US newspaper backpedals on Taylor spy link

The publishers and editors of the The Globe newspaper in Boston have retracted the story they published last week alleging Charles Taylor used to be a US spy.

In a letter sent to the former Liberian president’s legal counsel on Wednesday, the publishers said the story was “not based on adequate reporting and drew unsupported conclusions.”

The reaction came from David McCraw, the vice-president and assistant general counsel of The Globe, and the newspaper’s editor Martin Baron, a Liberian newspaper reported Thursday.

The letter from the publishers further explained the article “significantly over-stepped available evidence” when it described Taylor as having worked with US intelligence agencies as a “sought after source”.

The reaction came shortly after a threat by Taylor to sue the newspaper following the startling revelation published on January 17, 2012 to the effect that the indicted Liberian warlord worked for many years for US intelligence.

Pentagon

Mr McCraw said he discovered the flaw after a careful review of the article and its sources especially the part noting that the US Defence Department failed to provide further comments on the revelation citing security reasons.

In the initial report, The Globe explained that its information was availed by the Pentagon in keeping the Freedom of Information Act and after six years of waiting.

But in Taylor’s reaction after the publication, he acknowledged that Liberian government security agencies as well as his National Patriotic Party of Liberia had associated with US spy agencies but not himself “personally”.

Meanwhile, it is expected that Courtenay Griffiths, Taylor’s lead counsel, will proceed to negotiate a settlement with The Globe as his client awaits the verdict of the UN-backed Sierra Leone Special Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.