Actress says Campbell knew diamond gift was from Taylor

THE HAGUE - US actress Mia Farrow told the international war crimes court in The Hague Monday that British supermodel Naomi Campbell knew rough diamonds given to her in 1997 were from former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor.

Her testimony contradicted earlier evidence by Campbell that she had not known whether the gems were from Taylor, who is charged with war crimes for allegedly backing rebels responsible for widespread atrocities during a civil war in neighbouring Sierra Leone.

Campbell had told her over breakfast in Cape Town in September 1997 that she received a “large diamond” from Charles Taylor, Farrow testified. The supermodel had said the gift had been given to her in the night before, Farrow said under oath.

At the time, the supermodel and the actress were both attending a charity event by former South African President Nelson Mandela in Cape Town. Taylor had also been present as a guest.

When Campbell was questioned as a witness in the trial last Thursday, she said she had received “dirty-looking stones” in a jewellery box from messengers in the night but did not know who sent them. It had been Farrow who suggested to her that the stones might be from Taylor, Campbell testified.

Farrow said Campbell had spoken of a “large diamond” and had been quite excited about it.

Campbell had said during her two-hour testimony that she had only opened the package the next day as she had been tired.

It was the first time that Campbell, who was ordered to appear as a prosecution witness, admitted to receiving the controversial gift during a visit to South Africa in 1997. But she was cautious not to identify Taylor as the man behind the gift.

Her testimony is seen by the prosecution as crucial in backing up its allegation that Taylor received so-called “blood diamonds” from Sierra Leone in return for his support for the rebel movement there.

Taylor has rejected the charges and insisted he never received diamonds. He is accused of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, for being directly responsible for mass killings, rapes, sexual enslavement, torture, and the enforced recruitment of child soldiers.

More than 120,000 people died in the civil war in Sierra Leone, until it ended with the deployment of West African peacekeepers in 1999.