A confident Taylor declares his innocence

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – Charles Taylor beamed and blew kisses after pleading not guilty to war crimes Monday, appearing confident before an international tribunal intent on sending a message to the world’s despots that no one is above the law.

The former Liberian president initially said he could not plead on the charges, which stem from his alleged role in Sierra Leone’s civil war, because he did not recognize the court. Taylor faces 11 counts of helping destabilize West Africa through killings, sexual slavery and sending children into combat.

But after Justice Richard Lussick insisted, Taylor said calmly, “Most definitely, your honor, I did not and could not have committed those acts against the sister republic of Sierra Leone.”

Lussick accepted Taylor’s statement as a plea of “not guilty.”

As the hour-long hearing ended, Taylor stood and smiled and blew kisses to relatives in the courtroom. Taylor was once feared across the region for fomenting violence in his homeland, in Sierra Leone, in Ivory Coast and elsewhere.

In a statement released later, the court’s chief prosecutor, Desmond de Silva, said Taylor’s appearance was a watershed, proving that “those who commit atrocities and violate international humanitarian law will be held accountable, no matter how rich, powerful or feared people may be – no one is above the law.”

At the arraignment, Taylor’s defense lawyer also asked that the case remain in Sierra Leone at the international court that was established to try those responsible for atrocities during the country’s 1991-2002 civil war.

Court officials have asked that the trial be moved to an international tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, because of fears the 58-year-old Taylor could still spark unrest in West Africa.

Taylor said through his lawyer that he feared for his safety in Sierra Leone but wanted to be tried in the region, in part because it would be easier for defense witnesses to testify.

The court’s chief prosecutor has said Taylor has no reason to fear for his safety.

After accepting Taylor’s plea, Lussick instructed aides to set a date for the trial to begin. No date was immediately set, and Lussick said nothing about where the next hearing might be held.

De Silva has said the defense could be given months to prepare before the trial starts. He noted prosecutors took two years to compile their evidence, which defense lawyers will now have to review.

While most reporters watched on closed-circuit TV from elsewhere in the complex, the audience area in the court chamber was filled with more than 100 people – among them Liberia’s ambassador and members of Taylor’s family. The courtroom was mostly quiet, but there was a murmur when Taylor’s lawyer said he wanted to be tried in Sierra Leone.

Taylor showed little emotion during the hearing, though at one point he shook his head as the indictment was read.

Security was tight. Taylor – and court officials who have received death threats – were protected by bulletproof glass and by dozens of U.N. peacekeepers from Mongolia and Ireland.

Taylor faces 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with alleged backing of Sierra Leonean rebels.

He has repeatedly declared he is innocent.