Three Found Guilty in Sierra Leone War Crimes Trial

An international tribunal today found three militia leaders guilty of committing war crimes including mutilation, rape and the use of child soldiers during Sierra Leone's civil war.

Alex Tamba Brima, Brima Bazzy Kamara and Santigie Borbor Kanu were convicted on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the first verdicts from the special court for Sierra Leone. They will be sentenced on July 16.

The 11 charges covered atrocities, including enslavement, rape, terrorism and the use of child soldiers. They were acquitted of charges of sexual slavery, "other inhumane acts" related to physical violence and acts related to sexual violence.

The three men were commanders of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), comprising former government soldiers who split from the army and sided with the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in a bid to gain control of Sierra Leone's diamond mines. The AFRC staged a coup in May 1997, ousting the president, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

"Captured women and girls were raped ... AFRC/RUF also physically mutilated men, women and children, including carving 'AFRC' and 'RUF' on their bodies," the prosecution said in its indictment.

The trial made legal history; it was the first time that an international tribunal ruled on the charge of recruitment of child soldiers and on forced marriage in an armed conflict.

The UN-backed tribunal was set up following the end of fighting in 2002 to prosecute the worst offenders in a conflict notable for its savagery.

The court has indicted 12 people, including the former Liberian president, Charles Taylor. Charged with backing Sierra Leonean rebels, Mr Taylor is standing trial at The Hague because of fears that a trial in Sierra Leone would trigger fresh violence.

About 50,000 people are estimated to have died in a civil war financed by "blood diamonds". Apart from the killings and rapes, rebel forces hacked off arms and legs in a reign of terror against civilians.

Five others are awaiting verdicts in the capital, Freetown but the special court has been criticized for being too slow. Three of those charged have died since the indictments. Two, including the RUF leader Foday Sankoh, died of natural causes and one in a killing that many believe was a move to silence him.