"Use an electronic machine to see what is in my head"

Lots of flashy updates from yesterday’s cross-examination of former Liberian vice president and president Moses Blah.

First, my top two favorite quotes:
Def: For 20 years you were not involved or associated in any criminal activities?
Wit: How would I know, I am not investigator. I would not want to be associated with a criminal. But how do you know?

And a bit later…
Wit: Everything I am saying here, I can repeat. I am not making up stories. During the investigation I would tell them I can tell anything that is in the documents. You can open my head and use an electroninc machine to see what is in my head.

Most of the day involved Charles Taylor’s lawyer trying to get Blah to say that he had power as vice president (and perhaps, following that logic, that he is responsible for some of the things Taylor is accused of). When Blah would insist he didn’t have power, then Taylor’s lawyer would push him further, saying if he had no power how did he even know about the things he was testifying about.

Def: As a vice-president were you allowed to give any orders?
Wit: No, all the orders came from the president. I did not give any orders.
Def: We want to understand the situation. You were nearly a figurehead?
Wit: No, a figurehead was not to become a vice-president. You can not say that to me. Only the president gave orders. The vice-president does not give orders. The president takes the blame, he takes the responsibility.
Def: Would it be fair to conclude that you had no authority whatsoever?
Wit: I had authority. But state orders were the sole responsibility of the president.
Def: Who did you have authority over, if anyone?
Wit: I had authority over the House of Senate. I could call them if necessary. But I did not have the right to vote. I had a limited job anyway.
Def: Please help me, why did you take the position?
Wit: Well, you are in second command as vice-president.
Def: But you were not in command of anything?

The defense team also questioned Blah about the training he received with Taylor in Libya. Blah agreed with this characterization of the training:

Def: You were taught ideology in Libya. One of the founding principles was that as a revolutionary force you have to win the masses onto your side. At all costs, nothing should be done to alienate the masses from the cause. It was appreciated that indiscriminate killing and looting would alienate the populace. As a consequence, the leadership of the NPFL, at that macro level, knew that discipline could endanger the cause. I’m right, aren’t I?

Defense then used this to make the (preposterous) point that “Taylor cared about the welfare of civilians in Liberia, right?”

Also, just found this interesting tidbit from a Wikipedia entry on Blah: “In June 2003, Blah was allegedly urged by the United States to take power from Taylor while the latter was absent for peace talks in Ghana.”