Liberian Mercenary Arrested

-Falls in NSA Dragnet After allegedly recruiting at least seven rebels

 M. Welemongai Ciapha, II welemongai.ciapha@frontpageafricaonline.com(07711911)

The National Security Agency (NSA) has arrested and sent a man to court for allegedly recruiting some Liberians as mercenaries to fight on behalf of the Ivorian Rebel leader, Alassanne Quattera.

Suspect Timothy Mamadee Toure, according to a classified document from the NSA, which is in the possession of FrontPage Africa, revealed that Toure is a Liberian citizen and former fighter of the disbanded Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), a rebel group headed by Sekou Damate Conneh, who fought ex-President Charles Taylor leading to his forceful resignation and departure from Liberia.

The NSA’s report, copy of which was served on Justice Minister Christiana Tah on April 6, 2011, stated that the defendant told personnel of the NSA that he was allegedly hired by one James Innis of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County to recruit former fighters to go to the Ivory Coast and fight.

The suspect told NSA that on November 15, 2010, Innis met him (Toure) at the PMS Gas Station in Buchanan and gave him an amount of US$20 and later asked him to change US$10 and take the balance US$ 10 for scratch card, so he (Toure) can call him (Innis).

According to the document, NSA says suspect Toure admitted receiving a call from Innis on November 18, 2010, requesting Toure to meet him at the Gorbachop Market Red Light in Paynesville, but stated that he met Innis on November 19, 2010.

Upon meeting with Innis, the document confirmed that Innis allegedly asked him to recruit fighters for the war in Ivory Coast and that he will be given the amount of L$18, 000.

The document established that Innis called Toure on January 8, 2011, while in Buchanan, informing him that the war has started.

“So Toure came to Monrovia on January 9, 2011, but met Innis on January 10, at the Gorbachop Market, during which time, suspect Toure was given L$ 16, 000. Toure admitted recruiting seven fighters and distributed the amount at the rate of L$2,250 each,” the report stated.

Defendant Toure is said to have informed the NSA that on January 23, 2011, Innis met him (Toure) and told him that he was sending a car for him to Buchanan to pick up; and that said vehicle arrived in Buchanan on January 24, picked Toure and two fighters (not named), so as to join forces with the other recruits at the Red Light.

The document maintained that Toure is reported to have admitted to the investigators that he turned over the seven recruit rebels to Innis and left on the ground to carry out more recruitment.

The NSA probe also established that Toure admitted that while in Ganta, Nimba County, he recruited two other fighters and took them to Bahn, making the total number to seven fighters, at which time Innis gave him US$ 1,000 to be distributed among the recruited men.

Of the amount allegedly giving by the rebel financier, Innis, Toure told investigators that he gave each fighter an amount of US$500 and took US$500 for himself.

Interestingly, the defendant added, he escaped from Innis in Bahn and went to Butuo Border, where he joined other fighters, who were going across to the Ivorian side.

After crossing over along with other rebels, they were given US$300 against US$1,500 and that after the mission each fighter would receive a balance of US$ 1,200 upon returning from the frontline.

According to the document, Toure said he fought the war on Alassane Quattera’s side for three weeks and later escaped and joined forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo on March 17, 2011.

The accused is quoted as saying that Gbagbo was paying fighters in an amount of US$ 2,000 but after battling for five days, he noticed that Gbagbo was losing men, so he went back to Quattera’s group again.

The NSA says, Toure confessed that the intention of all Liberian mercenaries in the Ivorian crisis is to acquire arms and loot on the grounds that anything can happen in Liberia.

These are the names of the fighters: Solo, Solo alias Black Devil, Jallah, Bullet Bounce, Alfred, alias Wild Spider, Josiah alias Indian Amin, and Joseph alias Value Rebel. The accused is presently behind bars at the Monrovia Central Prison Compound, pending court trial.