept under seal until this week, when the prosecutors knew he would be out of the country, attending peace talks in Ghana. Claiming that a formal extradition request had not been received, Ghana flew Taylor back to Liberia in a government jet. It is more likely they wanted to preserve the peace talks.

But the legal measures may be moot. On his return to Liberia, Taylor announced a failed coup attempt and denounced the indictment, saying his cause was supported by God and asking for the prayers of the Liberian people. The Liberian people however, are preoccupied with fleeing the advancing rebel groups that now control 12 of the 15 counties and are rapidly advancing on the capital, Monrovia. Whether he is killed, deposed or captured, it seems that some form of justice is on the way for Charles Taylor.