Former Liberian president on trial for alleged war crimes committed during Sierra Leone civil war.
By HAVIV RETTIG GURCharles Taylor 248 88 ap(photo credit: )
Former Liberian president Charles Taylor, on trial in the Hague for alleged war crimes committed during the civil war in Sierra Leone, has adopted Judaism, one of his wives said.
The former warlord is on trial in the Special Court for Sierra Leone for allegedly encouraging atrocities during that country's civil war, which ended in 2002.
On a broadcast aired last week, Victoria Taylor told the BBC World Service's Peter Ndoro that Taylor "is now a Jew. He's practicing Judaism."
Asked if Taylor believes his newfound faith will aid him in his trial, his wife suggested he does.
"Oh yes, I have seen a lot of transformation in my husband," she said, "and I know he truly wants to serve God with all his heart, all his mind and all his might."
In fact, Taylor found his Judaism upon entering the courtroom, she said.
"When he got to The Hague, he got to know that he really, really wanted to be a Jew. And he wanted to convert to Judaism. And that's what he has done… He wants to know deeply about God and all about creation, and he wants to serve God accordingly and immediately."
His wife insists, however, that he remains a believing Christian.
"He wants to follow the two religions," she said, adding that while he had questions concerning Christianity, "of course, he does believe in Christ."
Ndoro asked if Taylor's "conversion" included admitting "to having done wrong for which he's seeking forgiveness right now.
"To be honest with you," Victoria replied, "I have never raised that question with him. I have never talked to him about that. I know he has a lot of regret concerning all that happened in his presidency and in the war... We don't talk in detail concerning that."
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